Nicholas Purcell, 13th Baron of Loughmoe (1651 – 4 March 1722) was the son of James Purcell of Loughmoe and the maternal nephew of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.
A member of the King's Privy Council, Purcell was the right-hand man to Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan. In 1687 Nicholas Purcell raised a troop of horse to support King James II — they were called the "Yellow Horse," probably from the colour of the Regiment's cornets, as was customary for the period. Nicholas fought at the Battle of the Boyne and at the Battle of Aughrim, and was a signatory to the Treaty of Limerick. He did not flee to Europe after Limerick but remained in Ireland to fight for the rights of Roman Catholics.
The Marquis de Ruvigny notes that Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe was made Baron Loughmore by King James II in 1690. While there is little other evidence to confirm the creation of this peerage, it would enter the ranks of those titles created by the King while in exile.
Early years Born sometime in 1651, Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe Castle was the first son of Colonel James Purcell (1609–1652), 12th Baron of Loughmoe Castle, and Elizabeth Butler, daughter of Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles, and Elizabeth, Lady Thurles and sister of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde. The May 1652 Act of Settlement saw Nicholas' father, Colonel James Purcell, a Roman Catholic, lose the Tipperary lands the family had held since 1198. The Colonel was set not to be compensated with land in Connaught, however, as his fortunate marriage to the sister of the Duke of Ormonde enabled a powerful contact who ensured the allocation of some property. The allocation of land did not occur without difficulty however. On 13 September 1652, Colonel James Purcell, Baron of Loughmoe died and was buried in the Holy Cross Abbey. Between 1652 and 1656, his widow lost and regained her lands in Galway no fewer than four times .
With the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, the family's fortunes improved. Elizabeth Purcell returned to Loughmoe and again enjoyed the jointure of £300 a year she had received before her removal. The young Baron Nicholas would have been eight or nine at this time and it was probably the first time he had seen his ancestral home. About this time, Elizabeth Purcell married Colonel John Fitzpatrick at Loughmoe; her children were present at the wedding .
By King's Order in a letter dated circa 31 October 1661 the Duke of Ormonde, Baron Nicholas' maternal uncle, was appointed guardian of the young Baron. It would appear that the majority of work in respect to the recovery and management of the Baron's estate fell to Colonel Fitzpatrick who discharged his duty with scrupulous fidelity. Under the Down Survey of 1663 all of the historically Purcell lands, a total of were granted to Baron Nicholas. These lands ran from Holy Cross to Templemore, and included the castles of Loughmoe, Rathelty, Dovea, Ballinahow, Lisheentagirt, Beakstown, Brownestown and Rorodstown. The total value of the property in 1640 was £4,340.
Again, between 1666 and 1686 little is known of the life of Baron Nicholas. This is a significant period of his life, from age 15 to 35. It is known that Baron Nicholas was tutored privately at Loughmoe and spent a considerable part of their day horse riding. Sometime in this period Baron Nicholas married the Honourable Rose Trevor, daughter of Viscount Dungannon .
Military beginnings With a strong history of loyalty to the Catholic cause, Nicholas Purcell was commissioned Captain on 12 February 1686 in the army enrolled by Lord Tyrconnell to uphold the cause of King James II. In May 1686 he was admitted as a member to the King's Privy Council of Ireland, he was 35. It was at this time in 1686 that King James II confirmed the title of Baron of Loughmoe to Colonel Nicholas.
Nicholas Purcell married Ellis Browne sometime around 1688; she was 20 years his junior. Ellis Browne was the daughter of Sir Valentine Browne who had a high command in the army of King James II and was created Baron Castlerosse and Viscount Kenmare by the King. In 1689 Col. Nicholas Purcell represented the County of Tipperary in the Parliament in Dublin.
Why he was there we are not certain but on 1 May 1689, accompanying His Majesty King James II from Brest, Col. Nicholas Purcell arrived home to Ireland. At this time Col. Purcell participated in the siege of Derry and an incident there provides an insight into the horsemanship and great courage of Col. Nicholas Purcell. A garrison of William's troops lay entrenched by or near a strand. The garrison fired at the horses of the oncoming Jacobite soldiers and were successful in downing many. Those who did succeed in reaching the defences found themselves confronted by "a dry bank of seven-foot high at the waterside", which most of them quickly decided was impracticable for cavalry.
The commanding officer, Edmund Butler, Viscount Mountgarret's second son, "being extraordinarily well mounted", showed the way and spurring his horse, flew over the bank, only to be at once made prisoner. Colonel Nicholas who was close behind Butler, had his horse killed under him and only saved himself by quickly jumping onto the horse's hind and heaving himself backwards.
After the Siege of Derry, Colonel Nicholas was sent by the King to join the Highland forces of the "Bonnie Dundee". The London Gazette reported 300 Irish troops and 60 horses were landed in Argyllshire, having been transported there by three French men-of-war and several other vessels from Carrickfergus. Colonel Nicholas had brought with him of powder, ball, match and flint, and was under the command of Major-General Alexander Cannon.
On the morning of 17 May 1689, 400 men of Colonel Purcell's regiment landed in small boats at Lochaber and escaped capture by Sir George Rooke by hiding in the mountains of Mull. On 12 July 1689 they landed at Duart in the Isle of Mull. During their short passage the French frigates had captured the Scottish privateer Pelican and her consort after a sharp encounter. Purcell's Dragoon's joined Dundee's Highlanders about 16 July, as the clans were gathering to meet the Williamite forces under Lieutenant-General Hugh Mackay. On 27 July the opposing forces met at Killiecrankie, between Aldclune and Aldgirnaig.
On his extreme right flank, facing Balfour's Regiment, Dundee placed Clan Maclean, under Sir John Maclean of Duart, and Purcell's Dragoon Regiment. To their left he placed the Clanranalds, Macdonalds and Glengarrys. On the extreme left flank were the Macdonals of Sleat, and a mixed regiment under Sir Alexander Maclean. To the left center were the Camerons, under Lochiel, opposing Mackay's Regiment. The center, opposite Leven's Regiment, was left open. The Viscount Dundee commanded on the left of center with his cavalry under Sir William Wallace.
Dundee held his fire until a half-hour before sunset, at which time the Highlanders charged down from the heights of Killiecrankie whooping war cries, and finally at muzzle-point, drawing their claymores and stampeding the Williamite troops. Purcell's Dragoon Regiment participated in the charge with gallantry.
Iain Lom MacDonald, one of the Highlanders present, well expressed the outcome when he later wrote: -In the tender birch copse, Near the farm of MacGeorge, Full many a gay cloak lies torn.
Unfortunately for the Jacobite cause the "Bonnie Dundee" was mortally wounded in the battle, and the initial advantage melted away. Purcell's Dragoon Regiment returned to Ireland and joined the squadron which had stayed behind and served with Major-General Buchan before Enniskillen on 30 July.
Earlier in the summer French Marshal Conrad von Rosen had rendezvoused at Trim, while on his way to attack Enniskillen. He had written to King James II from the rendezvous on 6 June 1689 to complain that Purcell's Dragoon Regiment was not well enough equipped to fight effectively. On 29 June von Rosen noted that the Duke of Berwick was using Purcell's dragoons to fortify positions on the River Finn and later in the defence of Omagh. The regiment received a commendation by the Duke of Berwick in action near Enniskillen, in a dispatch to Lieutenant-General Richard Hamilton.
On 29 August 1689 M. d'Escot wrote to Comte d'Avaux from Drogheda that Gormanston's Regiment had arrived that afternoon, and Purcell's Dragoon Regiment had arrived that evening, and listed Purcell's Regiment as composed of 12 troops for a total of 360 men, as recently determined by a review of troops. The regiment may have arrived from Bangor Bay with Brigadier Thomas Maxwell and a force of 500 horse and dragoons.
The planned attack of Dundalk did not materialise, and on 6 October King James' Army fell back on Ardee, which had been converted into a defended frontier position. From Ardee, on 21 October, Comte d'Avaux wrote the French King's Minister of War, Marquis Louvois, that he had been occupied reviewing two or three petty disputes between French and Irish officers, and hoped he had finally put them to rest. The most serious dispute was between a French lieutenant and one of the dragoons from Purcell's Regiment. The French lieutenant had been seriously wounded by the dragoon in the course of an argument, and he could have been arraigned for a military court martial because Purcell had stated he had never seen the lieutenant's commission, although the lieutenant had said he had participated in all the regiment's tests of arms; had served with the regiment as an officer before Derry and Enniskillen, and had habitually bivouacked in the field with the other officers.
The upshot was King James reprimanded the Irish officers who had recommended a court martial, and Comte d'Avaux acknowledging the French lieutenant was inclined to swagger and had a quick temper, sent him to his own quarters where he could care for him and dress his wounds.
Another French lieutenant had served with the regiment at an earlier period, and figured in an episode in 1687. While the regiment was stationed at Cashel, Lieutenant Rene Mezandiere ordered the Deputy Mayor, Charles Robinson, cast into the common prison "a noysome place on Sunday morning." All this occurred on 25 September 1687. The Corporation petitioned the Government "that ye ad Lieut. be effectually prosecuted for ye same." Later, on 27 October 1687, the Corporation records, "The chapter doe wait upon Captain Purcell to acquaint him with the injuries done by the Souldiers to the Cathedral gates, Church yard, and to them that are employed to look after them from harme or trespasses." One wonders how Colonel Nicholas dealt with this matter.
During the war years, Colonel Purcell's wife and children evidently lived in France. The will of Lieutenant Pierce Power of Thurles, dated 26 June 1689, not only lists the amounts of money owed him by Colonel Purcell, but also mentions the fact his daughter, Cecily, was living with Mary Purcell of Loughmoe.
The following Roster of Officers of the Regiment is taken from various French Muster Rolls of Reviews held in Ireland after the arrival of King James II. The regiment was raised mostly in Tipperary:
Col. Nicholas Purcell, Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Robert Purcell, Executive, Major Charles McDonnel, Rev. Delany, Chaplain. Troop 1. Colonel Nicholas Purcell, Lieut. James Fitzgerald, Cornet James Butler of Boytonrath (brother Sir Toby Butler, Solicitor-General), Quartermaster William Barron, and 40 dragoons. Troop 2. Lt. Col. Robert Purcell, Liut. Thomas Purcell, Cornet Anthony Purcell, Quartermaster Daniel Quinn, and 45 dragoons. Troop 3. Capt. Sir John Everard of Fethard (Cousin of Col. Purcell and brother-in-law of Capt. James Butler), Lieut. Michael Kerny, Cornet Thomas Travers, Quartermaster James Tumy, and 31 dragoons. Troop 4. Capt. Miles Bourk, Lieut. Cornelius Meagher, Cornet Bryan Meagher, Quartermaster John Fitzgerald, and 31 dragoons.