Fighting in the Civil War Flashcards
Describe the lead up to the Battle of Edgehill?
Charles needed to win war by late 1642 to prevent Parliament from mobilising and winning. He turned to the Welsh. From Nottingham to Shrewsbury he gathered 12,000 men and travelled south-east to London, when Prince Rupert informed him en-route to Banbury that they were approaching Parliament’s army to the west by a few miles.
Earl of Essex, who supported Charles in the First Bishops War, commanded Parliament. He hoped to attack the Midlands, but when he learned Charles left Shrewsbury aimed to bar the path to London, and for several days they marched 20 miles apart, with the quartermasters, gathering provisions, bumping into each other. *
Summarise events at Edgehill, 23/10/1642?
. Charles settled his army at Edgehill, a ridge overlooking the village of Kineton, and Parliament settled 2 miles away on a plain. Charles had to start the attack. Both sides had 15,000 men each.
Sir Faithful Fortescue’s Parliament army crossed in full view and Prince Rupert’s right wing attacked Sir James Ramsey’s men to Kineton. The left wing, led by Lord Wilmot, had cavalry chasing the right wing of Parliament’s army. Parliament had strong infantry, with 2 cavalry regiments left, and attacked the left wing Royalist infantry. As Rupert returned, the field was scattered and while Charles raced among foot soldiers to encourage them, 3000 had died, and many others had fled.
Charles established headquarters in Oxford, and as Rupert and royalists approached London, trained bands barred their entrance at Turnham Green, 15 November 1642, and Royalists retreated to Oxford. c *
How did the Oxford Treaty after Edgehill lead to the fears of papist threat with Charles’ letters to Newcastle found?
Negotiation was encouraged by the Lords with Oxford commissioners, and so the Oxford Treaty offered terms similar to the Nineteen Propositions with additional clauses against the papists. When Sir Thomas Fairfax read leaders from Charles to the Earl of Newcastle, aiming to have Roman Catholics in the northern army, this reinforced the papist threat, and Charles made Pym’s work easier, claiming that they intended to make things, ‘worse and worse.’ By spring, no settlement was made as Charles was winning and wanted victory; Parliament had to safeguard against this. *
What problems did Parliament suffer from in early 1643?
Parliament by 1643 had lost John Hampden and Lord Brooke and had high-profile desertion. Alongside this, Charles was mobilising fast and the three-pronged strategy was feared, an attack from the north, Midlands, and south-west, on London. By Summer, people wanted the Earl of Essex, Lord General, to resign. *
What failures did Parliament suffer from in 1643, with Yorkshire, Newark, Adwalton Moor, Scarborough, and Hill?
By 1643, June, Yorkshire was taken, excluding Hull. Earl of Newcastle had obtained Newark which commanded the Great North Road and River Trent bridge. Lord Fairfax and son Sir Thomas Fairfax, commanders in Yorkshire, were betrayed and unable to prevent victory at Tadcaster, Adwalton Moor, and Seacraft Moor. In March governor of Scarborough gave castle to Royalists and Hull, where governor Sir John Hotham refused King’s entrance, tried to deliver it to the Royalists. Roundheads in July tried to stop Newcastle from marching south, threatening East Anglia and London. Resistance in Hull failed Charles’ conquest. *
In 1643 Sir Ralph Hopton travelled to Devon. When were cavalry destroyed?
How was Bristol given up and what happened to Nathaniel Fiennes?
Sir Ralph Hopton travelled through Cornwall to Devon, meeting with Prince Maurice. Plymouth was only area in the South-West not to fall. Sir Ralph Hopton met Sir William Waller outside Bath, and Waller travelled to Lansdown Hill near Bath. Eight days later cavalry were destroyed at Roundway Down, Wiltshire, and Charles’ forces could soon link with Oxford.
Bristol, one of the most important ports, was given up by Nathaniel Fiennes, who was court-martialled and sentenced to death by Parliament. Earl of Essex saved his life, and Pym had to offer Essex one more chance. By August 1643 at Gloucester, 1500 Parliamentary forces lost their garrison to 30,000 Royalists. *
Summarise the attack on Gloucteser, 1643?
If royalists seized Gloucester, they had a route from Shrewsbury to Bristol, and from Oxford to Wales. Siezing Severn Bridge would give access from Oxford to royalist recruiting bases in south Wales. With a year to prepare, earthern ramparts reinforced the medieval city walls and houses outside the ramparts were ordered by Governor Sir Edward Massey to be pulled down for artillery and musketeer attacks. 40 barrels of gunpowder were owned. Essex left London on 23 August with 15,000 men on a mission to Royalist territory, with men passing north of Oxford between garrisons of Royalists. When he approached Gloucester, Charles abandoned the siege. As Essex marched, his army was encircled, cutting retreat. Essex tried to escape up the Cotswold Hills, with Charles blocking his path to London at Newbury. Essex fled to safety. Survival of Gloucester was a turning point. Queen criticised Charles for attacking Gloucester over London, and Rupert felt that Royalists had to take it by storm, but Charles didn’t want to lose many lives. *
Which treaties did Charles and Parliament sign to integrate forces within their armies?
In 1644, January, under Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven, 21,000 were sent from Scotland to northern England under the Solemn League and Covenant. Charles in September issued the Cessation Treaty which would make alliance with Irish rebels, and in 1644 troops began to emerge. As the Scots threatened to send an army in Ireland to protect settlements, the Irish threatened to support the Earl of Montrose, and in February 1644 he was appointed Lietenant-General of Royalist forces under Charles, with a campaign in summer to challenge lowlands, diverting Covenanters.*
Summarise war in the North.
The first Scottish objective would be to take Newcastle, which they soon occupied. After defeat of Royalists/Irish at Nantwich, Fairfax moved to York, linking with the Scots to besiege it, held by the Earl of Newcastle. Leslie and Fairfax were helped by Manchester’s Eastern Association Army and Prince Rupert was made to march to relief, sweeping through the north-west and gathering forces before crossing Pennines to challenge Parliament forces outside of York. This led to Marston Moor battle of 1644, which destroyed Royalist northern power. Scots were increasingly involved with Montroses’ campaign after this.
Summarise war in the South West…
In summer 1644, the Earl of Essex marched army through Dorset and Devon to Cornwall to relieve garrisons, hoping to repeat Gloucester success. The move was premature, and at Cornwall, his line of retreat was blocked by Charles. At Lostwithiel, August, his army was made to surrender as he fled by sea.
Summarise war in the Midlands…
In 1644 battle was indecisive. Battle of Cheriton, Sussex, prevented Royalist invasion of the south-east but Waller’s army had been lucky to escape the Battle of Cropedy Bridge, Oxfordshire. In the Thames Valley, arguments circulated between Waller and Essex. During summer and autumn, confidence was lost in Essex and Sir William Waller, after Cropredy Bridge, could not be Lord General. The Earl of Manchester, commander of the Eastern Association, couldn’t follow up his victory and the Second Battle of Newbury exposed the political rift of officers, leading to the Self-Denying Ordinance and forming of New Model Army. By 1644, areas of Royalist control had shrunk. Contemporaries saw victory as held by fear of what would happen with Royalist victory. In Midlands, there was stalemate and Charles still controlled the south-west.
How was the army reformed for Parliament in 1645?
The army was joined into a single national force under Lord General Fairfax, with the new modelled army commanded by professional soldiers with promises to:
- End regional association limitations and seek out Charles wherever he and his armies could be found.
- Regular pay, reducing desertion.
- Better training and equipment of army.
Summarise events leading to, and at, Naseby…
Pay soon fell into arrears, experience was on former campaigns, and purge of officers was made with the Self Denying Ordinance. Following this, Lord General Sir Thomas Fairfax approached Oxford in May 1645 with intentions to sieze the headquarters, so Royalisrts sacked Leicester and Fairfax pursued King’s army north to Naseby.
Charles was outnumbered by double the amount of forces, but the successes at Wales and its border country meant that the troops had swollen, and Charles hoped political divides would undermine the New Model Army.
Rupert attacked Parliament’s leftwing, chasing cavalry to the baggage train which they tried to destroy. An hour had passed when Parliament attacked, led by Cromwell, cavalry, followed by Royalist infantry. Dragoons emerged from hedgerows and attackec Royalist right wing. Royalists lost 1000, with a further 4500 captured, and Parliament lost only 100 men.
Describe events leading to Charles’ defeat…
The New Model Army marched on to the West Country where it defeated more Royalists at the Battle of Langport, 10 July. Two weeks later, Bridgewater was taken by Fairfax’s army, and this cut off Royalists in south-west from Charles. The army lay siege to Bristol, held by Prince Rupert, and this led to his surrender of the city. Charles sent him into exile. Before leaving, he urged Charles to make peace to save his throne, but Charles hoped to join forces with Montrose and fight from Scotland. On 13 September, Montrose was defeated at the Battle of Philiphaugh, south of Edinburgh. Between October 1645 and April 1646 the NMA completed mopping up campaigns in the south-west and by this year most of South Wales had fallen. Isolated Royalist garrisons were left and castles in ruins.
By 1646 Charles was more of a fugitive, scampering between garrisons at Chester, Newark, and Oxford. By March, Royalist force under Sir Jacob Astley was defeated at Stow-on-the-Wold and Charles negotiated with Covenanters, hoping to surrender to Scots over Parliament. He left Oxford in disguise by the end of April, hoping to travel to France most likely, but he then surrendered. Newark, besieged since November, surrendered on 6 May and by 24 June Oxford surrendered, followed by Raglan Castle on 19 August 1646.
Who was Sir Thomas Fairfax?
Sir Thomas Fairfax was a Yorkshire commander of the cavalry and in 1645 was given command of the New Model Army. He wasn’t an MP, and his father Lord Fairfax commanded a regiment of foot. He married a Presbyterian.
