It featured Catholic Jacobite troops under Richard Hamilton and Protestant Williamite militia led by Hugh Montgomery and Arthur Rawdon.

At the start of the conflict, the Jacobites were left in control of two fortified positions at Carrickfergus and Charlemont in territory which was predominantly Williamite in sympathy.

However, this was easily beaten off and a local Catholic cleric named O'Hegarty reported that the Williamite were badly armed and trained.

The Jacobite commander in the north was Richard Hamilton, an experienced soldier who served with the French military from 1671 to 1685, when he was appointed a colonel in the Irish army.

This allowed the bulk of the militia under Rawdon and Henry Baker to reach Coleraine, then make their way to Derry, where they took part in the successful defence of the city.