Sarsfield
abandoned St. Ruth, having thus demonstrated the impossibility of crossing, folded his hands; and Ginkel was ready to retreat, when he learnt that the defences of the town had been left for the next day to two regiments of the rawest recruits. Next day, accordingly, the assault was tried again and with perfect success: not unnaturally, as the recruits were apparently provided with but two rounds of ammunition apiece—in spite of their colonel's protestations. Maxwell, a Scotch Jacobite (for everyone commanded in Ireland under James but Irishmen), replied to a request for bullets by asking "if they wanted to shoot laverocks." Athlone was taken in half an hour; the French officer in charge, D'Usson, was at dinner and returned to meet the fugitives escaping. Meanwhile word had come to St. Ruth, who was going out on a shooting party, that the English were crossing. Sarsfield, who was with them, urged him to send reinforcements; St. Ruth laughed in his face, declaring an attack impossible, and a quarrel broke out. Nothing was done till nothing could be done, for the curtain on the Connaught side which should have been thrown down was still standing, and was promptly manned by Ginkel against any reinforcements. St. Ruth by his own showing deserved hanging.
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