An Cosantóir

28 | Famous Irish Regiments: Butler's Irish Regiment Report by JP Powell FRGS Cavalry making a Sortie from a Fort on a Hill (1646) by Philips Wouwermans One of the largest battle paintings by Wouwermans, the scene seems to be entirely imaginary as neither the colours of the troops nor the buildings point to any particular historical event. T he Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 started as a religious revolt of Protestants in Prague and, although the sectarian element was always present in the conflict, gradually developed into a struggle between the Austrian Habsburgs, France, various German states, Denmark and Sweden with Spain and The Netherlands also being drawn into the fighting. A battalion of Irish musketeers, led by Colonel Walter Butler from Roscrea, County Tipperary, formed part of the Austrian Imperial Guard and another regiment of Irish dragoons was led by his brother, James Butler. In 1630 Sweden, led by their martial king Gustavus Adolphus, entered the war against the Habsburgs (thanks to subsidies from Cardinal Richelieu) and made steady progress against the Imperial armies. The Catholic cardinal backed the Protestant king as he feared that an extension of Habsburg power would harm France, while Gustavu's main aim was to dominate the Baltic region as well as to aid German Protestants. In 1631 Butler's Irish regiment helped to defend Frankfurton-the-Oder against the Swedes. Gustavus led 18,000 men with 200 cannon, aided by a pontoon bridge, against the An Cosantóir June 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden at the Battle of Breitenfeld (Leipzig) (1632) by Johann Walter. city as part of an overall Swedish strategy to raise the siege of Madgeburg, under attack by General Tilly. Butler was given the weakest sector of the city fortifications to defend, due to jealousy on the part of other Austrian commanders. His plea to launch a pre-emptive strike on the Swedes was brushed aside. Gustavus Adolphus himself led an assault of handpicked Swedish troops and Scottish mercenaries against the city and while they broke through in other sectors the Irish stood firm against the attack. A captured Irish soldier was asked by the king: "What soldiers are here?" On receiving the reply "Colonel Butler's Irish regiment" Gustavus broke off the attack and switched the assault to a German-held position nearby. (The Swedish king also had Irish mercenaries serving with him and presumably knew of the fighting qualities of Irish troops.) The Swedish attacks were eventually successful and the Irish were the last to bear the brunt of fresh Swedish assaults. Three Irish lieutenant generals were killed along with hundreds of soldiers. Butler was in the thick of the fight and was wounded in the shoulder by a musket ball before the unequal contest came to an end.

• Cover