On Saturday, 2 October 1649, Oliver Cromwell and his New Model Army arrived at the outskirts of Wexford Town, a Royalist-Confederate stronghold. During the nine-day siege that followed, Cromwell negotiated with Colonel David Sinnott, the Governor of Wexford.
On 3 October, Cromwell demanded Sinnott surrender the town:
Sir – Having brought the army belonging to the Parliament of England before this place, to reduce it to its due obedience, to the end effusion of blood may be prevented, and the town and country about it preserved from ruin, I thought fit to summon you to deliver the same to me, to the use of the state of England. By this offer, I hope it will clearly appear where the guilt lie, if innocent persons should come to suffer with the nocent. I expect your speedy answer. Sir, your servant.
Cromwell tells Sinnott he has come to take Wexford Town and make it obedient to the English parliament, which was then battling the Royalist-Confederate alliance. He expresses hope that bloodshed can be avoided and the town and surrounding area spared. He warns that blame will lie with Sinnott if innocent people are harmed.
Sinnott replied the same day:
I have received your letter of summons for the delivery up of this town into your hands, which standeth not with my honour to do of myself; neither will I take it upon me, without the advise of the rest of the Officers and mayor of this Corporation (this town being of so great consequence to all Ireland), whom I will call together and confer with, and return my resolution unto you tomorrow by twelve of the clock. In the mean time, if you be so pleased, I am content to forbear all acts of hostility, so you permit no approach to be made: expecting your answer in that particular, I remain. My lord, your lordship’s servant.
Sinnott explains he cannot decide alone. He must confer with the mayor and other officers and will give his resolution by noon the following day. He proposes that both sides refrain from acts of hostility in the meantime.
Cromwell replied on 4 October 1649:
Sir, – Having summoned you to deliver the town of Wexford into my hands, I might well expect the delivery thereof, and not a formal treaty, which is seldom granted, but where the things stand upon a more equal footing. If therefore yourself or the town have any desires to offer, upon which you will surrender the place to me, I shall be able to judge of the reasonableness of them when they are made known to me. To which end, if you shall think fit to send the persons named in your last, entrust by yourself and the town, by whom I may understand your desires, I shall give you a speedy and fitting answer. And I do hereby engage myself, that they shall return in safety to you. I expect an answer hereunto within an hour; and rest. Your servant, O.C.
Although Wexford was guarded by a stone wall, Cromwell’s army was considerably larger and equipped with heavy siege guns. Despite the imbalance, he appears willing to hear Sinnott’s conditions. He promises safe return for anyone delivering the proposals.
Sinnott replied:
Sir, – I have returned you a civil answer, to the best of my judgement; and thereby I find you undervalue me and the place so much, as you think to have it surrendered without capitulation or honourable terms, as appears by the hour’s limitation in your last. Sir, had I never a man in this town but the townsmen and the artillery here planted, I should consider myself in a very befitting condition to make honourable conditions; and having a considerable party with them in the place, I am resolved to die honourably, or make such conditions as may secure my honour and life in the eyes of my own party. To which reasonable terms, if you hearken not, or give me time to send my agents till eight of the clock in the forenoon tomorrow, with my propositions, with a further safe-conduct, I leave you to your better judgement, and myself to the assistance of the Almighty; and so conclude.
Sinnott appears to be buying time. During the negotiation process, he increased the garrison from 1,500 to nearly 5,000 troops. He tells Cromwell that demanding a quick surrender undervalues the town and that he considers himself in a position to make honourable demands. He asks Cromwell to wait until 8am the next morning for a meeting to discuss surrender terms.
Later that day, Sinnott sent another letter confirming the meeting:
Sir, – I have advised with the Mayor and Officers, as I promised, and thereupon am content that four, whom I shall employ, may have a conference and treaty with four of yours, to see if any agreement and undertaking may be begot between us. To this purpose I desire you to send mine a safe conduct, as I do hereby promise to send unto yours when you send me the names. And I pray that the meeting may be had tomorrow at eight of the clock in the forenoon, and that they may have sufficient time to confer and debate together, and determine and compose the matter; and that the meeting and place may be agreed upon, and the safe conduct mutually sent for the said meeting afternoon. Expecting your answer hereto, I rest, my lord, your servant.
Sinnott proposes that four of his men meet with four of Cromwell’s delegates at 8am the next day. He asks for safe passage and sufficient time for discussion.
He then sent the names of those representing Wexford:
Send me the names of your agents, their qualities, and degrees. Those I fix upon are – Mayor Thomas Byrne, Major Theobald Dillon, Alderman Nicholas Chevers, Mr. William Stafford.
The following morning, Sinnott informed Cromwell his agents were ready:
Sir, – My propositions being now prepared, I am ready to send my agents with them unto you; and for their safe return, I pray you to send a safe-conduct by the bearer unto me; in hope an honourable agreement may thereupon arise between your lordship, and My lord, your lordship’s servant.
However, a hitch developed:
My Lord, – Even as I was ready to send out my agents unto you, the Lord General of Horse came hither with a relief, unto whom I communicated the proceedings between your lordship and me, and delivered him the propositions I intended to dispatch unto your lordship; who hath desired a small time to consider of them and to speed them unto me; which, my lord, I could not deny, he having a commanding power over me. Pray, my lord, believe that I do not this to triffle out time, but for his present consent; and if I find any long delay in his lordship’s returning them back to me, I will proceed of myself, according to my first intention: to which I beseech your lordship give credit, at the request, my lord, of your lordship’s ready servant.
Sinnott explains that the Lord General of Horse, James Touchet, the Earl of Castlehaven, had arrived with reinforcements and commanded him to wait. According to Ireland 1649-52 by Michael McNally, Touchet had slipped 500 troops into Wexford via the River Slaney while negotiations were ongoing. Sinnott assures Cromwell he will proceed on his own if Touchet delays.
Cromwell’s response:
Sir, – You might have spared your trouble in the account you gave me of your transaction with the Lord General of your horse, and of your resolution in the case he answer not your expectation in point of time. These are your own concernments, and it behoves you to the improve the relief to your best advantage. All that I have to say is, to desire you to take notice, that I do hereby revoke my self-conduct from the persons mentioned therein. When you shall see cause to treat, you may send for another. I rest, sir, your servant.
Cromwell replies that Sinnott’s communication with the Earl of Castlehaven is not his concern and that it is Sinnott’s responsibility to use the relief to his advantage. He revokes the safe passage promised for the delegates: Mayor Thomas Byrne, Major Theobald Dillon, Alderman Nicholas Chevers, and William Stafford.
On 11 October, Cromwell ordered his artillery at Trespan Rock to begin firing on Wexford Castle. Sinnott called for a truce and sent his list of propositions, delivered by Major Theobald Dillon, Major James Byrne, Alderman Nicholas Chevers, and Captain James Stafford. The proposals were:
- That the people of Wexford should have leave to hold and practise the Roman Catholic religion.
- That the regular and secular Clergy should be permitted to hold their livings, and exercise their ministry.
- That the Bishop should be suffered to continue to govern his diocese.
- That the garrison should be allowed to withdraw with the honours of war.
- That such of the inhabitants as pleased to withdraw might carry their goods, chattels, ships, or military stores with them.
- That the municipal privileges of the town should not be curtailed.
- That the Burgesses should continue to be capable to hold property elsewhere in Ireland.
- That the Burgesses wishing hereafter to leave should have liberty to sell their property, and have safe-conduct to England or elsewhere.
- That the inhabitants be regarded as in all respects freeborn English subjects.
- And that there be an absolute amnesty in regard to all past transactions.
Cromwell rejected the proposals later that day:
Sir, – I have had the patience to peruse your propositions, to which I might have returned an answer with some disdain. But, to be short, I shall give the soldiers and non-commissioned officers quarter for life, and leave to go to their several homes with their wearing clothes, they engaging themselves to live quietly there, and to take up arms no more against the Parliament of England. And the commissioned officers quarters for their lives, but to render themselves prisoners. And as for the inhabitants I shall engage myself that no violence shall be offered to their goods, and that I shall protect the town from plunder. I expect your positive answer instantly, and if you will upon these terms surrender, and in one hour send forth to me four officers of the quality of field officers, and two Aldermen, for the performance thereof, I shall thereupon forbear all acts of hostility. Your servant, O. Cromwell.
Cromwell agreed to some terms: regular soldiers could return home, commissioned officers would be taken prisoner, and civilians would not be harmed. However, as a staunch Puritan who believed in reformation, he rejected the proposals concerning Catholicism. He demanded a reply within the hour.
The negotiations were never concluded. Later that day, Captain James Stafford surrendered Wexford Castle, allowing Cromwell’s army to attack and scale the town wall. Sinnott had named Stafford as one of the four delegates delivering the proposals to Cromwell, and his decision to surrender the castle has been the subject of much debate, with many believing he struck a deal with Cromwell.
The Sack of Wexford was among the most heavily documented violent episodes of the Cromwellian campaign in Ireland. Cromwell’s soldiers massacred hundreds of people, including many civilians. The damage was so extensive that Cromwell’s army could not use the town as winter quarters. The population was so devastated that Cromwell asked the English Parliament to send English soldiers to help repopulate the town, as many civilians had either died or fled.
David Sinnott, the Governor of Wexford, died during the storming of the town on 11 October 1649, shot or drowned while attempting to escape across the River Slaney. The English Parliament later confiscated his family’s estates.