Civil Wars In Britain, 1640-1646: Military Revolution On Campaign by Bradley T. Gericke

Author:Bradley T. Gericke [Gericke, Bradley T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2014-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6 — CIVIL WAR IN BRITAIN

As the Royalist soldiers in and around the English village of Kineton stirred themselves in the cool dark hours before daybreak on 23 October 1642, they no doubt felt a heavy sense of dread regarding what might transpire with the coming dawn. The conflict engulfing their nation had proceeded unchecked until at last opposing armies were in the field, and battle was in the offing. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex commanded the Parliamentarian force that was located nearby.{193} King Charles I himself was present and determined to lead his own forces in the coming fight.

The road to the Battle of Edgehill had become more apparent during the summer when Parliament refused to provide Charles with an army to fight the Irish Catholics who were in rebellion. In response, Charles called for the nobility to rally to his cause. He concluded that a rebellion was underway in England itself that must be suppressed. In August the King unfurled his banner near Nottingham. Parliament responded by assembling its own army, and the English Civil War was underway.{194}

The raising of opposing forces occupied the late summer and early fall. To mobilize an army, the King relied upon the traditional Commissions of Array by which government officials and nobles in each county could organize troops and assemble regiments. Parliament, established in London, enjoyed the advantage of the city’s ample magazines and sources of finance. As is often the case when warfare is conducted within a state, the objectives being pursued by each side were uncertain. Hence the most expeditious means to terminate the fighting were equally unknown.{195}

It was clear to all, however, that the first and foremost task was to field armies. A credible military force was the necessary prerequisite to any settlement. But armies cost a great deal of money, so once composed, senior commanders were expected to achieve a decision with them. Charles obviously wished to reassert his authority and establish a royal authority to command England’s armed forces at his discretion. But the point at which Parliament would concede was not known. The Parliamentarians’ aim was neither to destroy Charles personally, nor to eliminate the monarchy. Rather, their strategic objective was to bring Charles to submit to their political will. Given these uncertain vantage points, it is not surprising that the war would ultimately last far longer and inflict far greater costs than adherents on either side imagined at the time. The one sure avenue apparent in 1642 was that maneuver alone could not determine the contest despite the efforts such as those exerted in the opening campaign illustrated below{196}

The Royalists moved first, departing Shrewsbury on 12 October, headed for London some 150 kilometers to the southeast. The King traveled cautiously, avoiding Parliamentarian strongholds. Essex meanwhile, moved to counter the Royalists’ march by departing Worcester on the nineteenth and arriving in and around Kineton late on the twenty-second. Essex’s march of fifty kilometers in about four days was typical for these newly formed armies. Twelve

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.