Cavaliers are defeated. Battle of Marston Moore and Nesby

9
Parliament seizes strategic initiative. The Battle of Marston Moore

25 September 1643 was signed "covenant" (union) of the parliaments of England and Scotland. Under this agreement, the Presbyterian church structure was maintained in both kingdoms, as well as the privileges of parliaments. As a result, the Scots hit the army of King Charles from the north. In the 1644 campaign of the year, there was a radical change in favor of the parliament. "Cavaliers" were defeated in the north and east of the country. Fairfax's army laid siege to York. Charles I was forced to stop active hostilities in the west and transfer Rupert’s troops to the north in order to join forces with the forces under the command of the Marquis of Newcastle (William Cavendish) and free York.

On July 1, Prince Rupert arrived at York and, with a skillful maneuver, forced the enemy to lift the siege. He annexed the Cavendish Corps to himself and marched on to Marston-Moore, where the parliamentary forces were stationed. Rupert had 17 thousand people (11 thousand infantry and 6 thousand cavalry). The round-headed troops, including the Allied Scots, had 27 thousand men (including 7 thousand cavalry). At the head of the parliamentary army were Lord Fairfax, Earl of Manchester, at the head of the Scots - Alexander Leslie, Earl of Lieven. The cavalry was led by David Leslie, Lieven's nephew and Cromwell. Thus, in cavalry were equality, and in the infantry round-headed had a significant advantage, as in artillery (30-40 guns against 25).

The battle took place on July 22. 1644. Traditionally, there was infantry in the center, and cavalry on the flanks. The right flank made the cavalry of Ferfax and the Scottish infantry of Lieven, located in two lines. In the center was the infantry commanded by Bali. On the left wing was the British Krafford infantry and the Cromwell cavalry in two lines: in the first — 16 squadrons of English cuirassiers; in the second — 22 of the Scottish squadrons under the command of Leslie. As a result, the Anglo-Scottish army had the strongest left wing of Cromwell and Leslie. The royalist strongest was the right wing, where Rupert's cavalry stood (4 thousand fighters), the infantry stood in the center, Goring's horsemen (3 thousand men) lined up in two lines on the left wing. Opponents shared a small ditch.

Having built, neither the royalists, nor the round-headed dared to launch a decisive offensive, which would disrupt the linear construction. The whole day was an artillery fire. I must say that a long artillery duel was rare in this war. It seemed that the day would end without a decisive battle. The royalists were about to have dinner. However, Cromwell unexpectedly attacked. In 19 hours, 16 squadrons of Oliver Cromwell crossed the moat and attacked the cavaliers. The Scots Leslie followed the ledge behind the left flank of the Cromwell line. Roundheads knocked down the enemy's advanced squadrons and brought confusion to the right flank of the enemy infantry.

Rupert did not lose his head and led his cavalry to the counterattack and did not let Cromwell develop success. A cavalry battle began. "Iron-sided" Cromwell showed greater resistance, although a few leaned back. Cromwell was slightly injured. The British cavalry was supported by the Krafford infantry. Meanwhile, the Scots Leslie, taking advantage of the fact that Rupert's cavalry detached from their infantry, went on the offensive, covering the enemy's right flank and going to the rear. Rupert was unable to fend off this attack, as he did not have a reserve. Cromwell took advantage of the success of Leslie and led his cavalry in the second attack. Cavaliers were overturned and scattered.

However, in the center and on the right flank, supporters of the parliament did not develop so successfully. Simultaneously with the first attack of Cromwell, the Bali infantry launched an offensive. The British forced the moat, but were stopped by enemy fire. On the right flank, the cavalry of Ferfax was knocked over by the Goring holders. Roundheads ran and brought confusion in the Scottish infantry. Meanwhile, Marquis Newcastle’s infantry counterattacked. The Scots also ran. Generals Manchester and Lieven left the battlefield, deciding that the matter was lost.

The parliamentary army was rescued by the enemy’s mistakes and the successful tactical maneuvering of Cromwell’s cavalry. Goring's cavalry made a typical mistake for cavaliers, instead of continuing to fight and go to the rear of the center of the enemy, she was fascinated by the pursuit of the enemy's fleeing troops. Cromwell acted energetically. Noticing the defeat of the right flank of his army, Cromwell turned his "iron-sided", who still maintained controllability, despite his two attacks and the enemy's counterattack reflected (the result of Cromwell's efforts to create an "new type" army core). With successive attacks, Cromwell's “iron-sided ones” first broke the second line of Goring, and then overturned the first line, which returned after pursuing Ferfax's cavalry. Then Cromwell turned his cavalry against the royalist infantry and attacked her from the rear. At this time, Bali led the parliamentary infantry in the next offensive from the front. Left without the support of the cavalry, the royalists suffered a complete defeat. The final defeat of the royalists was prevented by the commander-in-chief, Earl of Manchester, who forbade the pursuit of a fleeing enemy in panic. Although Rovel insisted on this, realizing that energetic persecution would lead to the completion of the rout of the enemy.

The victory was significant. Cavaliers have lost 6 thousand people killed and wounded (4 thousand killed) and 1,5 thousand people captured. As trophies round-headed captured 25 guns and 6 thousand muskets. The losses of the allied Anglo-Scottish army were more modest - about 1,5 thousand people. The whole north of England was put under the control of parliament. King Charles lost a large part of his army. The victory at Marston-Moore was of great psychological importance, inspired supporters of parliament and broke down the morale of the cavaliers. In fact, this was the beginning of a strategic breakthrough in the war in favor of parliament.

Cavaliers are defeated. Battle of Marston Moore and Nesby

Source: Razin E. A. History military art

However, before the victory was still far away. Royalists still controlled most of the country. Karl had an army of about 50 thousand people, of which about 25 thousand people were concentrated in the area of ​​Oxford and Bristol. An attempt by the parliament to organize a new offensive in the central direction failed. The troops of the generals Essex and Waller were defeated. The Essex infantry capitulated. And the soldiers of Waller moved to London, demanding the payment of a salary.

In the autumn of 1644, King Charles I organized a new attack on London. October 27 The Newbury 1644 battle took place. 19-thousand the parliamentary army acted hesitantly and allowed the 10-th. the king's army quietly leave. The royalists retreated to Oxford and saved the guns.

A month later, Cromwell spoke in Parliament and accused Manchester of “intentional inaction,” calling it treason. The cavalry commander demanded to reform the army and go on a decisive offensive. In December, 1644 began military reform. The old command was removed, the army was led by the most talented parliamentary generals - Thomas Ferfax and Oliver Cromwell. Parliament decided to form an army of "new model".


Tomas Fairfax, Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentary Army

Campaign 1645 of the year. Battle of Nesby

At the beginning of the 1645 campaign, the royal command set out three main tasks: 1) to take the north of England again; 2) cut off eastern counties from London; 3) disrupt the process of creating an army of "new model". Carrying out this plan, Charles I and Prince Rupert moved north.

At the village of Naseby, the opponents met. The king had only 7,5 thousand people, of which 4 thousand horsemen. The parliamentary army had almost double superiority - 14 thousand soldiers, of which 6,5 thousand cavalry. The troops lined up in dismembered lines: in the center of the infantry, on the flanks of the cavalry. The royalist right-wing cavalry was commanded by Rupert, on the left wing was Landgeyl. In round-headed on the left wing stood Ayrton, on the right - with the main forces of the Cromwell cavalry. There were no reserves, all forces were brought into battle immediately.

King Charles initially did not dare to join the battle, seeing the strong superiority of the enemy. However, his cavalry commander, Prince Rupert dismissive of the "peasants" and, hoping for military superiority of gentlemen, offered the king to go on the offensive. As a result, as soon as the troops lined up, the royalists rushed to the attack.

Prince Rupert made the already traditional mistake of gentlemen. He overturned Ayrton’s opposing forces, and became obsessed with pursuit, disregarding his left flank and the infantry, which at the beginning of the battle successfully attacked. Rupert was so obsessed with persecution that he reached Nesby, where he attacked the parliamentary train.

On the right wing of the parliamentary army, everything was the opposite. Cromwell met an enemy attack with a counterattack and knocked over the cavaliers. Royalists ran. In this case, Cromwell did not repeat the mistakes of Rupert. Retaining clarity of mind, he retained control of the "iron-sided" and, highlighting part of the cavalry for the pursuit of the running cavalry Landgeylya, Cromwell with the main forces from the flank and rear attacked the royal infantry. Karl's infantry could not withstand the simultaneous attack of cavalry and infantry parliament. Part of the royalist cast weapon and surrendered, others resisted stubbornly and were knocked out almost completely. Cavaliers suffered a heavy defeat. When Rupert returned to the battlefield with part of the cavalry, the outcome was already decided. King Carl fled, Rupert rushed after him with the surviving cavalry. Much of the royal infantry was captured.

Most of Charles's army was destroyed: about 2 thousand people were killed, about 5 thousand people were taken prisoner, including 500 officers. Roundheads captured all the artillery and office of the king, which contained the secret correspondence of Charles, which was then used for political purposes (Karl called for help from the French). The losses of the parliamentary army were relatively small - 400 people were killed and wounded.



This battle finally turned the tide of the Civil War in favor of parliament. The strategic initiative was in the hands of parliament. The king lost the combat-ready core of the army and could no longer fight for a strategic initiative. The royalists were now able to fight only with scattered forces. The battle of Nesbi showed the superiority of the army of the "new model". A disciplined, morally steadfast parliamentary army under a single command defeated the royal army. Cromwell again proved his high qualities to the commander, deciding the outcome of the battle by maneuvering cavalry.

In the winter of 1645-1646. the fighting was still going on, but they came down to the fact that the round-headed knocked out cavaliers from different territories and captured their strongholds. Cromwell led the serf war well, in which he considered artillery to be the decisive factor. In June 1646, the parliamentary army took Oxford. Charles I fled to Scotland. It was issued. In London, he was held in custody at Hampton Court, until he fled to 1647 and gathered new troops.


Cromwell prunes the royal oak. Royalist caricature of 1649

Ending war

The war continued. A struggle of moderate and radical forces began among the supporters of the parliament. The radicals (levellers - “levelers”) opposed “against the king and against any power other than popular… they consider the king a tyrant and an enemy. The soldiers are convinced, said the preacher Baxter, that if they can fight against him, they have the right to kill him. ” Under the threat of military rebellion, the parliament decided to reduce the army. During this confrontation, Cromwell eventually became a dictator (Lord Protector), taking control of the country.

In the meantime, the royalists took heart and decided to take advantage of the schism in the parliamentary camp. In addition, the rise of the revolutionary forces in England and the defeat of Charles caused fear in the ranks of the Presbyterians, especially in Scotland. Scottish Presbyterians are now on the side of Charles. Scots and royalists (about 25-30 thousand soldiers) invaded the northern counties of England. The fleet began to go out of control of parliament. Holland promised royalist help. Three main centers of the royalist counter-revolution were formed: the western (Wales), the south-eastern and the northern.

The intensification of the enemy forces forced the parliamentary camp to temporarily leave strife and mobilize forces to repel the royalists. Fairfax led the southern army and, in the spring of 1648, defeated his cavaliers in Kent and began clearing the eastern counties from the enemy. Cromwell and Lambert were to clear Wales and defeat the enemy in the north. Lambert led the barrier, which was supposed to stop the Scots in the north. And Cromwell at this time with the main forces of the northern army crushed the enemy in the west, in Wales. For six weeks, Oliver Cromwell’s army “cleared out” Wales, capturing 11 on July 1648. Their main stronghold of Pembroke. Now it was possible to connect with Lambert, who successfully held back the Scots, who were slowly moving south along the west coast, trying to connect with the Yorshire royalists.

Cromwell's army marched north, passing about 500 km in 33 day. Roundheads went from 10 to 18 km per day, while the Scots walked very slowly. The Scottish army was moving very slowly. From the border to Preston (about 200 km), she walked 40 days. The average daily march was only 5 km. In this case, the Scottish army greatly stretched.


Map Source: World History. Encyclopedia. Tom xnumx

17-19 in August 1648 under Preston 8,5-th. Cromwell's squad (about 6 thousand were cavalry) defeated the disunited 20-thousand enemy army. The Scots and the royalists were located in three groups at a considerable distance from each other under the general command of James Hamilton. In the forefront, south of Preston, over the river. Ribble, the Middleton cavalry group, the Landgale group (infantry) were stationed north of the city, the Monroe group had not yet arrived at Preston. The Scots cavalry and infantry were divided. Intelligence was poorly organized and Hamilton did not know where the roundheads were. This allowed Cromwell to strike a sudden blow and crush the enemy piecemeal.

On August 17, under the cover of fog, Cromwell’s cavalry suddenly attacked the tail of Landgale’s infantry, which was on the march and did not suspect that the enemy was approaching. The Scottish infantry was crushed and fled in panic. 18 August Cromwell rushed to the vanguard of the enemy. Middlelton's cavalry, having learned about the appearance of the enemy, turned back, but unexpectedly collided with Cromwell's “railways”. The suddenness of the attack and the lack of support for the infantry decided the outcome of the fight. The Scots were defeated. On August 19, Cromwell’s “ferrules” chased the Scots, who were cut off from mainstream communications. “Our cavalry,” Cromwell wrote, “got tired to the point of exhaustion, chasing the enemy. We partly beat, partly captured and scattered all his infantry, only a small part of the cavalry remained, with which the duke ran away ... If our horses could run, we would capture them all. ”



It was a decisive victory. The enemy army simply ceased to exist. The Scots lost up to 10-11 thousand people, including 2 thousand killed and 8-9 thousand people captured. Not participating in the battle 5-thousand. Monroe's rearguard fled to Scotland. Scotland could stand up to revolutionary London more. October 4 Cromwell's cavalry entered the Scottish capital - Edinburgh. Royalists lost their operating base. January 30 1649 was executed by King Charles I, and England was proclaimed a republic.

In 1649, Cromwell embarked on a campaign in Ireland to quell the uprising of the Catholic Irish against the Protestants. For nine months, Cromwell conquered almost the entire island, and then handed the authorities over to his son-in-law Ayrton, while he himself went to a new war with Scotland. The son of Charles I was proclaimed king under the name of Charles II and made an alliance with the Scottish government. The Scottish army was led by an outstanding commander David Leslie, who in 1644 was a comrade of Cromwell and fought with him against the British royalists.


Scottish commander David Leslie

22 July 1650 The Cromwell army crossed the Scottish border and moved to Edinburgh. Despite double numerical superiority, Leslie avoided a decisive battle, and maneuvered in order to deplete the forces of the British with minor skirmishes. Finally 3 September 1650, the two armies met at the battle of Dunbar. Again the decisive role played by the cavalry of Cromwell. Despite the superiority of the enemy in numbers (23 thousand Scots against 11 thousand British), Cromwell crushed Leslie. The first attacks of the British Scots repelled. But Cromwell threw into battle the cavalry reserve, covering the right flank of the Scottish army. The Scots battle order was upset, they flinch and ran. It was a crushing defeat. The Scots lost 13 thousand people (3 thousand killed and 10 thousand prisoners), all artillery and transport. The British occupied Edinburgh and the southeastern part of Scotland.



However, the Scots continued to resist. Under the leadership of Leslie, big forces gathered again. But he did not dare to engage in direct combat, exhausting the enemy. Therefore, the 1651 campaign of the year has been delayed. Cromwell decided to lure the enemy to England and made a risky maneuver, opening the way to England. Leslie and Charles II's army fell for it and invaded England. However, the expected help from the British, Charles II did not receive. There were no major uprisings of the royalists.

3 September 1651 year 31-th. Cromwell's army defeated the 16-th. Charles II's army at the Battle of Worcester. The Scots lost almost the entire army in the battle - 13 thousand people (3 thousand killed and 10 thousand prisoners). All the commanders of the Scottish army, with the exception of the king and the duke of Buckingham, who were able to sneak into France, died or were captured. The Duke Hamilton was mortally wounded. After this defeat, Cromwell quite easily occupied the whole of Scotland. The victory of Cromwell’s army at Worcester meant the end of Scotland’s independence, which had become one of England’s provinces. The country came under the control of Cromwell and became part of the English Commonwealth.

The monarchy in England was restored in the spring of 1660, two years after Cromwell’s death. Charles II was still able to become king of England, returning to England after the restoration, which was organized by General Monk. The period of “white terror” began, which ended with the “glorious” 1688 revolution of the year. In England, a constitutional monarchy was established, which satisfied the interests of large landowners and the bourgeoisie. So ended a long unrest in England.


King of England and Scotland with 1660, Charles II
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  1. +3
    22 June 2015 07: 34
    Charles II was still able to become king of England, returning to England after restoration... He dug up Cromwell’s corpse and executed him ..but nonetheless, Cromwell was subsequently erected a monument and the British honor him, while they say that it was Cromwell who laid the foundations of the Great Britain that exists now ...
  2. +3
    22 June 2015 09: 18
    Whoever had the most money won. The triumph of the bourgeois-usurious economy over feudal loyalty to the overlord. Sadly, but naturally. And the Scottish nobility dug a grave for itself, betraying Carl Stuart twice, at the beginning and in the final, and buried the independence of Scotland. You could say forever.
  3. +3
    22 June 2015 09: 42
    The nobles are fighting - the peasants are dying.
  4. +2
    22 June 2015 11: 07
    It is a pity that the author did not mention, at all, Count Montrose, the leader of the Scottish royalists. Walter Scott, a very heroic image created for him, in his works on this subject) In any case, among the highlanders, he will not yield in popularity to Wallace or Bruce.
  5. +3
    22 June 2015 11: 44
    Great article. More on this site. It was interesting to remember what he once was fond of, while still in school. I mean history and, in particular, military history. But it was then that British morality was formed - a strange mixture of puritanism, bigotry, snobbery, racist arrogance, double standards. Nothing changes over time - for nothing is as unshakable as British traditions. And although there has long been no "empire over which the sun never sets," the main imperative - "Britain has no permanent allies, but only permanent interests" is still the cornerstone of British foreign policy.
    I have the honor.
    1. +2
      22 June 2015 14: 44
      "But it was then that British morality was formed - a strange mixture of Puritanism" ///

      Much earlier...

      The British "Charter of Liberty" 1215 is the basis that
      called "Western civilization".
      In short: "the law is above the king."
      There was a real court case of the 13th (!) Century: the king blamed
      some feudal lord in non-payment of tribute (tax). He appeared on
      court. The king personally came forward as a prosecutor. The court recognized the feudal lord
      innocent. The king paid the expenses of the court. The feudal lord went home.
      1. xan
        0
        23 June 2015 00: 01
        Quote: voyaka uh
        The court recognized the feudal lord
        innocent. The king paid the expenses of the court. The feudal lord went home.

        This is certainly great, but it casts doubt on the supreme power, and this, in turn, leads to a weakening of the state’s defense capability - there is no time to comply with laws at times of military crises;
        The most powerful British military achievements came in the Hundred Years War and the Invincible Armada, but then in England there was a strong royal power.
        1. 0
          23 June 2015 15: 13
          for xan:
          "but calls into question the supreme authority"

          This is the whole chip of the Western world (born in Britain), which is difficult to recognize. The court (law, code, constitution) is above the supreme authority (king, president, prime minister).
          Sometimes this was violated in practice, but the principle remains unshakable.
      2. +1
        23 June 2015 02: 20
        Quote: voyaka uh
        "But it was then that British morality was formed - a strange mixture of Puritanism" ///

        Much earlier...


        Sorry, but I have to argue with you. The current Anglo-Saxon model "... a strange mixture of Puritanism ..." was just born in the time of Cromwell, when the bourgeois actually declared the strength of their estate and, having executed the king, actually put themselves on a par with God (the king is God's anointed). It was the belief in being chosen that was born and strengthened in the course of that war that became the cornerstone that laid down the subsequent attitude towards the world around us. hi

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