Forgotten? Well, he certainly is as far as the general public are concerned, even in his native Yorkshire. To most people there is only one name connected with the Roundhead cause, and that is Oliver Cromwell.

But I would also maintain that he is a forgotten general as far as modern historians are concerned. The Northern theatre of the war does not get the attention of the South where Essex, Manchester and Waller operated. Modern is mainly concerned with the politics of the English Civil War, the post-war politicalisation of the New Model Army and, as far as Fairfax is concerned, his role in that process. Ian Gentles in his book The New Model Army devotes only 15% of it to that army's campaigns. [1] And that despite his claims that he "set out to write a connected account of the army, military and political career".

Mark Kishlansky manages less than 10% in his book The Ride Of The New Model Army [3]. To be fair, he does not claim his book to be a military study, but how did the army rise if not as a result of its military successes which made it such a potent force? Successes which no one has yet satisfactorily explained.

There has been no work of any note dealing with the New Model as an army since Firth's Cromwell's Army [3]. There has been no campaign history of the New Model since Sprigge's Anglia Rediviva of 1647. [4]

And what of Sir Thomas himself? John Wilson's biography devotes less than half it's pages to Fairfax's war years and yet it was his success as a general that brought about his rise to eminence [5]. And when we do read what is on offer about Sir Thomas Fairfax, the General, what do we Find? Simple, straight narrative. No analysis of Fairfax's actions, no assessment of his abilities. It is my intention in this paper to go some small way towards redressing the balance, looking at his career before his appointment as the General of the New Model Army.

But before we look at Sir Thomas's actions in the Civil War it's necessary to understand something of his background, his upbringing and his education.

Early Years

Sir Eomas Fall was born at Denton, near Ilkley, the home of his grandfather, another Sir Thomas. Until he was seven he lived at nearby Skow Hall, but returned to live with his Grandfather when his mother died in 1619. [6]

The older Sir Thomas had fought in the Low Countries under Sir Francis Vere and later the Earl of Essex. He was knighted at Rouen. [7] In 1621 two of young Thomas's uncles were killed at the siege of Frankenthal, another was killed at La Rochelle. Thomas's father, Ferdinando, was no mean soldier either, having fought the Netherlands. [8]

And so we can see young Thomas growing up in an atmosphere which emphasised things military. And in that his grandfather's influence is not to be underestimated. As he is reported to have said to the young Thomas, "Tom, Tom, mind thou the battle; thy father is a good man, but a mere coward, all the good I expect is from thee!" He would not have been disappointed.

In 1629, with his Grandfather's blessing, Thomas joined the English forces in the Netherlands under Sir Horace Vere and was present at the siege and fall of Bois-le-Duc. By 1632, after a disastrous detour through France, he was back in England [10]

1632 was, coincidentally, also the year in which John Cruso published his famous Militarie 1nstructtionns for the Cavallrie [11] but more of that later.

In 1637 he married Anne Vere, Sir Horace Vere's daughter and began to settle down to life as a member of Yorkshire's landed gentry. [12]

Then came the war with the Scots. Thomas led a unit known as 'Tbe Yorksbire Redcaps' which are generally referred to as Dragoons. [13] However, a letter to him from his Grandfather, giving advice on how to conduct himself, is addressed to 'Thomas Fairfax, captain of a troop of horse'. [14] Despite his grandfather's advice to "show your valour upon the common enemy" at Newburn the English army fled "with sucb precipitation that Sir Thomas Fairfax who had a command in it, did not stick to own that 'till be passed the Tees his legs trembled under him." [15]

Yet his campaign cannot have been without its successes as he had been knighted by the King the year before. [16]

By 1642 then, we have an educated, mature man of 30, undoubtedly well versed in the theory of war, backed up by innumerable family anecdotes and with some practical experience of his own. In September of that year his father Ferdinando, now Lord Fairfax following the death of the elder Sir Thomas in 1640 [17], was appointed General of Parliament's forces in Yorkshire and Sir Thomas was appointed General of the Yorkshire Horse. Grand titles, far grander than the forces they actually commanded. Sir Thomas was little more than a troop commander. [18] But let us now turn to an examination of Sir Thomas as a commander and ultimately The General.

More Fairfax

Sir Thomas Fairfax: Introduction
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Wetherby
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Sherburn
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Seacroft Moor and Wakefield
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Adwalton and Hull
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Winceby and Nantwich and Marston Moor
Sir Thomas Fairfax: Conclusion and Notes