Inniskillings at the Capture of Athlone

General de Ginkel succeeded the Duke of Schomberg who was killed at the Battle of the Boyne.

The Williamite War In Ireland, the War of the Two Kings.

In the campaign in Ireland, William III's Army was commanded by General Godert de Ginkel and appeared before the fortified town of Athlone on 19 June 1691. Athlone was key to the disposition of James II's Franco-Irish Army in Ireland and its castle commanded the bridge over the River Shannon. The river separated the two halves of the town and having captured one half of the town, the Dutch general then laid siege to the other half. This included Athlone Castle, wherein lay the enemy commanded by Charles Chalmot, Marquis de Saint-Ruhe, the French general commanding James’ army in Ireland.

By means of a ruse, Ginkel distracted the enemy and on 30 June 1691 marched his storming parties, covered by cannon fire, across the deep flowing Shannon. The defenders of the breach in the wall fired a volley and then fled. The storming party, including a detachment of Tiffin's Foot, captured the gate. Meanwhile, the rest of the army crossed the river by planks placed across the damaged bridge that led to the gate, and then entered the town. By 1830 hours the army had captured Athlone.

One week later, Ginkel marched from Athlone and met Chalmot’s forces at the decisive and probably bloodiest battle in Ireland's history, the Battle of Aughrim on 12 July 1691, where Tiffin's Regiment suffered 19 dead and 40 wounded. General Chalmot was killed when he was decapitated by a cannonball, and shortly after his death, Ginkel’s force prevailed and a bloody rout of the remnants of Chalmot’s force continued late into that summer evening.