King William’s Camp
King William’s army set up their camp on the high ground north of the Boyne behind the village of Tullyallen.
The encampment of 36,000 men, with their accompanying baggage, stores, hospital, camp followers, wagons and thousands of horses, occupied a very large area. Both armies positioned artillery near the river, and there was an exchange of fire in which William, while on reconnaissance, suffered a mild flesh wound.
There was no further action, the day being a Monday “on which the King never undertakes anything of importance”.
At 6.00am the following morning, a force of 10,000 men under Count Meinhard Schomberg and Lieutenant General James Douglas marched through the rising mist in a flanking movement towards Slane to attack the Jacobite left wing. About three hours later, with drums beating, the Williamite Infantry marched down the slope to the stretch of the Boyne east of Oldbridge.
