Hugh O'Neil announced his resort to arms by a vigorous
protest against the onslaught made on his friend O'Byrne.
Without waiting for, or expecting any answer, he surprised
the fort erected on the Blackwater which commanded the
highway into his own territory. This fort, which was
situated between Armagh and Dungannon, about five miles
distant from either, served, before the fortification of
Charlemont, as the main English stronghold in that part
of Ulster. The river Blackwater on which it stood, from
its source on the borders of Monaghan to its outlet in
Lough Neagh, watered a fertile valley, which now became
the principal theatre of war; for Hugh O'Neil, and
afterwards for his celebrated nephew, it proved to be a
theatre of victory. General Norris, on reaching Ireland,
at once marched northward to recover the fort lately
taken. O'Neil, having demolished the works, retreated
before him; considering Dungannon also unfit to stand a
regular siege, he dismantled the town, burnt his own
castle to the ground, having first secured every portable
article of value. Norris contented himself with
reconnoitring the Earl's entrenched camp at some distance
from Dungannon, and returned to Newry, where he established
his head-quarters.

The campaign in another quarter was attended with even
better success for the Confederates. Hugh Roe O'Donnell,
no longer withheld by the more politic O'Neil, displayed
in action all the fiery energy of his nature. Under his
banner he united almost all the tribes of Ulster not
enlisted with O'Neil; while six hundred Scots, led by