In 1597, field commander Lord Burgh on behalf of the Dublin government had built a new fort on the river Blackwater. The fort was intended to facilitate later military excursions into county Tyrone. Soon after it was built the Earl of Tyrone (O'Neill) laid siege to it. In 1598, with the besieged garrison still intact but running precariously low on supplies, the Dublin government debated at length whether to abandon the fort, for the reason that its location was too far into O'Neill's home territory to be sustainable. Commander Henry Bagenal, experienced at fighting Ulstermen, argued the fort should be re-supplied and was appointed to lead the expedition. About 4,000 troops were assigned to the expedition, a large number in those days.
The Vanguard of the English column forced their way forward with great confidence to this point. From here they could be seen by the soldiers in the English fort and the starving men inside threw their hats into the air believing that they were to be saved.
However the vanguard without Calvary support and with its munitions almost spent, were sitting ducks. The Irish cavalry musketeers and sword and buckler men charged in great numbers, breaking through the nervous pikemen to slaughter the English soldiers.
The cache is a lunch box size tablock and is located along a country road that runs alongside the Blackwater River; this is close to the furthest point of the English army advance on Blackwatertown fort. Parking is alongside the cache.