1.
First English Civil War
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The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War. The English Civil War can be divided into three, the First English Civil War, the Second English Civil War, and the Third English Civil War. For the most part, accounts summarise the two sides fought the English Civil Wars as the Royalist Cavaliers of Charles I of England versus the Parliamentarian Roundheads of Oliver Cromwell. However, as many civil wars, loyalties shifted for various reasons. During this time, the Irish Confederate Wars continued in Ireland, starting with the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the first and last of these motives animated the foot-soldiers of the Royal armies. These sturdy rustics who followed their squires to the war, saw the enemy as rebels, the cavalry was composed largely of the higher social orders. The rebel troops on the hand were mainly drawn from the ranks of the middle class or bourgeois. The other side of the war saw the causes of the initially as a constitutional issue. Thus, the elements of resistance in Parliament and the nation were at first confused, but the backbone of resistance was the Puritan element, and this waging war at first with the rest on the political issue, soon brought the religious issue to the front. But for a generation before the war broke out, the system had disciplined and trained the middle classes of the nation to centre their will on the attainment of their ideals, the parliamentarians had the stronger material force. They controlled the navy, the nucleus of an army that was being organised for the Irish war and they had the sympathies of most of the large towns, where the trained bands, drilled once a month, provided cadres for new regiments. Also, by recognising that war was likely, they prepared for war before Royalists did, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Manchester, and other nobles and gentry of the Parliamentary party, had great wealth and territorial influence. On the other hand, Charles could raise men without authority from Parliament by using impressment and the Lords-Lieutenant, thus he depended on financial support from his adherents, such as the Earl of Newcastle and the Earl of Derby. Both the king and the Parliament raised men when and where they could, Parliament claimed to be justified by its own recent Militia Ordinance, while the king claimed the old-fashioned Commissions of Array. For example, in Cornwall the Royalist leader Sir Ralph Hopton indicted the enemy before the jury of the county for disturbing the peace. In effect, both sides assembled local forces wherever they could do so by valid written authority and this thread of local feeling and respect for the laws runs through the early operations of both sides, almost irrespective of the main principles at stake. Many promising schemes failed because of the reluctance of militiamen to serve outside their own county, as the offensive lay with the King, his cause naturally suffered from this far more than that of Parliament. However, the spirit of the struggle proved very different
2.
Turnham Green
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Turnham Green is a public park situated on Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London. It is separated in two by a small road, christ Church stands on the eastern half of the green. A war memorial stands on the eastern corner, on the south side is the old Chiswick Town Hall. The green is the site of community events, including a travelling funfair, church events. The nearest London Underground station is Chiswick Park on the District line, confusingly, the eponymous Turnham Green tube station is actually situated on Chiswick Common, some 1 km to the east. Turnham Green was a village on the road between London and the west. It was recorded as Turneham in 1235 and Turnhamgrene in 1369, on 13 November 1642, the Battle of Turnham Green was fought nearby during the First English Civil War resulting in the Parliamentarians blocking the Kings advance on London. In 1680 the homicidal Philip Herbert, 7th Earl of Pembroke murdered a watchman, William Smeeth, a similar but far less serious episode in the tavern in 1795 saw the young Daniel OConnell arrested for drunken and riotous behaviour. The artist William Hogarth had a Country cottage nearby on what is now known as Hogarth Roundabout, as the area developed, it became part of Chiswick
3.
Middlesex
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Middlesex is a historic county in south-east England. It is now entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and its area is now also mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in other neighbouring ceremonial counties. It was established in the Anglo-Saxon system from the territory of the Middle Saxons, the largely low-lying county, dominated by clay in its north and alluvium on gravel in its south, was the second smallest county by area in 1831. The City of London was a county in its own right from the 12th century and was able to exert control over Middlesex. Westminster Abbey dominated most of the financial, judicial and ecclesiastical aspects of the county. As London grew into Middlesex, the Corporation of London resisted attempts to expand the city boundaries into the county, in the 18th and 19th centuries the population density was especially high in the southeast of the county, including the East End and West End of London. From 1855 the southeast was administered, with sections of Kent and Surrey, the City of London, and Middlesex, became separate counties for other purposes and Middlesex regained the right to appoint its own sheriff, lost in 1199. In the interwar years suburban London expanded further, with improvement and expansion of public transport, after the Second World War, the population of the County of London and inner Middlesex was in steady decline, with high population growth continuing in the outer parts. Since 1965 various areas called Middlesex have been used for cricket, Middlesex was the former postal county of 25 post towns. The name means territory of the middle Saxons and refers to the origin of its inhabitants. The word is formed from the Anglo-Saxon, i. e. Old English, middel, in an 8th-century charter the region is recorded as Middleseaxon and in 704 it is recorded as Middleseaxan. The Saxons derived their name from seax, a kind of knife for which they were known, the seax has a lasting symbolic impact in the English counties of Essex and Middlesex, both of which feature three seaxes in their ceremonial emblem. Their names, along with those of Sussex and Wessex, contain a remnant of the word Saxon, there were settlements in the area of Middlesex that can be traced back thousands of years before the creation of a county. Middlesex was formerly part of the Kingdom of Essex It was recorded in the Domesday Book as being divided into the six hundreds of Edmonton, Elthorne, Gore, Hounslow, Ossulstone and Spelthorne. The City of London has been self-governing since the century and became a county in its own right. Middlesex also included Westminster, which also had a degree of autonomy. Of the six hundreds, Ossulstone contained the districts closest to the City of London, during the 17th century it was divided into four divisions, which, along with the Liberty of Westminster, largely took over the administrative functions of the hundred. The divisions were named Finsbury, Holborn, Kensington and Tower, the county had parliamentary representation from the 13th century
4.
Roundhead
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Roundhead was the name given to the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against Charles I of England and his supporters, the Cavaliers or Royalists, who claimed rule by absolute monarchy, the goal of the Roundhead party was to give the Parliament supreme control over executive administration. Most Roundheads sought constitutional monarchy in place of the absolutist monarchy sought by Charles I, englands many Puritans and Presbyterians were almost invariably Roundhead supporters, as were many smaller religious groups such as the Independents. However many Roundheads were Church of England, as were many Cavaliers, Roundhead political factions included the proto-anarchist Diggers, the diverse group known as the Levellers and the apocalyptic Christian movement of the Fifth Monarchists. Some Puritans, but by no means all, wore their hair closely cropped round the head or flat, during the war and for a time afterwards, Roundhead was a term of derision—in the New Model Army it was a punishable offence to call a fellow soldier a Roundhead. This contrasted with the term Cavalier to describe supporters of the Royalist cause, Roundheads appears to have been first used as a term of derision toward the end of 1641, when the debates in Parliament in the Clergy Act 1640 were causing riots at Westminster. The demonstrators included London apprentices and Roundhead was a term of derision for them because the regulations to which they had agreed included a provision for closely cropped hair. However, Richard Baxter ascribes the origin of the term to a made by Queen Henrietta Maria of France at the trial of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford. Referring to John Pym, she asked who the man was. The principal advisor to Charles II, Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, remarked on the matter and they who were looked upon as servants to the king being then called Cavaliers, and the other of the rabble contemned and despised under the name of Roundheads. By the end of this period some Independent Puritans were again using the term Roundhead to refer to the Presbyterian Puritans. Likewise during the Exclusion Bill crisis, the term Cavalier was replaced with Tory, an Irish term introduced by their opponents, the History of England from the Accession of James II. Historical Memorials Relating to the Independents Or Congregationalists, From Their Rise to the Restoration of the Monarchy, religious Thought in England, from the Reformation to the End of Last Century, A Contribution to the History of Theology. Heavy Words Lightly Thrown, The Reason Behind Rhyme, attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, Anonymous
5.
Cavalier
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It was later adopted by the Royalists themselves. Prince Rupert, commander of much of Charles Is cavalry, is considered to be an archetypal Cavalier. Cavalier derives from the same Latin root as the French word chevalier, Cavalier is chiefly associated with the Royalist supporters of King Charles I in his struggle with Parliament in the English Civil War. Charles, in the Answer to the Petition 13 June 1642 speaks of Cavaliers as a word by what mistake soever it seemes much in disfavour, Cavalier was not understood at the time as primarily a term describing a style of dress, but a whole political and social attitude. Most Parliamentarian generals wore their hair at much the length as their Royalist counterparts. The best patrons in the nobility of Charles Is court painter Sir Anthony van Dyck, probably the most famous image identified as of a cavalier, Frans Hals Laughing Cavalier, shows a gentleman from the strongly Calvinist Dutch town of Haarlem, and is dated 1624. These derogatory terms also showed what the typical Parliamentarian thought of the Royalist side – capricious men who cared more for vanity than the nation at large. Although they did not share the same outlook on how to worship God as the English Independents of the New Model Army, if I forget Thee, do not forget me. However, the word was coined by the Roundheads as a propaganda image of a licentious, hard drinking and frivolous man. It is this image which has survived and many Royalists, for example Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester, fitted this description to a tee. Of all his qualifications dissimulation was his masterpiece, in which he so much excelled and this sense has developed into the modern English use of cavalier to describe a recklessly nonchalant attitude, although still with a suggestion of stylishness. Likewise during Exclusion Bill crisis the term Roundhead was replaced with Whig, an example of the Cavalier style can be seen in the painting Charles I, King of England, from Three Angles by Anthony van Dyck. The mascot of Cavalier has been commonly used in the sports world. Most prominently it has been that of the professional Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA since 1970 and it has also been adopted by smaller organizations such as Johnson County Community College, Kankakee Community College, St. Gregorys University, and the University of Virginias College at Wise. Cavaliers have been represented as a class and subclass of role-playing character since 1983 in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Cavalier Generals, King Charles I and His Commanders in the English Civil War, 1642–46. Going to the Wars, The Experience of the British Civil Wars 1638-1651, Chisholm, Hugh, ed. Goring, George Goring, Lord. Clarendon, Edward Hyde, 1st earl of, the history of the rebellion and civil wars in England. The History of England from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution 1688, the Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660
6.
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
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Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, KB, PC was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the 17th century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, however, he was unable and unwilling to score a decisive blow against the Royalist army of King Charles I. He was eventually overshadowed by the ascendancy of Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax, Robert Devereux was the son and heir of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, the courtier and soldier from the later reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His mother was Frances Walsingham, the daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham. He was born at the home of his grandmother, Lady Walsingham, in Seething Lane and he was educated at Eton College and Merton College, Oxford, being created MA by the university in 1605. The 2nd Earl led a rebellion against Elizabeth in 1601. He was subsequently executed for treason and the family lost its title, however, King James I chose to restore it after he became King of England. In 1604, Robert Devereux became the 3rd Earl of Essex, the young earl became a close friend of Henry Stuart, Prince of Wales, who was three years Essexs junior. Essex was married at age 13 to the 14-year-old Frances Howard, he was sent on a European tour from 1607 to 1609. Meanwhile, his wife began an affair with Robert Carr, Viscount Rochester, after Essexs return, Frances sought an annulment on the grounds of impotence. Essex claimed that he was impotent with her and had been perfectly capable with other women, adding that she reviled him, and miscalled him, terming him a cow and coward. The divorce was a spectacle and it made Essex a laughing-stock at court. The annulment was granted on 25 September 1613, and Frances Howard married her lover, Both were condemned to death, but the sentence was never carried out. On 11 March 1630 Essex married Elizabeth Pawlett, daughter of Sir William Pawlett, of Edington, Wiltshire, past High Sheriff of Wiltshire and cousin of William Paulet, 4th Marquess of Winchester. Elizabeth was introduced at Court during the Great Parliament of 1628/29 just after her father died, back from travels in military service on the Continent Robert was also pressured to marry again to show the Court the humiliation from his first marriage could be overcome. This marriage was also a disaster and failed, though not as publicly and they separated in 1631, the Countess remaining at Essex House in the Strand, London, Robert playing soldiers at his estates. There was a son from the union, Robert, styled Viscount Hereford, Elizabeth, through her funeral oration by her second husband Sir Thomas Higgons vigorously denied this. It has recently suggested that Essex suffered from male hormone deficiency, leading to failure to consummate his first marriage
7.
Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Forth
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Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Forth and 1st Earl of Brentford was a Scottish nobleman, general, and diplomat. Patrick Ruthven was a descendant of Sir William Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven in a collateral line, a lifelong professional soldier, Ruthven earned his reputation in the service of the King of Sweden, which he entered about 1609 and left 1637. He had been forced into exile to retain his name which had been outlawed in Scotland by act of Parliament in 1600. As a negotiator he was useful to Gustavus Adolphus because of his ability to drink immeasurably and preserve his understanding to the last. By 1621 Ruthven served as colonel for the Småland infantry regiment with which he campaigned in Livonia and he took as his second in command Alexander Leslie, later promoted field marshal and one of Ruthvens opponents in the English Civil War. Ruthven was one of four Scottish colonels to be knighted by Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in 1627 and his service in the Thirty Years War was impressive. He became governor of Ulm in 1632 and as promoted to major-general the same year, the following year Ruthven campaigned along the Danube where he captured a number of Bavarian Horse outside Erbach which earned him his promotion to lieutenant general. He thereafter campaigned as second in command to the Swedish field marshal, Johan Banér, campaigning along the Rhine throughout 1634 and 1635. He was given a share of the credit for the routing of the Saxon general, Wolfgang Baudissin at Dömitz. However, all was not well between Ruthven and Banér, the latter accused him of negligence at Halle in 1636. Rutheven thereafter returned to Scotland on a trip, but having made up his mind to quit Swedish service. Although Ruthven remained on the Swedish pay-roll for another year he travelled home via France where he claimed he was offered a field-marshals baton by Louis XIII, although he never served in this capacity, the rank appears on his English certificate of elevation to the nobility. With the outbreak of the Bishops Wars in Scotland in 1639 and he brought with him his two nephews, Major General John Ruthven and Colonel Frances Ruthven, both veterans of Swedish service. These joined a cohort of other Royalist Scots, including former colleague, during the 1639 campaign, he declined command of the Royalists in Scotland as he was not to be granted absolute authority over them, instead being expected to defer to the nobility. His decision was wise and Edinburgh Castle easily fell to his former understudy, after the Truce of Berwick was agreed, Ruthven was allowed to garrison the castle for the king and he defended it throughout in 1640, becoming desperately ill after his provisions ran out. When the English Civil War broke out that year, Ruthven joined Charles at Shrewsbury with some 29 other Scottish veteran officers, in the end the Swedish brigade system was chosen and Ruthven assumed command. Following the battle, Ruthven was appointed general-in-chief of the Royalist army, the Earl compelled the Earl of Essex to surrender Lostwithiel, and was wounded at both the first and second battles of Newbury. While some claim Ruthvens faculties had begun to decay, Ruthven had lost favour of his military inferior and they fell out on route to face down the Army of the Solemn league and Covenant commanded by his friend Alexander Leslie
8.
Charles I of England
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Charles I was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles was the son of King James VI of Scotland, but after his father inherited the English throne in 1603, he moved to England. He became heir apparent to the English, Irish, and Scottish thrones on the death of his brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. Two years later, he married the Bourbon princess Henrietta Maria of France instead, after his succession, Charles quarrelled with the Parliament of England, which sought to curb his royal prerogative. Charles believed in the right of kings and thought he could govern according to his own conscience. Many of his subjects opposed his policies, in particular the levying of taxes without parliamentary consent and he supported high church ecclesiastics, such as Richard Montagu and William Laud, and failed to aid Protestant forces successfully during the Thirty Years War. From 1642, Charles fought the armies of the English and Scottish parliaments in the English Civil War, after his defeat in 1645, he surrendered to a Scottish force that eventually handed him over to the English Parliament. Charles refused to accept his captors demands for a constitutional monarchy, re-imprisoned on the Isle of Wight, Charles forged an alliance with Scotland, but by the end of 1648 Oliver Cromwells New Model Army had consolidated its control over England. Charles was tried, convicted, and executed for treason in January 1649. The monarchy was abolished and a called the Commonwealth of England was declared. The monarchy was restored to Charless son, Charles II, in 1660, the second son of King James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark, Charles was born in Dunfermline Palace, Fife, on 19 November 1600. James VI was the first cousin twice removed of Queen Elizabeth I of England, in mid-July 1604, Charles left Dunfermline for England where he was to spend most of the rest of his life. His speech development was slow, and he retained a stammer, or hesitant speech. In January 1605, Charles was created Duke of York, as is customary in the case of the English sovereigns second son, Thomas Murray, a Presbyterian Scot, was appointed as a tutor. Charles learnt the usual subjects of classics, languages, mathematics, in 1611, he was made a Knight of the Garter. Eventually, Charles apparently conquered his physical infirmity, which might have been caused by rickets and he became an adept horseman and marksman, and took up fencing. Even so, his public profile remained low in contrast to that of his stronger and taller elder brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. However, in early November 1612, Henry died at the age of 18 of what is suspected to have been typhoid, Charles, who turned 12 two weeks later, became heir apparent
9.
Battle of Powick Bridge
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The Battle of Powick Bridge, fought on 23 September 1642, was the first major cavalry engagement of the English Civil War. According to Hugh Peters it was where Englands sorrows began, King Charles I of England had left London and raised his standard in Nottingham on 22 August 1642. Although some skirmishing had occurred throughout the country, it was on 13 September, the Earl of Essex with an army of about 20,000 men followed suit by marching his army from Northampton to Worcester. The battle was closer to a skirmish, but nonetheless important, in the ensuing excitement Rupert showed the leadership that earned him his reputation as an exemplary officer. His men surprised and routed the opposition, casualties were minimal on both sides but the university silverware had been saved and would serve to bankroll the King for start of the war, while Essex was put on the back foot. Rupert soon withdrew north to Shrewsbury, where he found many Royalist officers eager to attack Essexs new position at Worcester, but the road to London now lay open and it was decided to take it. The intention was not to avoid a battle, for the Royalist generals wanted to fight Essex before he grew too strong, and the temper of both sides made it impossible to postpone the decision. In the Earl of Clarendons words, it was considered more counsellable to march towards London, accordingly, the army left Shrewsbury on 12 October, gaining two days start on the enemy, and moved south-east. Parliament, alarmed for its own safety, sent repeated orders to Essex to find the King and bring him to battle, alarm gave way to determination, when it was discovered that Charles was enlisting papists and seeking foreign aid. The militia of the counties was called out. The inconclusive Battle of Edge Hill was fought the next day, by coincidence the English Civil Wars ended with another clash at Powick Bridge almost exactly nine years later at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651. The Royalists broke the bridge, but Major-General Richard Deane forced his way over the River Teme, UK Battlefields Resource Centre - The Civil Wars - The Edgehill Campaign - The Battle of Battle of Powick Bridge. Cromwells Crowning Mercy The battle of Worcester 1651, attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, Atkinson, Charles Francis
10.
Battle of Edgehill
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The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday,23 October 1642, all attempts at constitutional compromise between King Charles and Parliament broke down early in 1642. Both King and Parliament raised large armies to gain their way by force of arms, in October, at his temporary base near Shrewsbury, King Charles decided to march on London in order to force a decisive confrontation with Parliaments main army, commanded by the Earl of Essex. Late on 22 October, both armies unexpectedly found the enemy to be close by, the next day, the Royalist army descended from Edge Hill to force battle. After the Parliamentary artillery opened a cannonade, the Royalists attacked, both armies consisted mostly of inexperienced and sometimes ill-equipped troops. Many men from both sides fled or fell out to loot enemy baggage, and neither army was able to gain a decisive advantage. After the battle, King Charles resumed his march on London, the inconclusive result of the Battle of Edgehill prevented either faction gaining a quick victory in the war, which eventually lasted four years. When it appeared to King Charles I that no agreement with Parliament over the government of the Kingdom was possible, he left London on 2 March 1642, both Parliament and King realised that armed conflict was inevitable, and prepared to raise forces. Charles then attempted to seize the port of Kingston-upon-Hull where arms, in the Siege of Hull, the Parliamentarian garrison defied the Kings authority and drove his forces away from the city. In early August the King moved south, to Lincoln and Leicester, on 22 August, he took the decisive step by raising the royal standard in Nottingham, effectively declaring war on Parliament. Having learned of the Kings actions in Nottingham, Parliament dispatched its own army northward under the Earl of Essex, Essex marched first to Northampton, where he mustered almost 20,000 men. Learning of the Kings move westwards, Essex then marched north-westwards towards Worcester, nevertheless, lacking infantry, the Royalists abandoned Worcester. By early October, the Kings army was almost complete at Shrewsbury and he held a council of war, at which two courses of action were considered. The first was to attack Essexs army at Worcester, which had the drawback that the country around the city would put the superior Royalist cavalry at a disadvantage. The second course, which was adopted, was to advance towards London, the intention was not to avoid battle with Essex, but to force one at an advantage. In the Earl of Clarendons words, it was considered more counsellable to march towards London, accordingly, the army left Shrewsbury on 12 October, gaining two days start on the enemy, and moved southeast. Essex followed, but neither army had much information on the location of their enemy, by 22 October, the Royalist army was quartered in the villages around Edgcote, and was threatening the Parliamentarian post at Banbury. The garrison of Banbury sent messengers pleading for help to the Parliamentarian garrison at Warwick Castle, Essex, who had just reached there, ordered an immediate march to Kineton to bring relief to Banbury, even though his army had straggled and not all his troops were present
11.
Battle of Brentford (1642)
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The result was a victory for the Royalists. After the Battle of Edgehill King Charles I captured Banbury and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford on 29 October. Prince Rupert swept down the Thames Valley, capturing Abingdon, Aylesbury and Maidenhead, while in Reading Charles decided that the peace talks were inconclusive, and that if he advanced on London it might place him in a better negotiating position. So on 11 November he moved his army closer to London by encamping at Colnbrook, on reaching London the Earl of Essex had not been idle, and had positioned men on the western approaches to London. The initial attack by the cavaliers on Sir Richard Wynnes house, so a Welsh regiment of foot were ordered into action by Rupert. The combined force captured the outpost and carried forward their attack into Brentford itself. They drove Holless men over the bridge into the defences manned by Lord Brookes men and these in turn were driven out of the town into open fields. Nevertheless, a number of Holless men were drowned while trying to escape their pursuers by swimming across the Thames. The Royalists captured 15 guns and 11 colours and about 500 prisoners, having won the battle the Royalist forces sacked the town. This action encouraged those Londoners who feared for their property to side with the Parliamentarians, Lilburne was the first prominent Roundhead captured in the war, the Royalists intended to try him for high treason. But when Parliament threatened to execute Royalist prisoners in reprisal, Lilburne was exchanged for a Royalist officer, Keith Roberts and John Tincey cite several Parliamentary propaganda pieces which include accusations of atrocities. One included accusations that the cavaliers used Roundhead prisoners of war, as human shields—Their cloths were shot full of holes and they also note that in another publication of about the same period that Cavalier camp followers were accused of murdering wounded Roundhead soldiers. 1642, First campaigns of the English Civil War, Brentford & Turnham Green, Middlesex, 12–13 November, The British Civil Wars & Commonwealth website Roberts, Keith & Tincey John. Edgehill 1642, first battle of the English civil war, Volume 82 of Campaign series, Osprey Publishing,2001 ISBN 1-85532-991-3, ISBN 978-1-85532-991-1 Royle, Trevor
12.
Battle of Braddock Down
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The Battle of Braddock Down was a battle of the south-western campaign of the First English Civil War. It was fought on ground in Cornwall, on 19 January 1643. An apparently easy victory for the Royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton secured Cornwall for King Charles, Hopton also gained respect for the mercy shown to his foe, of whom 1,500 were captured during and after the battle. The precise location of the battlefield is a matter of dispute, Hopton had been attempting to march into Devon from Cornwall but was prevented from doing so by the Parliamentarian force at Plymouth under the Earl of Stamford and William Ruthven. He retreated across Bodmin Moor and on 17 January was able to replenish his food, Sir Ralph Hoptons Royalist forces had been camped the night of 18/19 January at Boconnoc. On breaking camp, their dragoon vanguard encountered Parliamentarian cavalry to the east, Ruthven had been unwilling to wait for reinforcements sent by Stamford to arrive and had marched to face the Royalists in the hope of a quick victory. Ruthven initially believed he was facing stragglers from Hoptons main army but was lured into facing the entire Royalist force. Ruthven had more cavalry, but Hopton had more infantry and also two light cannons and these he kept concealed during the first two hours of the battle, which was largely a long-range musket duel. After deciding to attack, Hopton ordered his Cornish foot under Sir Bevil Grenville to charge, the defending Parliamentarians, drawn from newly raised and inexperienced forces, fired just one volley at the Cornish, causing two casualties, then turned and fled. The defeated Parliamentarians were pursued into Lostwithiel where over 1,200 were captured, in all 1,500 Parliamentarians were captured and a further 200 killed with few losses on the Royalist side. Hopton drove another band of survivors out of Saltash, where they had fled after the battle, the battle cost the Royalists little but had severe consequences for the Parliamentarians, who lost the prospect of controlling of Cornwall. Hoptons reputation as a commander was bolstered by his victory here, the location of the battle is a matter of dispute. English Heritage considers the location to be what is now arable land within parkland at Boconnoc that was common grazing land in 1643, however traditional opinion places the battle on a now almost inaccessible area. The exact location is not likely to be discovered without archaeological excavation, Cornwall in the English Civil War Smurthwaite, David, The Complete Guide to the Battlefields of Britain, with Ordnance Survey maps
13.
First Battle of Middlewich
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In the summer of 1642 came the final split between the King and Parliament and both sides made preparations for raising an army. Throughout the summer Commissioners of Array for the King and Deputy Lieutenants for Parliament attempted to raise the trained bands and he found himself opposed by Sir Thomas Aston and all the resident Cheshire nobility and he failed in his attempt to secure Chester for Parliament. At this time Aston was probably the recognized representative of the King in the county and was able to present the latter with a list of men willing to serve in the Kings army. These were to be delivered to Aston who was able to leave with the King at the head of three troops of horse and he was told to achieve this and return to the main army by 15 March unless he received orders to the contrary. The preparations for Astons march and arrival in Cheshire reveal the Kings interest in keeping Cheshire Royalist, the authorities of the areas that Aston was to pass through on his way from Oxford to Cheshire were ordered to provide food and lodgings for his men. The Cheshire Commissioners of Array were also given orders as to what they should do to help Aston. The King explained to them that, as the Parliamentarians had rejected the Bunbury Agreement and were sending a force to Cheshire, he was sending Aston and his regiment of horse to protect the county. The commissioners were to assemble the trained bands and summon Quarter Sessions to decide on a method of raising money to pay the soldiers and they were also to help Aston raise a regiment of dragoons and seize arms from malignants to arm them. In addition the parishes were to supply them horses, Parliament also realised how important Cheshire was and sent Brereton to raise support for its cause. Geographically Cheshire lies between the Pennines and the Welsh hills and so whoever controlled Cheshire controlled the north – south corridor, for Parliament the control of Cheshire would mean separating the Kings northern supporters from the King and his army at Oxford. It could also stop the King bringing in reinforcements from his Irish army through the port of Chester, when Thomas arrived in Shropshire he found that there were only 60 dragoons instead of the 600 promised. The authorities promised him another 200 and so he decided to wait for two days before moving on to Cheshire, during this time he was ordered to Stafford to help the sheriff there. However Thomas did not neglect his prime objective and ordered the Cheshire Commissioners of Array to defend Nantwich with 150 musketeers, neither order was carried out and Aston was not informed until it was too late to arrive at Nantwich before Brereton. Brereton, meanwhile, had ridden into Congleton on the evening of 27 January with his own troop of horse and three companies of dragoons. Although he was joined in Congleton by the mayor, William Edwards, with another troop of horse. His mission, however, was not to conquer Cheshire but to rouse and he had with him the cadre of a foot regiment, a case of drakes and 700 muskets in his baggage train as well as an experienced Scottish professional, Major James Lothian, to train recruits. He had wide powers to construct fortifications and raise men and was to finance the whole enterprise by voluntary payment and distraint upon the rent. He approached Nantwich on 28 January, Aston had with him his own troop of horse and some companies of Shropshire dragoons under the command of Colonel Sir Vincent Corbett totalling about 500 men
14.
Battle of Hopton Heath
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The Royalists had captured eight guns, but the Parliamentarians considered their killing of the enemy commander, the Earl of Northampton, of equal significance. Gell had successfully taken the town of Lichfield in Staffordshire and was on his way with about 1,500 men and some artillery pieces to join Brereton in a projected attack on the town of Stafford. They met at Hopton Heath and were attacked there by the Royalists, whose force consisted of about 1,100 cavalry,100 foot and artillery, after an artillery barrage the Royalist cavalry charged the entrenched Parliamentarians, putting Gells dragoons and his and Breretons horse to flight. A second charge was repelled by Gells musketeers and Northampton was unhorsed and he refused to surrender and was killed. During the night the Royalists retired towards Stafford to regroup, Brereton withdrew to Nantwich while Gell marched through Uttoxeter to Derby, taking Northamptons body with him. He attempted to ransom the Earls body for the return of the artillery pieces. The Royalists further refused a request to refund Gell for the cost of embalming their leaders body, which was then buried at All Hallows Church in Derby
15.
Battle of Camp Hill
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To suppress the musket fire, the Royalists torched the houses from which the shooting was thought to come. After the battle the Royalists spent the rest of the day in the town during which time they pillaged it, the next morning after the main body of the Royalist force had left town, many more houses were put to the torch. As he had failed to secure the arsenals of Portsmouth and Hull, he did not possess any supply of swords, pikes, guns, shot, all these Worcestershire could, shot came from Stourbridge and from Dudley cannon. The numerous small forges which then existed on every brook in the north of the County turned out successive supplies of sword blades and his method was now employed on the Kings behalf. Clarendon adds that Birmingham was then, A town of as great fame for hearty, punish Birmingham, garrison Lichfield, and clear the country as far as possible. To do this he was given a force of 1200 horse, on Wednesday,29 March 1643, Rupert left Oxford, reaching Chipping Norton that evening. On Thursday he was at Shipston-on-Stour, on Friday,31 March at Stratford-on-Avon, here he spent Easter Sunday, and on Easter Monday,3 April, set out for Birmingham to execute the first part of his task. So Rupert found it when, on 3 April, he marched there from Henley-in-Arden, here the further approach to Birmingham was barred by some of the slight earthworks which had been thrown up. The men of Birmingham possessed an inadequate force to defend these works. Rupert did not believe that his body would be opposed by so inferior a force. He therefore sent his Quarter-Master forward to take up his lodgings and it was about three in the afternoon that Rupert, to his surprise, found that the sturdy sons of freedom, as the local historians Hutton and Guest called them, were determined to fight. Finding such was their case, Rupert gave the order to attack their defences at once, the defences were only a bank of earth, behind which the handful of musketeers was placed. As the Royalists advanced they received so heavy a fire that on reaching the works they could not stand up against it and had to retire, a second attempt met with a similar repulse. Things were getting serious, it would never do for Rupert to be defeated by the inhabitants of Birmingham, yet there was little chance of carrying the works by a direct attack. Some of Ruperts men saw that it might be possible, by going across the fields, to round and get into the rear of the works. This was tried and proved successful. The defenders of the works could not stand being attacked front and rear, so abandoned the works, from the houses a desultory fire was kept up on the Royalist troopers as they advanced up the street. On this the set fire to the houses from which they had been fired on. Pushing on the resistance became less, those who had fled and scattered
16.
Battle of Stratton
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The Battle of Stratton was a battle of the south-western campaign of the First English Civil War. Fought on 16 May 1643, the victory for Hopton confirmed Royalist control of Cornwall. Discovering that Sir Ralph Hopton was advancing his Cornish Royalists into Somerset to join Prince Maurice and he deployed his army on a hill half a mile to the north of Stratton and waited for Hopton. Previously, on 15 May, Stamford had sent the bulk of his cavalry under Sir George Chudleigh to seize Bodmin, Hopton, despite being outnumbered two to one, decided to take advantage of the lack of Parliamentarian cavalry and attack Stamford. Before dawn on 16 May, Hopton divided his army into four columns of 600 men, hoping to surprise Stamfords army, these four columns advanced from four different directions around 5,00 a. m. Hopton led the first column from the south, while Major-General Basset attacked from the north and Sir Bevil Grenville, the attack lost the element of surprise at the last moment, being discovered by a sentry who roused the Parliamentarian troops. Close action followed for the eight hours, with determined effort on both sides. With the Royalist troops running short of ammunition, the Parliamentarian pikemen under Major-General James Chudleigh charged Grenvilles regiment. Grenville was knocked over and his troops shaken, but Sir John Berkeleys musketeers made a counter-charge that stopped the Parliamentarian momentum and began to push their enemy back up the hill. Against the odds the Royalist troops began to forward. On reaching the summit, Hopton released the Royalist cavalry as the Parliamentarians gave way, Stamfords defence crumbled under this pressure and his army fled the field. Three hundred Parliamentarian dead remained on the field, plus seventeen hundred prisoners, accused of treason by Stamford, he promptly defected to the Royalists. The Earl of Stamford retreated to Barnstaple and then to Exeter, George Chudleigh abandoned Bodmin with his cavalry and retreated into Devon
17.
Battle of Adwalton Moor
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The Battle of Adwalton Moor was a battle in the English Civil War on 30 June 1643. The site of the battle is high ground in Adwalton near Bradford, parts of the site are protected as green belt or other types of open space. It is the only recognised by Bradford Metropolitan District Council as falling within its boundaries. There are plaques interpreting the battlefield for visitors, the Earl of Newcastle, the Royalist commander, was marching on Bradford with 10,000 men. Fairfax, the Parliamentary commander, had 3, 000-4,000 men in Bradford, however, despite his inferior numbers, Fairfax came to intercept the Royalist army as Bradford was ill-prepared to resist a siege. The strong Royalists defeated the Parliamentarians, the battle was of medium term significance, consolidating Royalist control of Yorkshire. There is a display relating to the battle at Bolling Hall, Bradford, Adwalton Moor, battle of,30 June 1643, Military History Encyclopedia on the Web, retrieved 28 October 2013 Gaunt, P. The Cromwellian Gazetteer, An Illustrated Guide to Britain in the Civil War & Commonwealth, A. Sutton, the life of William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle Parsons, D. ed. The life of Sir Henry Slingsby of Scriven, Bt, Battle of Adwalton Moor -1643, Bradford Council, retrieved 28 October 2013 Historic England
18.
Battle of Burton Bridge (1643)
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The Battle of Burton Bridge was fought between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces at Burton upon Trent on 4 July 1643 during the First English Civil War. The key river crossing at Burton was desired by Queen Henrietta Maria, the Queens convoy proceeded on its way south to Oxford with Tyldesley receiving a knighthood and a promotion in recognition of his victory. Burton changed hands several times during the course of the war. The county of Staffordshire, several days travel from the seat of power in London, had a long-standing disinclination to paying taxes and levies imposed by the King. The county was slow to pay Charles Is ship money which began to be levied on the inland counties in 1634. Open dissent against the Kings decrees occurred in 1640 in objection to the levying of 300 men from the county for the Kings campaign against the Scots, riots took place in Uttoxeter with an armed guard having to be formed to prevent the levy from deserting. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 the town of Burton was largely sympathetic to the Parliamentarian cause. This was probably, in part, due to the large Puritan following in the town, despite this strategic location the town was unfortified and possessed few natural defences. Chesterfield withdrew his forces to Lichfield for the winter, garrisoning the cathedral which would be the scene of fighting during the war. East Staffordshires strategic importance was heightened by its position at the boundary of Royalist, Burton had come to roundhead attention in early 1643 after the establishment of a garrison at nearby Derby by the county committee leader, Sir John Gell. This became known to the Royalists and the Earl of Northampton was sent with two fast-moving cavalry regiments to thwart Gell and Breretons plan. Northampton met with troops led by Henry Hastings and garrisoned Tamworth before engaging Gell at the inconclusive Battle of Hopton Heath, during which Northampton was killed. During this time Queen Henrietta Maria landed at Bridlington, Yorkshire with a supply of weapons purchased abroad that she intended to bring to the King, who was then in Oxford. In advance of this the King sent his nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Prince Ruperts troops evicted garrisons from Rushall and Birmingham and successfully recaptured Lichfield. Rupert placed Royalist garrison in key towns including Burton to secure the route of Henriettas convoy, the garrison at Burton was soon driven out once more by Gell, acting in co-operation with Lord Grey, commander-in-chief of the East Midlands Association. He placed his own garrison there of 200 infantry,60 dragoons, Gells garrison at Burton was commanded by Captain Thomas Sanders, who had previously commanded one of the largest companies in Gells force. Sanders held more radical views than Gell and was seen as a potential rival. Sanders may have been concerned that his deployment to such a position was a plot by Gell to be rid of him
19.
Battle of Lansdowne
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The English Civil War battle of Lansdowne was fought on 5 July 1643, near Bath, Somerset, southwest England. By late May 1643, Lord Hoptons royalist army had captured most of the south west of England, joined by the Earl of Hertford, he then advanced eastward into Parliamentarian-held territory. Sir William Wallers army held Bath, to obstruct their further advance, on 2 July 1643 the Royalists seized the bridge at Bradford on Avon. On 3 July, skirmishes took place at Claverton and at Wallers positions south, Waller retired to a strong position on Lansdown Hill, northwest of Bath while the main Royalist force moved north through Batheaston to Marshfield. Hoptons forces encountered this position on 4 July and were surprised at its strength. They withdrew 5 miles north-east to Marshfield, while their rearguard repulsed an attempt by Wallers cavalry to pursue. Early on 5 July, Waller moved to the end of Lansdown Hill, where he built crude breastworks for his infantry. They put to flight some badly-led Royalist cavalry, and the alarm caused all of Hoptons army to form up, there was indecisive skirmishing for two hours, and Hopton again tried to withdraw. Waller once again sent his horse and dragoons against the rearguard. Hoptons army turned about, and defeated the Roundhead cavalry in a confused action, with his Cornish foot regiments already advancing without orders, Hopton at last attacked Lansdown Hill. As they charged up the slopes towards the Parliamentarian position on the crest, Hoptons cavalry suffered badly. 1,400 of them fled, some as far as Oxford, under Sir Bevil Grenville, Hoptons Cornish pikemen stormed Wallers breastworks, while Royalist musketeers outflanked Waller through the woods on each side of his position. Grenville was mortally wounded in combat as Parliamentarian horse counter-attacked and were driven off. Wallers infantry fell back to a wall across the crest of the hill from where they kept up musket fire until dark fell, during the night, they withdrew silently, leaving burning matches on the wall to deceive the Royalists that they still held the position. The day after the battle, a Royalist ammunition cart exploded, Hopton was injured and temporarily blinded. The loss of the powder and the absence of most of their horses meant the Royalists could not fight another action, meanwhile, Waller had retired to Bath, where he had been reinforced and was ready to attack again. Hoptons army retreated in low spirits to Devizes, Hoptons army was in such a poor situation before their retreat that Hoptons military opponent but old friend Waller offered him hospitality in Bath, though he refused it. A Cornish officer describing the battle wrote that Waller was, the best shifter and chooser of ground when hee was not Master of the field that ever I saw
20.
Battle of Roundway Down
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The Battle of Roundway Down was fought on 13 July 1643, during the First English Civil War. Roundway Down and Olivers Castle are about 1.5 km north of Devizes, on 5 July, Hoptons army had driven Waller from his position at the indecisive Battle of Lansdowne. In doing so they suffered casualties and desertions. Sir Bevil Grenville, the commander of Hoptons Cornish troops, was killed in the battle. Hopton himself was temporarily blinded the next day by an ammunition cart. The explosion also left the very short of gunpowder. The Royalist army was forced to withdraw towards Oxford, the Royalist capital, so that they could receive reinforcements, although Wallers army had been forced to withdraw, it remained intact, and Waller soon obtained reinforcements from the Parliamentarian garrison of Bristol. He followed up Hoptons army closely, and on the night of 8 July he occupied Roundway Down, the Royalists fell back into the town, and their commanders held a hasty council of war. It was agreed that Prince Maurice would break out and make for Oxford with the 300 cavalry remaining with the Royalist army, while Hoptons Cornish infantry defended Devizes, Maurice was to collect a relieving force from Oxford. Maurice and his 300 horse escaped just before Waller surrounded Devizes, unaware of Maurices escape to Oxford, Waller set up his guns and began a siege of the vulnerable unfortified town the next day. On 12 July he captured a convoy bringing ammunition to Hopton and this was refused, and the next morning, the Royalist relief force appeared on Roundway Down. Maurice had reached Oxford late on 10 July, early on the morning of 13 July, Wilmots relieving force reached Roughridge Hill,5 miles north east of Devizes, and fired two rounds from their guns as a signal to the besieged. They were organised as two brigades under Wilmot himself and Sir John Byron, and a weaker one under Lord Crawford. Waller had been informed of their arrival, and he abandoned the siege and marched to Roundway Down and he deployed his infantry and artillery in the centre of his line, with cavalry on each flank. Although Waller held the ground, the Royalists attacked first. Wilmots brigade attacked the Parliamentarian left, the leading troops of this Parliamentarian wing were a fully armoured regiment of cuirassiers, the London lobsters under Sir Arthur Haselrig. They appeared to have met Wilmots charge at the halt, and were thrown into confusion, after a brief contest, they retreated in disorder. Byron attacked the Parliamentarian right, commanded by Waller, under fire from the guns, once again, the Parliamentarians halted to receive the charge, and were shaken by the clash
21.
Storming of Bristol
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The Storming of Bristol took place on 26 July 1643, during the First English Civil War. The Cavalier army under Prince Rupert of the Rhine, King Charless nephew and lieutenant general, captured the important city, the city remained under Royalist control until near the end of the war. During the mid-17th century, Bristol had been one of the most important cities in England, second only to London in wealth, the Royalists had failed to secure it when the civil war began, leaving it under Parliamentarian control although there were many Royalist sympathisers within the city. In July 1643, the garrison was weakened when several of its units were detached to reinforce a Parliamentarian field army under Sir William Waller. On 13 July, Wallers army was destroyed at the Battle of Roundway Down, the Royalists quickly realised that this presented them with a great opportunity to capture important Parliamentarian-held towns in the south-west of England. Only two days after the battle, Prince Rupert marched from Oxford, the Royalists wartime capital, the Parliamentarian defenders of Bristol were commanded by Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes. His garrison consisted of 300 cavalry and 1,500 infantry, the fortifications consisted of an inner line immediately surrounding the city and resting on the River Avon and River Frome, and an outer line about 500 yards outside the inner line. A total of 100 guns were distributed along the defences, Rupert personally led a reconnaissance of the defences to the north of the city on 23 July. There were some clashes between Royalist parties left on Clifton Hill and Parliamentarian sorties, the Royalists invested Bristol on the morning of 24 July. Rupert formally summoned the city to surrender, but the summons was refused and he then crossed the Avon to confer with Maurice and his officers. Maurice, with his Cornish infantry faced the defences south of Bristol and preferred to undertake a formal siege. Rupert however, believed that the defences to the north were vulnerable to a storming attempt, eventually, Rupert prevailed, and the attack was planned to begin early on 26 July. The signal for the attack was to be a salvo from a Royalist battery facing the Priors Hill Fort at the point of the defences. In the event, the attack was disjointed, the eager Cornish infantry attacked prematurely at 3,00 a. m. forcing Rupert to fire the signal to attack earlier than he intended. The Cornish infantry attacked in three columns and they rolled carts and wagons into the ditch in front of the wall to fill it and allow them to cross. The ditch was too deep for this to succeed, but the Cornish used faggots and they nevertheless suffered heavy casualties, with all three attacking column commanders being killed, and were eventually driven back. Ruperts attackers consisted of three brigades of infantry, with some dragoons, lord Grandisons brigade attacked the Priors Hill Fort and a nearby redoubt at Stokes Croft, but was repulsed. Sir John Belasyses brigade also was unsuccessful at Colstons Mount, Rupert had a horse killed under him while rallying some of Belasyses infantry
22.
Battle of Gainsborough
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The Battle of Gainsborough was a battle in the English Civil War, fought on 28 July 1643. When the English Civil War was declared, Gainsborough in Lincolnshire lay in an area which supported Parliament, the town was of strategic importance to both sides, sited as it was on a crossing of the River Trent, lying on important roads leading south and north. In March 1643 Sir John Henderson sent a party from the Royalist base at Newark to capture Gainsborough for the King. The town was surrounded and quickly surrendered without any resistance, the town was put into the charge of the Earl of Kingston and was used as a base to harass the Parliamentarians in Lincolnshire. Royalist attacks at Louth and Market Rasen, together with the capture of gunpowder intended for Rotherham, lord Willoughby of Parham launched a surprise night attack on Gainsborough on 16 July 1643 and captured it. The Earl of Kingston was later killed by a cannonball from his own men as he was being taken as prisoner down the river to Hull, the Royalists immediately sent Charles Cavendish with a force to retake Gainsborough. Parliament sent forces from Nottingham under Sir John Meldrum and Colonel Oliver Cromwell from Cambridgeshire to relieve, the two forces met on 27 July at North Scarle, ten miles south of Gainsborough, where they were joined by a detachment from Lincoln. The next day,28 July 1643, the 1200 strong force marched north, at the village of Lea, just south of Gainsborough, they met an advanced guard of 100 horse, part of Cavendishs army. After a short skirmish the horsemen were driven back to Cavendishs main body which was drawn up on top of Foxby Hill to the east of the town, the Royalists consisted of three regiments of Horse with a further regiment in reserve, and held the tactical advantage. The Lincoln troops were ordered to advance up the steep and sandy gradient, as the Lincolners were forming up, Cavendish attacked. Cromwell, seeing this, charged with his own regiment to meet Cavendish. After some fierce mounted fighting, the Royalists gradually began to fall back, with the attacking Parliamentary cavalry gone, Cavendish took advantage by counter-attacking the remaining Lincoln troops with his reserve. However, Cromwell was still on the field with a reserve of three cavalry troops and he charged into Cavendishs rear, forcing the Royalists down off the hill and into the flat marshy land of the Trent, where 300 Royalists were slaughtered. Cavendish was knocked off his horse and killed by a sword thrust in the chest, the place where he was killed was later known as Cavendish Bog. With the battle over, Cromwell rode into Gainsborough with supplies for Willoughbys garrison, while this was being done, news arrived that a small Royalist force was marching on Gainsborough from the north. Cromwell and Meldrum, thinking this was a remnant of Cavendishs force not yet engaged, at Morton they drove off two troops of Horse. Willoughbys foot soldiers fell back in disorder, with his own men and horses exhausted by the recent battle, Cromwell ordered a withdrawal. In a disciplined rearguard action, two parties of Horse, one from Cromwells regiment and one from the Lincolners, stood firm, with the loss of only two men, they held back the Royalists until finally reaching the safety of Lincoln
23.
First Battle of Newbury
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Following a year of Royalist successes in which they took Banbury, Oxford and Reading without conflict before storming Bristol, the Parliamentarians were left without an effective army in the field. When Charles laid siege to Gloucester, Parliament was forced to muster a force under Essex with which to beat Charles forces off, after a long march, Essex surprised the Royalists and forced them away from Gloucester before beginning a retreat to London. Charles rallied his forces and pursued Essex, overtaking the Parliamentarian army at Newbury, Essex reacted by making a surprise attack on the Royalist lines at dawn, capturing several pieces of high ground and leaving Charles on the back foot. The slowing of this counter-attack in the face of the Royalist cavalry forced Essex to send for reinforcements, in line with this, the Royalists moved forward to press the attack, but were forced to halt by the London Trained Bands. With night falling, the battle ended, and both exhausted armies disengaged, the next morning, low on ammunition, the Royalists were forced to allow Essex to pass and continue his retreat to London. On 13 November they faced the Earl of Essex at the Battle of Turnham Green, with Charless advisers persuading him to retreat to Oxford, despite this setback, the war was turning increasingly in favour of the Royalists. Despite this, Royalist forces were depleted by the battle at Bristol. Suffering over 1,000 men dead, and having exhausted their supplies, even considering this, the capture of Bristol is considered the high-water mark for the Royalist cause during the First English Civil War. With the city captured, however, a dispute occurred over who was to govern it. Upon arriving he called his council of war together to discuss their next move, the questions at hand being first, whether the armies should be united. And then, what the design should be, because of this unrest, it was quickly resolved that the western army would remain an independent fighting force and remain in Dorset and Cornwall to mop up the remaining Parliamentarians. Accordingly, the army, commanded by Lord Carnarvon, remained in the region. Prince Maurice left 1,200 infantry and approximately 200 cavalry to garrison Bristol before marching to Dorchester, the greater issues were what to do with the Oxford army and what the next design of the Royalist campaign would be. Ruperts strategy was to advance through the Severn Valley and capture Gloucester, another faction, however, argued that London could be captured with the army as it was, and that Gloucester would serve as a distraction from the main goal of the campaign. By 6 August, it was clear that Ruperts strategy would be abandoned, instead, during the early stages of the war, the loyalty of combatants on both sides, particularly that of professional soldiers, had been flexible. Gloucester was led by Edward Massie, a mercenary who only took a job with the Parliamentarians after he was refused a significant Royalist command. Given this, the council of war decided to march on Gloucester – not to besiege it or capture it by force, William Legge, who had served with Massie in the Bishops Wars, contacted him and asked him to surrender Gloucester to his lawful sovereign. As a result of this, on 7 August Charles and the Oxford army marched to Gloucester, Charless main force began marching on 7 August and reached the village of Painswick a day later, however, Ruperts cavalry screen had already advanced and taken the village
24.
Battle of Winceby
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The Battle of Winceby took place on 11 October 1643 during the English Civil War near the village of Winceby, Lincolnshire about 4 miles east of Horncastle. During the summer of 1643, the Royalists laid plans to win the war by marching on London. While these sieges were under way, Charles I of England decided to make the best use of his time by reducing Gloucester, Parliamentary forces relieved Gloucester on 5 September. Meanwhile, the second Royalist siege of Hull had commenced, fortunately for the Parliamentary forces, the sea communications of Kingston upon Hull were open. In return, the old Lord Fairfax, who remained in Hull, received infantry reinforcements, on 9 October Parliamentary forces under Manchester laid siege to Bolingbroke Castle. After a sharp skirmish they took Horncastle from an outlying detachment of Fairfaxs force. The Parliamentary detachment reported back to the army that the Royalists were moving towards them. The next morning, leaving men to stop the Bolingbroke garrison from launching a sortie, Manchester arrayed his army on Kirkby Hill. Sometime between 12,00 and 14,00 hours he ordered an advance towards Horncastle. The Parliamentary horse, which moved faster than the infantry, met the Royalists advancing in the direction at Winceby. The field of battle was not ideal as the land falls away into sharp gullies on one side, the two forces were roughly the same size and composition because, as with the Parliamentarians, the Royalist infantry was not present. The ensuing battle lasted about half an hour, cromwell feigned a retreat and lured the Royalists from a good defensive position onto flat ground. A small party of Parliamentarians advanced on the Royalists who discharged their weapons at them, cromwell then led his main body of horse in a charge hoping to press home his attack before the Royalists had time to reload. But dismounted Royalist dragoons managed to fire a volley, hitting several of the Ironsides. Cromwell had his shot from under him, apparently by Sir Ingram Hopton. Royalist cavalry under Sir William Savile counterattacked hitting Cromwells right flank and they in turn were attacked in the flank by Fairfaxs horse. In the resulting melee, the Royalists lost cohesion when the command by Savile to about face was taken to be an order to retreat and Saviles horse fled the battle. On the Roundheads left wing the Cavaliers enjoyed greater initial success, a flanking attack by Cromwells reformed cavalry was enough to cause the Royalists to flee the field in confusion back towards Newark
25.
Siege of Basing House
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The siege of Basing House near Basingstoke in Hampshire, was a Parliamentarian victory late in the First English Civil War. Whereas the title of the event may suggest a single siege, john Paulet, 5th Marquis of Winchester owned the House and as a committed Royalist garrisoned it in support of King Charles I, as it commanded the road from London to the west through Salisbury. The first engagement was in November 1643, when Sir William Waller at the head of an army of about 7,000 attempted to take Basing House by direct assault. After three failed attempts it became obvious to him that his troops lack the necessary resolve, Parliamentary forces continued the siege by garrisons on the static approaches to Basing house to stop the Royalists foraging and relief convoys getting through. Then on 4 June 1644, Colonel Richard Norton using Parliamentary troops from the Hampshire garrisons closely invested Basing House and this siege was broken on 12 September 1644 when a relief column under the command of Colonel Henry Gage broke through parliamentary lines. Having resupplied the garrison he did not tarry but left the next day, the Parliamentarians reinvested the place but by the middle of November threatened by a Royalist army and his besieging force decimated by disease Weller ended the investment. Five days later on 20 November Gage arrived with fresh supplies, the final siege took place in October 1645. Oliver Cromwell joined parliamentary forces besieging the House with his own men and they quickly breached the defences and on morning of the 14 October 1645 the House was successfully stormed. During the assault the House caught fire and was badly damaged, what remained was totally slighted and demolished by order of Parliament, with the stones of the House offered free to anyone who would cart them away. A good description of the House as it stood before the siege is found in the Marquiss own Diary, Basing House stood on a rising ground, its form circular, encompassed with brick ramparts lined with earth, and a very deep ditch but dry. On 31 July 1643, the King, on the petition of the Marquis, sent one hundred musketeers, under Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Peake, to form a garrison. Within a few hours of the arrival of troops, colonels Harvey and Richard Norton attempted a surprise attack. Among the inhabitants of the House during the siege were a number of men of letters. William Faithorne, a pupil of Robert Peakes father was one of the besieged, yet another engraver, and a still more famous one, was in the House, was Wenceslaus Hollar engraved a portrait of the Marquis. Another man of letters found shelter at Basing House, where he lost his life, viz. Lieut. -Colonel Thomas Johnson, M. D. the editor of Gerards Herbal, and author of several botanical works. Captain William Robbins, a prominent comic actor in the Jacobean, there is little doubt that a scarcity of ammunition, as well as of provisions, was the cause of some embarrassment to the Marquis in his defence of the House. In the first year of the siege the King issued a warrant to the following effect, to our right trusty and well-beloved Henry, Lord Percy, general of our ordnance for the present expedition. Our will and pleasure is, that you forthwith take order for sending to the Marquess of Winchesters House of Basing ten barrels of powder with match, and this shall be your warrant
26.
Battle of Alton
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The Battle of Alton, of the First English Civil War, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton, Hampshire, England. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller led a surprise attack on a winter garrison of Royalist infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, the successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England. At dawn on the 13th, as Wallers army approached Alton, Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester, outnumbered and overpowered, Boless men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St Lawrence, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men, the Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners. Boless fight is notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself, the battle of Alton is known as one of the most savage encounters of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use guns, employed effectively by Waller before. On 13 September 1643, English Parliament ordered Major General William Waller to muster forces for the protection of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham and these forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment and the Green and Yellow regiments. Also at Wallers disposal were a regiment of foot soldiers. Waller marched from Farnham for Odiham and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, while not of great strategic importance, Basings proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November and he marched further that day, but later retreated to Farnham. On 2 November, Waller attacked one hundred men of Bennetts at Alton, from 7–9 November, Waller laid siege to Basing House, but withdrew to Basingstoke in failure, with his soldiers near mutiny from poor weather conditions. He tried again on the night of 11 November, but retreated to Farnham to await Hoptons army. Hopton arrived on 27 November, given by King Charles 1,580 horse, Hopton had been ordered in late September to make secure Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire, and to push as far as possible toward London. Toward this end, Hopton spread his men across Hampshire County, quartering them for the winter at Winchester, Alresford, Petersfield and he did so to alleviate the burden on any one town, and because winter was approaching quickly
27.
Siege of Lathom House
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The Siege of Lathom House was a military confrontation between a Parliamentarian army and a Royalist stronghold in Lathom near Ormskirk in Lancashire, during the First English Civil War. The first lasted from late February to late May 1644, when the siege was lifted, the second siege took place a year later from July to December 1645. Lathom House was captured and slighted, james Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, was the leading Royalist adherent in the northwest of England when the civil war broke out in 1642. The family seat of the Stanleys was Lathom House, in 1643, the Earl of Derby was ordered by King Charles to fortify the Isle of Man against a possible Scottish invasion, and then move on to the northern campaign. His wife, Charlotte de la Tremoüille, was left in charge of what turned out to be the last remaining Royalist stronghold in Lancashire, sir Thomas Fairfax saw Derbys absence as an opportunity to strengthen the Long Parliaments position in Lancashire and set out to conquer Lathom House. She offered to limit herself to defending her home, and this postponed further attacks on her position, when Fairfax arrived at Lathom House in February 1644, the Countess had made every effort to conceal the strength of the castles fortifications. Fairfax demanded that the Countess surrender Lathom House to him and she asked for a week to consider his offer, and then insisted that it was only appropriate that he visit her at Lathom House for further negotiations. He was received as an honoured guest, but the entire household categorically rejected his terms for surrendering and he gave her two more days to consider her situation. The emissary sent two days later was scornfully dismissed, the siege began with 2,000 Parliamentary soldiers against a garrison of 300. Charlotte had assembled a militia of seasoned marksmen who were able to inflict significant losses by sniping, nature herself formed for a strong hold or place of security. The fortifications sustained continuous cannon and mortar fire with minimal damage, the Royalists launched several successful sorties to disrupt Parliamentary efforts to set up batteries. As a result, Parliamentary forces were unable to establish any major artillery positions against the castle, morale among the Roundheads also suffered greatly as the besieged shot soldiers and engineers on the battlefield. Nevertheless, Fairfax persisted in demanding that Charlotte surrender to his forces and she refused to surrender under any terms, rebuking messengers in increasingly disdainful tones. After one particularly audacious sortie in late April that destroyed several Roundhead positions, Fairfax declared a day of fasting, captain Hector Schofield, a messenger from Colonel Alexander Rigby of the Roundheads, arrived to offer Charlotte an honourable surrender. A similar ultimatum issued by Rigby on 23 May prompted Charlotte to respond, unless they treated with her lord, they should never take her or any of her friends alive. The siege was lifted on the night of 27 May as the Royalist general Prince Rupert approached Lathom with thousands of cavalry and infantry, Charlotte and her household departed for the Isle of Man, leaving the care of Lathom House to Colonel Edward Rawstorne. The next year, in July,4,000 Parliamentary troops returned to begin the second siege and their commander Colonel Peter Egerton made Ormskirk his headquarters while his men encamped on Aughton Moss, near Aughton Mill. Trenchfield House, on the site of this encampment, still retains the name, the fall of Lathom House was regarded as an event of the first importance by the Parliamentary party
Parliamentarians
Royalists
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Atkinson, Charles Francis (1911). "Great Rebellion". In Chisholm, Hugh. Encyclopædia Britannica. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 404.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the