[26] Mountjoy found it necessary to act with vigour, in order
to prevent a total insurrection of the Irish; and having collected his
forces, he formed the siege of Kinsale by land, while Sir Richard
Levison, with a small squadron, blockaded it by sea. He had no sooner
begun his operations than he heard of the arrival of another body of two
thousand Spaniards under the command of Alphonso Ocampo, who had taken
possession of Baltimore and Berehaven; and he was obliged to detach Sir
George Carew to oppose their progress. Tyrone, meanwhile, with Randal,
MacSurley Tirel, Baron of Kelly, and other chieftains of the Irish, had
joined Ocampo with all their forces, and were marching to the relief of
Kinsale. The deputy, informed of their designs by intercepted letters,
made preparations to receive them; and being reinforced by Levison with
six hundred marines, he posted his troops on an advantageous ground
which lay on the passage of the enemy, leaving some cavalry to prevent a
sally from D'Aquila and the Spanish garrison. When Tyrone, with a
detachment of Irish and Spaniards, approached, he was surprised to find
the English so well posted and ranged for battle, and he immediately
sounded a retreat; but the deputy gave orders to pursue him, and having
thrown these advanced troops into confusion, he followed them to the
main body, which he also attacked and put to flight, with the slaughter
of twelve hundred men.
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