Who was Lundy and why was he a traitor?
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lundy was a Scottish man who had been appointed Military Governor of the City at the beginning of the Siege. When William and Mary were declared joint sovereign he signed a declaration by which he bounded himself to stand by that government.
It has been suggested by many that he did not truly believe in William and Mary's claim to the throne and was at heard a Jacobite: a supported of King James II. While we may never truly know his thoughts it is more widely accepted that this was not his motivation for his actions.
Most, though, agree that his conduct is to be attributed to "faintheartedness and poverty of spirit". He seems to have given up on succeeding at Londonderry before the Siege had even started; perhaps understandable given the state of the City's defenses. Lundy was a professional soldier, more accustomed to well laid battle plans and a skilled and trained army. In Londonderry, he had few trained soldiers, poor defenses and limited supplies.
There had always been doubts about Lundy's commitment to the cause at Londonderry. "He talked so despondently that the citizens and his own soldiers murmured against him. He seemed, they said, to be bent on discouraging them."
Lundy's downfall began with the appearance of two ships in the Foyle on the fourteenth of April. Onboard were two regiments under the command of Colonel Cunningham, sent to re-enforce the garrison.
Lundy dissuaded Cunningham from landing his men, claiming the situation to be unsustainable. He advised them to sail back to England rather than add to the number of prisoners taken by the Jacobites. He revealed to Cunningham his intentions to escape the City, leaving the inhabitants to make good terms for their surrender.
He went through the process of calling a council of war; but made the mistake of excluding those whom he knew would oppose him. He ensured he was surrounded by his own supporters. Cunningham and his men could not believe what Lundy was suggesting, One dared to murmur "Understand this, to give up Londonderry is to give up Ireland." But Cunningham had orders to obey Lundy's instructions, he did after all know more about the situation than they did. They returned to their ships and made preparations to return to England while Lundy assured the enemy that the City should surrender upon the first summons.
News of what Lundy has done soon reached the citizens and soldiers. Their spirit was high and fierce against the leader who had betrayed them. Many of his officers declared that they no longer obeyed him and threatening voices were heard throughout the City, some suggesting that he be hanged.
The next day a council of the chief inhabitants was called. "Some of them vehemently reproached the Governor to his face with his treachery. He had sold them, they cried, to their deadliest enemy: he had refused admission to the force which good King William had sent to defend them."
The poem Londerias describes the event:
“Then unto Lundy all in anger fly:
To whom great Murry spoke this fatal speech,
’Of treachery I now do you impreach
Both to the Protestants and to the King-
A popish reign upon us you would bring.
You left Tyrone unto the enemy,
At Cladyford you made our army fly.
And now you’re plotting to betray the town
By a capitulation of your own.
Therefore lay down your pow’r, for we will choose
Such loyal men as will oppose our foes.’
Lieutenant Cook, who from fair Lisburn came,
Courageously stood forward and said the same.”
While the altercation was at its height, the sentinels on the walls spotted the vanguard of the approaching army of King James II.
Lundy had given orders not to fire, but his authority was at an end. Major Henry Baker and Captain Adam Murray stood forward and called the garrison to arms. The whole City moved to the walls to man the guns. James, confident of success, had approached within two hundred yards of Bishop’s Gate. He was greeted with shouts of "No Surrender" and a fire from the nearest bastion. An officer fell dead by his side, prompting James to make a hasty retreat.
While this was happening, Lundy, fearing for his life, hid himself in his chamber. That night, he made his escape and returned to England.