The success of Ginckle's second raid had been complete, in so far that he
had inflicted great slaughter upon the Irish infantry, and had gained a
moral victory; but he was no nearer capturing the town. An attack across
the long narrow bridge was not even to be thought of; and he again
retired across the river.
The Irish were disheartened. Sarsfield, though a dashing cavalry
commander, appeared wholly incapable of handling large bodies of men.
Ginckle had twice given him a great opportunity, but on neither occasion
had he made the slightest effort to utilize it.
On the first occasion, surprise and uncertainty might excuse inaction on
the part of the army in Limerick, but there was no such excuse the second
time. Their force outside the town gate was but a small one; it was
certain that the English could not push across the bridge; and, as
Ginckle had taken the best part of his army across, Sarsfield could have
issued out with his whole force on the Limerick side, crushed the British
force remaining there, and captured the camp and all its stores--in which
case Ginckle's position would have been desperate. But not a movement was
made to seize an opportunity which would have been patent to any military
commander possessing genius and energy; nor, until it was too late, was
any attempt made to reinforce the detachment which, on the other side of
the bridge, was withstanding the attack of a vastly superior force.
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