[3] In 1689 the regiment was one of two (the other was commanded by Solomon Richards) sent by ship from Liverpool to relieve the besieged city of Derry, one of the few Protestant strongholds still holding out against King James' Irish Jacobite forces.
When the expedition anchored in Lough Foyle its arrival coincided with the Battle of Cladyford in which the Irish Army under Richard Hamilton had crossed the River Finn and routed the ill-organised Protestant forces.
[4] Cunningham and Richards returned to England with their regiments and carrying pessimistic reports despite anger amongst many of the Derry inhabitants that two disciplined regular battalions had been allowed to depart without firing a shot.
[citation needed] Robert Lundy resigned his post as Governor of Derry shortly afterwards, and left the city, but it successfully held out under the command of Henry Baker and John Mitchelburne.
It has been suggested that had Derry fallen immediately, little blame would have been attached to Cunningham and Richards, but the successful resistance of the defenders raised questions about their negligent conduct.