Throughout the whole of Ulster, Charlemont and Carrickfergus alone remained in the hands of King James's troops.
England and Scotland had now accepted William as their king, and James had fled to France.

With the exception of Ulster, Ireland remained staunch to King James.

In the south Lord Inshiquin, and in Connaught Lord Kingston, had each raised corps among the Protestant settlers for William, and were the first to commence hostilities, and the latter, marching north, made an attack on Carrickfergus.
Tyrconnell now issued commissions to several of the Catholic nobility and gentry, to raise troops for the king's service, and as the people responded to the call readily, some fifty regiments of foot and several troops of horse were soon raised.

But though men were forthcoming in abundance, there was a great want of arms and all munitions of war.

There were, in the government stores, only twenty thousand arms, and most of these were old weapons, that had been returned to store as unserviceable, and only about a thousand muskets were found to be of any use.