and at length Captain Bower and twenty men boldly faced about and killed about twenty of the Irish horsemen, whose eagerness in the chase had caused them to advance in front of their main body. In the meantime the eleven dragoons and twenty-four of the militia, with the captured cattle and stores, arrived at _Drumaugh_, where they were attacked by a detachment of the enemy, but defended themselves with success until relieved by a body of troops under Colonels Hastings and Ogleby. At the time the ROYAL DRAGOONS were making these diversions, the main army, commanded by Lieutenant-General De Ginkell, gained a decisive victory over the French and Irish at Aghrim; and on the 1st of August the regiment joined the army at Banagher-bridge. The enemy collected the remains of their defeated regiments at _Limerick_; and towards the end of August Lieutenant-General De Ginkell besieged that city, commencing his work on the right bank of the Shannon: the Irish army lay encamped at the same time on the opposite side of the river. A pontoon bridge having been prepared, several regiments were ordered to cross the river at daybreak of the 16th of September. The ROYAL DRAGOONS took the lead; and Brigadier-General Clifford,[32] who commanded four regiments of King James's dragoons, being taken by surprise, made little opposition: some infantry, however, attempted to make a stand; but a squadron of the ROYAL DRAGOONS dashed forward and routed them in an instant. Two or three French and Irish battalions retired to a bog and wood in their rear, from whence they were driven with the loss of several men killed, and a French lieut.-colonel, a captain, and a number of men made prisoners. The regiments which had passed the river advanced upon the enemy's camp, where a curious spectacle presented itself:--many of the Irish were running about in their shirts, some were pulling down tents, others driving away cattle, many were making their escape into the town, and others hurrying towards the mountains; a regiment of dragoons, whose horses were two miles distance at grass, dispersed in confusion: at the same time a party of horse buckled on their arms and made a show of fighting; but they fled on the advance of the English, who took possession of the camp, where they found a quantity of beef, brandy, and corn, with the saddles and appointments of three hundred dragoons. The ROYAL DRAGOONS were commended by Lieut.-General De Ginkell for their gallant conduct, and they returned to the other side of the river on the same day.[33]