general engagement, when the superior quality of the Parliamentarian troops soon became manifest. Expecting no attack, Ormonde had lain down to rest about nine o'clock, and some of his officers left their posts, so that the troops were partly surprised. He himself was roused by the firing about ten, and most of his men made but slight resistance, 'many of them running away towards the hills of Wicklow, where some of them were bred, and whither they knew the way but too well.' The fighting continued for about two hours and ended in a complete rout, the cavalry dispersing after the death of their commander, Sir William Vaughan. Jones's loss in killed was not above twenty, and he reported that he had taken 2517 prisoners and that 4000 Royalists were killed; but the latter figure is doubtless much exaggerated. A vast quantity of arms and stores of all kinds fell into the victor's hands. Ormonde escaped with very few followers, having totally failed to rally his broken regiments, but that portion of his army which had remained on the north bank of the Liffey escaped to Drogheda and Trim. Many of Inchiquin's old soldiers afterwards took service with Jones, and not a few of Ormonde's did the same, declaring with loud shouts that they would return to their own countrymen. Jones secured all the guns, and Ormonde lost his papers, besides 'velvets, silk, scarlets, wines, grocery, and some convenient quantity of money.' He went to Kilkenny, and a week after started for Drogheda with 300 horse. Jones, who had moved northwards to attack that town, thereupon withdrew into Dublin and awaited Cromwell's arrival. Rathfarnham, Maynooth, and other strong places near Dublin fell into the victor's hands, but Ormonde took Ballyshannon immediately after the battle, persuading the governor that Dublin had surrendered. When the truth was known Inchiquin's soldiers in Munster began to desert and enter the Parliamentary ranks.[142] [Sidenote: Charles II. invited to Ireland.] [Sidenote: But Scotch influences prevail.]