the hilltop of Ballymacowen. It seemed that hundreds were missing, and there was fear that the Irish would renew the attack under cover of darkness. But there was no further attack, and soon after dawn reinforcements from Newry arrived to relieve the column. Aftermath According to intelligence received in the days following, Hugh O'Neill's failure to follow up had been caused by a lack of gunpowder – ironic, given the state of Bagenal's own supplies – but the overall sense in government was of disquiet, and a bad job was made of hushing up the casualty figures. This fuelled the rumours of a severe defeat, and many people set greater store on the numbers put about by the Irish side. The defeat shocked the English in Dublin, moreso because of the modern and disciplined forces deployed by O'Neill. Lord Deputy Russell wrote "Their arms and weapons, their skill and practise therein far exceeding their wonted usage, having not only great force of pikes and muskets, but also many trained and experienced leaders as appeared by the manner of coming to the fight, and their orderly carriage therein". One of the most experienced English officers in Ireland was unambiguous when he wrote "The state of the northern rebels is well different from that it is well wont to be; their numbers greater, their arms better, and their munition more plenty with them whereof there can be no greater proof that; there being at this present 1,700 of the best [English] footmen in Ireland at the Newry, and near 300 horse with them they dare not undertake to march thence to Dundalk, which is but eight miles...but they refrain to be sent for by water...a thing never before heard that such a troop should not be able to make their own way in Ireland". Sir Ralph Lane, the English muster-master-general, informed the Queen's principal secretary, Lord Burghley, that "more men were hurt and killed in that late service than was convenient to declare. The casualty figures for both sides vary depending on sources. Bagenal admitted only 31 killed and 109 wounded on the second day of fighting, but his losses were almost certainly higher. The Irish annals claimed up to 700 English killed. Estimates of the Irish losses vary between 100 and 400 killed. Three years later, Bagenal led an army into another ambush by Tyrone, at the Battle of the Yellow