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Home The Civil War, 1642-1645 1642-1645; Part 2 |
1642-1645; Part 2But it was in the cavalry in the opening stages of the war that the Royalists had such a great advantage, for they possessed better riders and better horses. Moreover, the Royalists had the king and the unity of aim and command which his presence should have given; they had at first more experienced and better leaders; and during the first two years of the war strategical ability was confined to the King's party. Above all, in Prince Rupert (His mother was the Princess Elizabeth, who married the Elector Palatine. She had the reputation of being a very devoted mother; but, according to one of her daughters, she much preferred the society of dogs and monkeys to that of her own children when they were young), not yet twenty-three, the nephew of Charles, the Royalists had not only a born cavalry leader-brave, inspiring, energetic- but a general capable of planning a decisive campaign. Prince Rupert also was a leader who had profited by the new Swedish tactics to make his men charge hard and reserve their pistol fire till the charge had gone home (The old tactics for cavalry were to advance slowly, to " caracole ", as the expression we mi, up to the infantry, to discharge pistols, and then to retire). Rupert and the other Royalist loaders should have proved more than a match for a general with so little initiative as the Parliament's first commander, Lord Essex, possessed, or for "sweet meeke" Lord Manchester, as ho was called, both of whom, moreover, were "half-measures" men, "not wanting to beat the King too much". Rupert, however, was to exhibit a certain sharpness of temper in counsel which made him a difficult man to work with, and, above all, an impetuousness in battle which was to ruin the Kin cause.The aim of the King in the first year of the war (1642) was to march upon London with one army. Starting from Shrewsbury, he outmarched Essex, who was also coming from the Midlands, but then turned to meet him at Edgehill (October) (It was usual, in the Civil War, for the armies to wear " field signs" to distinguish. Thus, at Edgeliill, the Parliamentarians had orange scarves; at Newbury they wore green boughs; and at Marston Moor, white handkerchiefs or white pieces of paper in their hi Later, in the New Model Army, the uniform was red - hence red became the colour the British army). Both wings of the Royalist cavalry were successful, but Rupert pursued too far, and in the excitement the reserve cavalry of Charles-called the "show-troop", for consisted largely of well-dressed landed proprietors-joined t pursuit. Consequently the Royalist infantry was hard pressed, and Rupert after a lengthy absence only returned in time make the battle a drawn one. The King was, however, able continue his march, but when he got as close to London Turnham Green he found his progress barred by 24,000 Londoners, and accordingly retired to Oxford. Military critics disagree as to whether Charles should have tried to force his way to London; but his army was never to get so near the capital again. |
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