James II
wholly composed of Protestants, deeply tinged with Puritanism and for the most part fiercely hostile to the House of Stuart.18 This policy Tyrconnell now set himself to reverse. Between two and three hundred officers, between five and six thousand privates, were dismissed, and their places filled with Irish Roman Catholics.19 It was easier to cashier the Cromwellians than to find competent successors. The Irish as a nation have never been wanting in military talent; but exclusion from the army at home had driven most Irishmen of martial tastes to seek service abroad. Both officers and soldiers were, with few exceptions, altogether inexperienced. Tyrconnell himself had no qualification for military command except personal courage.20 The colonels were generally men of good family who had never seen service; the inferior officers, butchers, shoemakers and tailors.21 The rank and file were composed of peasants, who, having been expelled from their homes by the confiscations, had carried on a guerilla warfare against their oppressors under the names of "tories" and "rapparees."22 Under proper discipline these men might have made excellent soliders. Commanded by officers as inexperienced as themselves they proved, as might have been expected, a lawless and disorderly rabble. The Protestants
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