In 1649, CROMWELL, having surprised Carrick, crossed the Suir to besiege Waterford; and although his army, from the fatigue it had undergone, did not amount to more than 5000 foot, 2000 horse, and 500 dragoons, the terror of his approach had such an effect on the citizens, who had refused to accept the troops offered to them by the MARQUESS OF ORMONDE, that they sent to consult that nobleman about the con-ditions on which they should surrender the city. The marquess, however, assuring them that it rested only with themselves to do their duty and ensure their safety, they gladly accepted a reinforcement of 1500 men under General Farrel, and began to prepare for their defence. The siege commenced on the 3rd of October; and Ormonde, struggling against desertion and other difficulties, kept together some forces, with which he hovered between the city and Clonmel. Bring surrounded with batteries and other fortifications, the city was thought to be sufficiently defended; and Cromwell therefore adopted the plan of a tedious in-vestment as the best mode of attack. On the 23rd, however, he despatched six troops of dragoons and four of horse to the town of Passage, about six miles to the south, and these taking possession of the fort which commanded the river at that place, the communication between Waterford and the entrance of the harbour was cut off. The serious inconveniences resulting from the occupation of this post by the enemy, rendered it neces-sary to make an attempt for its recovery, for which purpose General Farrel marched with some troops, expecting to be assisted from the opposite side of the river by Colonel Wogan, of Duncannon Fort, in the county of Wexford. He was, however, driven back by a strong force suddenly detached against him from Cromwell's army, and would have suffered great loss, but for the prompt covering of his retreat by the Mar-quess of Ormonde with a party of only 50 horse, the citizens having refused any facilities for conducting a larger body over the ferry.
After this failure, the mar-quess offered to transport his troops from the north to the south side of the Suir, for the purpose of recovering Passage, and quartering them in huts under the walls of Waterford, that they might not be burdensome to the city, but receive pay and provisions from the coun-try. But this proposal 'was also rejected; and it was even moved in the council to seize Ormonde's person, and to attack his troops as enemies. Irritated at their obstinacy and ingratitude, Ormonde withdrew his army, and left the citizens to defend themselves, by their own re-sources, against the vigorous attacks of Cromwell; their courage giving way, they declared that, unless they re-ceived a reinforcement of troops and a supply of provisions, they could make no further resistance. At length, when the assault was, hourly expected, the mar-quess appeared again with his forces on the north side of the Suir, and Cromwell having already lost about 1000 of his men by sickness and the chances of war, prepared to raise the siege. Ormonde now proposed to cross the river, and attack the retreating army in the rear; but the citizens obstinately urged their objections, from an apprehension that the city might become the winter quarters of his army.
Early in the following June, Waterford was again besieged by the parliamentary forces, under the com-mand of IRETON, on whose approach General Preston, then governor, sent to the Marquess of Ormonde to in-form him that, unless supplies were immediately for-warded, he should be obliged to surrender; these not being sent, the garrison was reduced to the greatest dis-tress. Though the siege was begun early in June, Ireton. did not summon the city to surrender till the 25th of July soon after the besieged made a sally, but were driven back with loss; and a party of musketeers being sent by the besiegers to burn the suburbs, the smoke driven by the wind into the city so terrified the besieged, that they thought the whole army had made an assault, and. began to seek safety by the eastern gate. Two brothers named Croker, who led the party that burnt the suburbs, under cover of the smoke, which concealed the smallness of their number, scaled the walls and marched forward to the main guard, putting all they met to the sword. The besieged, firmly believ-ing that the whole of Ireton's army had forced their way into the city, were seized with a panic, which en-abled this small party to secure all the great guns and march with them to the western gate, which they opened to their fellow soldiers, who immediately entered. The citadel still held out, but, after a protracted treaty, surrendered on the 10th of August, upon terms favourable to the citizens generally, whose persons and pro-perty were guaranteed from injury. The violence of the parliamentarian army was chiefly directed against the churches, works of art, and remains of antiquity; not even the tombs of the dead being spared from mu-tilation.
From this period till the year 1656, the old govern-ment by mayor and sheriffs was superseded by a go-vernment of commissioners appointed by Cromwell, whose most devoted partisans had supreme power in the city. Under these commissioners, orders were issued prohibiting Roman Catholics from trading either within or without doors; high courts of justice were instituted here as in other cities, for the trial of persons concerned in the massacre of 1641 and under this usurped authority the public buildings, quays, streets, roads, and other works, were generally improved. Colonel Lawrence, the first governor under the parlia-ment, was succeeded in that office by Colonel Leigh, to whom, and to the justices of the peace, the lord-deputy and council issued an order to apprehend forthwith all Quakers resorting to Waterford, and to ship them either from the port or from Passage, to Bristol, to he com-mitted to the care of that city.
