As Captain Davenant had thought probable, the Irish army, after marching into Dublin in good order, with flags flying and music playing, left on the following day for the west.  They were accompanied by most of the leading Catholic families; and on their departure the corporation at once wrote to William, inviting him to enter the capital.  Before his arrival, however, the Protestant mob destroyed a great quantity of property belonging to the Catholics, and carried their excesses to such a point that the town would probably have been destroyed by fire, had not the better classes of Protestants armed themselves, and taken energetic steps to repress the tumult.

As the troops marched into Dublin, Walter said to Captain Davenant: 

“Can I ride over to see how they are at home?  They will have heard of the battle.  Mother and grandmother must be terribly anxious.”

“I shall be glad for you to go, Walter, for it would greatly ease their minds at home; but we are to start again, almost immediately, and probably the whole army will have marched off before you get back in the morning.  There is no saying what may occur, after we have gone.  There may be a general attack upon the Catholics.  At any rate, it will be dangerous in the extreme for a single officer, in our uniform, to be riding through the town after we have left.  Even in the country villages there must be intense excitement, and anyone in the king’s uniform might be fired at, in passing through any of the Protestant settlements.”

“Well, father, suppose I do not start until it gets dark, then I can get home without attracting notice.  There I can put on a suit of my old clothes, and bring my uniform out in my valise.”

“Well, perhaps you might manage in that way, Walter; and I should be very glad to relieve their minds at home, and to know how they are going on.  If you like, you can stop there for a day or two.  I don’t suppose that William will be here with his troops, for a few days.  He has learned that our army is not to be despised, and he may hesitate to advance upon Dublin, until he receives certain news that we have moved away, and that he will not have to fight another battle for the possession of the city.  Should you hear that William’s troops have arrived in the town, you will of course make a detour, so as to avoid it, on your way to rejoin us; and now I will write a letter, at once, for you to take to your mother.”

As soon as it was dark, Walter mounted and started for Bray, where he arrived without molestation on the way.  His arrival was an immense relief to the ladies, who had been suffering an agony of suspense since the news of the battle had reached them.  King James’s hurried arrival, and panic flight to Waterford, had caused the most alarming reports as to the battle to circulate throughout the country, and by many it was supposed that his army had been utterly destroyed.  Walter’s arrival, then, with the news that his father, as well as himself, had passed through the day unhurt, was an immense relief; and they were grateful to learn that, so far from having been routed, the Irish army had accomplished its object, of fighting the battle and then falling back in perfect order and without molestation.