"Undertakers" and others, who obeyed the summons, he made
an unsuccessful attempt to beat up the Geraldine quarters
at Kilmore. One division of his force, consisting of
300 men by the Irish, and 200 by the English account,
was cut to pieces, with their captains, Herbert, Price,
and Eustace. The remainder retreated in disorder to their
camp at Athneasy, a ford on the Morning Star River, four
miles east of Kilmallock. For nine weeks Drury continued
in the field, without gaining any advantage, yet so
harassed day and night by his assailants that his health
gave way under his anxieties. Despairing of recovery, he
was removed by slow stages to Waterford--which would seem
to indicate that his communications both with Cork and
Limerick were impracticable--but died before reaching
the first mentioned city. The chief command in Munster
now devolved upon Sir Nicholas Malby, an officer who had
seen much foreign service, while the temporary vacancy
in the government was filled by the Council at Dublin,
whose choice fell on Sir William Pelham, another
distinguished military man, lately arrived from England.

Throughout the summer and autumn months the war was
maintained, with varying fortune on either side. In the
combats of Gortnatibrid and Enagbeg, in Limerick, the
final success, according to Irish accounts, was with the
Geraldines, though they had the misfortune to lose Cardinal
Allen, Sir Thomas Fitzgerald and Sir Thomas Browne.
Retiring into winter quarters at Aharlow, they had a
third engagement with the garrison of Kilmallock, which
attempted, without success, to intercept their march.