May, 1645

To set the scene: The New Model Army, on its way to relieve Taunton, then besieged by John Digby's forces, had been ordered eastwards by the Committee of Both Kingdoms, to besiege Oxford. Fairfax, therefore, appointed a brigade for the relief of Taunton, which consisted of: Welden's, Fortescue's, Floyd's and Ingoldsby's foot regiments, plus six companies of foot from Chichester, and as many from Lyme, which joined the brigade at Dorchester.

In addition there were Grave's Cook's, Popham's, Fitzjames' and the Plymouth regiments of Horse, plus at least ten pieces of ordinance. In all, so Sprigge tells us, there was in the region of 4 - 5,000 foot and 1,800 - 2,000 horse, although Kishlansky quotes a figure of 3,000 troops in total (Kishlansky, 1979: 54. See p 302 for his sources). The brigade, which was placed under the command of Whelden, as the senior colonel, detached itself from the main body at Dorchester and made its way south.

Digby, mistaking this body either for the vanguard of the Army, or for the Army itself, later abandoned the siege leaving behind a good cache of arms, and Wheldon entered Taunton on the 14th May (a significant date, for those who know their folk music!) However, it is the antics of both sides which are of interest here.

When the brigade was within ten miles of the town, ten pieces of artillery were fired to give notice to the royalists that the brigade had advanced that far "having before by their Spies prepared them with the meaning of that signal.' A gentlemanly war indeed; one wonders what became of the spies.

However, "some few dayes before" no doubt wishing to preempt the arrival of Whelden's Brigade, and bring the siege to a apeedy conclusion, "the Enemy divided themselves; one party of their horse and foot, with some pieces of cannon, skirmishing with the other in sight of the town, but only with powder; to make the Town believe (as they gave out) that the Parliaments forces, who were comming to relieve them, were there encountred and beaten; hoping by this stratagem to have drawn a Party out of the Town to their friends succour, and so have cut them off by an ambuscade.

But ... the besieged kept close to their works..." and in frustration the royalists "fell to firing the Town with their granadoes and mortar-peaces... and withall they stormed most furiously.' Neverthelers, next day the siege was abandoned, and the retreating troops severely harrowed by cavalry sallying from the town.

Sad to relate, the siege was later resumed, this time with Welden's forces inside the town.

SPRIGGE, J. (1647) Anglia Rediviva, p18.
Reprinted by Ken Trotman, London, 1984.

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