Blacker, however, had very little powder, and balls without 'powder would not have been of much use. A fortunate circumstance provided the powder.

On Saturday 19th September, the Protestants' ammunition gave out, and one of the Winter boys volunteered to get word to the lower district, which he did on the Sunday morning. He arrived early in Derrycarn with the depressing news. There were many anxious people waiting for tidings, and amongst them was one Peggy Richardson, who on hearing the plight of the Protestants, determined to relieve them.

She went home and told her mother the state of affairs, saying : " I'm going to relieve them " The old woman said: "Why, child, you cannot go; you will be killed". She replied "Why, mother, isn't my father there? "He is, dear. "And my three brothers "They are, dear. " "And my husband is there? "He is, dear. " "And, God helping me, I'll be there, too. So saying, she took a strong petticoat and two new pillow slips, which she sewed to the headband of a petticoat with strong cord around them, forming loops at the top for handles. She then went to the haystack, and pulled out sufficient to make a hole large enough to put her little four-year-old girl in, tying up a bunch of hay to stuff into the hole. Late that night she took her little girl and placed her in the haystack with many cautions, and then, having equipped herself she went to Churchill, where she got all the ball cartridge she could carry. She then started by the Derryhubbert road for the Diamond, arriving safely about the same time as William Blacker at the scene of the conflict. The latter had to traverse a friendly country across Portadown Bridge, to about five to six miles in the direction of Loughgall, when all at once they came upon the scene of meditated rapine and murder.