THE BOYNE VICTORY CELEBRATED

[Welland Telegraph, 16 July 1907]

Tremendous Crowd in Welland on July 2th—An Address of Welcome by Mayor Crow—Monster

Orange Procession—Speeches by Leading Orangemen, Evan E. Fraser, M.P.P., W.M. German, M.P., Frank Lalor, M.P., and Others—Sports of the Day

THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE IN HISTORY

William Prince of Orange landed at Carrickfergus on the 14^th of June, 1690. All Ulster rose to receive him and the soldiers took heart once more. Ten days later he started south at the head of 36,000 men. When William’s army approached Dundalk, James fell back upon Ardee; and the former still pressing southwards, the latter continued his retreat, until the pursuer was brought to a halt on the morning of the 30^th of June. The English and Irish armies at last looked each other in the face across the now historic waters of the Boyne. The day passed in an exchange of shots across the river, from one of which William well-nigh lost his life, for it grazed his shoulder.

The morning of the first of July broke fair and a little after sunrise the English army advanced in three divisions to the attack. William at the head of the left wing, consisting entirely of cavalry made for a difficult and dangerous crossing in the lower river. The conflict raged hotly for a short space at the southern exit of the ford. Schromberg dashed impetuously into the river. The arrival of William at once decided the doubtful struggle. “Men of Inniskillen, what will you do for me?” was his inspiring question to the sorely pressed Protestants of Ulster; and drawing his sword with an arm yet stiff from the wound of the previous morning he led his Dutch guards and Inniskilleners against the still unbroken centre. The defeat of the Irish army soon became a rout, and their retreat a flight. James, who had watched the _ against him was making the battle from the hill of Donore till it best of his way to Dublin. His army was now a broken and confused mass of fugitives. The Battle of Boyne was won.

EXCERPT: The 12^th July celebration held in Welland on Friday was a magnet that drew more people within the city walls than was ever here before. It is probable that the visitors numbered seven or eight thousand. The character of this immense concourse was one that did credit to the order of Orangemen. It was a sober, orderly, well-dressed representation of good Canadianism.

The crowd was so big that it was rather more than Welland could conveniently swallow. Truth to tell Welland on its ordinary days is crowded to the attic. The advent of the special trains and boats in a figurative way hung out the Standing Room Sign- only sign all over the place.

The town was astir early in the morning and people rose to see a fair day after twenty-four hours of rain. Flags were flying and streamers fluttered in the wind. In the middle of the forenoon the Grand Trunk specials came in from Niagara Falls and Dunnville. Then towards noon the Hamilton contingent arrived on the T.H. and B., and the Hagerville people on a special M.C.R.R. The Buffalo Street bridge at noon. But this crowd that came by train and boat was largely supplemented by the immense numbers that drove in from the country. When the whistles blew for noon the sidewalks were covered with people, and the street with vehicles. Welland never saw anything like it before.

Noon brought with it the great responsibility of feeding the people, a stupendous task. The hotels did everything within their power. The ladies of the Methodist Church fed hundreds with a special dinner served in the basement of the church. The ladies of the Presbyterian Church had a tent on the canal side and here a thousand were given dinner. The doors of a thousand homes were thrown open but even at that it is not unlikely that many went without dinner.