As the courtiers and men around King Charles I eased for the night to settle down, due to the fact that the King had retired, probably after a game of cards, their peace was soon to be disturbed.
It was roughly 11 o’clock when on 13th June 1645, King Charles was informed of the news that Sir Thomas Fairfax and the whole New Model Army was right on the heels of their army.
Charles had a rude shock, for he had been totally unaware and the fact that he was with Lord Digby, a man who although he supported the King, did more damage to the King’s cause than seven Roundhead armies together, didn’t help.
Digby was ridiculously optimistic and bluffed his way along, mocking the Roundhead army, lulling everyone into a false sense of security with his considerable devious charm. Rather than thinking of the war effort, he made decisions as Secretary of State, on the basis of how they improved his own condition.
He was on a collision course with Prince Rupert, the King’s nephew, who commanded the army, as opposed to Digby’s civilian role. With Fairfax on the King’s heels and closing in fast, Digby’s assurance of the enemy’s coward ness was demolished and Rupert’s earlier warning of their strength and determination to fight was hammered home badly. Charles had at his disposal roughly 7500 men, as opposed to nearly 12000.
Now as Charles hurriedly left his quarters for the night at Lubenham, he raced towards Rupert’s at Market Harborough, where he found the tall and spare man catching his usual tiny catnap in a chair in a rather dismal room. The attitude of the council of war, which followed, can be well imagined, planned for midnight.
All of the King’s senior civilian and military advisors met around the table, half asleep, yet frantic and disbelieving. It was clear that there were two clear alternatives; either to march to Leicester, away from Fairfax and fast enough to leave him behind, the other was to turn and fight, despite such odds.
At Leicester they would get reinforcements and perhaps gain time for further troops to arrive from the southwest or Wales. Rupert backed this plan, which would give much valuable time and he found support in many military officers round the table. His two arch enemies Sir John Ashburham, Digby’s henchman and Digby himself, vehemently disagreed, saying that the army would lose its moral if it retreated and that the rear would be open to attack from Fairfax, but it was blatantly obvious that weight of numbers would probably tell if they assaulted the enemy anyway.
The Decision!
Charles agreed with Digby and Ashburnham, ordering a muster to attack, while Rupert, although annoyed and frustrated, obeyed his orders to the hilt after his initial dispute, no matter whether he agreed with them or not.
With a decision reached, the Royalist army mustered and began to march out of Market Harborough in the early hours of 14th June 1645. They were heading to occupy a ridge, which would form a defensive position, due to the enemy’s superiority.
Rupert sent his scoutmaster Francis Ruse out ahead to scout about for the Roundheads, who had spent the night about 9 miles away at Guilsborough. Ruse returned and reported to the intelligence-seeking Prince that he had ridden about four miles south and found no enemy. Rupert was highly suspicious and pished the scout’s report, taking a body of his horse forward to do the work himself. As he rode impatiently forward, Rupert quickly sighted some activity. He saw a body of horse moving away from him, apparently retreating and seizing the initiative, he thought the enemy was leaving the area, he sent word back to urge the King to bring the army forward.
The Royalists headed towards Rupert, now with the task of occupying Dust Hill. What Rupert had actually seen was none other than a scouting party of Roundheads on the same mission as himself, which was headed by Fairfax and Cromwell. They were not retreating, just moving back to rejoin the body of their army.
As both sides began drawing up, because of the ridges and hills, the first that Fairfax could see of the Royalists, was Lansdale’s left wing of horse. Fairfax had an advantage in that he kept most of his men hidden behind a ridge, out of sight of the Royalists, thus appearing weak, plus he shielded their own view of the amazing sight of the Royalists drawing up in their elegant apparel.
Rupert and Cromwell again faced each other in a battle, both eager to fight the other and show who was superior. It is said that Cromwell on seeing Rupert take command of the Royalist right, stationed a large body of dragoons in the hedges at last minute, to add further danger and strength to his own side, who faced the Prince. They were drawn up at about 8am.
King Charles stood in the command post with a large reserve, Rupert apparently rejecting staying there as the next commander in the pecking order, preferring to attack as usual with his rightwing of horse. His position of course warranted that he should stay with the King to offer advice, but maybe he thought that with his opponents with the King also, that he would be overruled, or that he thought the King had enough military judgement now to act on his own. Most probably Rupert saw that they were outnumbered and knew he could win a charge of the horse if he was there to drive it on.
Advance!
As King Charles ordered his army forward at about 10am-11am, probably planned by Rupert to attack first, the whole line advanced in good order. Rupert and his brother Maurice led the Royalist right wing of horse forward at a brisk trot, keeping close to the hedges and disabling much of Okey’s fire, making him practically useless.
As they got closer to the Roundhead lines, they broke into a charge, while Ireton advanced to meet them, breaking through the Royalist lines after a brief fight, until he was captured. Ireton’s capture halted the Roundhead success and Rupert charged through their lines, thundering the resistance down, despite inferiority of numbers.
With the foot, Astley had led his 4000 men forward to the roughly 7500-8000 enemy, coming on bravely according to both side’s reports. It was close quarter fighting and the superiority of the King’s infantry paid off, they gaining the upper hand. Skippon was badly wounded but refused to leave the field, while the Roundheads were forced ever back.
Sir Thomas Fairfax seeing the tide turn, led up his reservist infantrymen to the Royalists and in the vicious fighting, he lost his helmet, providing an inspiring sight by riding around the field with his hair flowing loose. A subordinate offered his own, but Fairfax refused nobly.
As the King sat on his horse on the hill beyond with his reserve, he saw Rupert’s success, Astley’s advance, but would have been very concerned at his left wing. 3000 of Cromwell’s trained ironsides rode towards Langdale’s 1600, but the Royalists had already began to advance. The Roundhead first line smashed into Langdale, while the other part of their line swerved away to hit Langdale in his exposed left side, thus having an assault over two fronts, the Royalist’s fought bravely until they broke and fled back.
At the head of the second line of his horse, which had not entered this fight, Cromwell began to charge into the now exposed flank of Astley’s veteran infantry. Okey’s dragoons now advanced out of the hedges and slammed into Astley’s other side, all but hemming the Royalist’s in.
Tides Turn!
Rupert meanwhile was riding hell for leather back to the battle with his rallied men, for he knew he must get them back as soon as possible. This may even be why he chose to command the right wing, so that he could make sure they came back. At this crucial point, the King saw what was required and began to prepare to advance with his reserve. He had gained sufficient knowledge of warfare to see where he was needed and when. Intending to bravely lead his men in person in a last ditch attempt, he made ready to charge, but at the 11th hour, a Scottish Earl sitting by him grabbed the King’s bridle. “Will ye go upon ye death in an instant?” the Earl of Carnwath asked bluntly.
As the King’s horse turned to meet the Scot’s pulling, the soldiers about thought the King was turning to ride away and they left the field and their brave infantry behind. Had Rupert remained in the command post with the King, then this would not have happened, for he would sooner have smacked the Earl from his saddle than allow him to hold up the battle.
As it was, Carnwarth was never held to trial for this, he was probably only worried as he saw Charles was going to lead the reserve himself and concerned for his safety.
Closing Stages!
By now the battle was lost for the Royalists and the next step was to extricate, as may men as they could safely. Rupert had arrived and the reserve of foot which the King had tried to launch was now committed, but Astley’s men began to surrender. The King was trying to rally Langdale’s defeated horsemen for another charge, but to no avail. Ireton’s horse which Rupert had defeated now began to return to the field and Fairfax got the Roundheads lined up in much the same formation as they were before the battle, unwilling to push further at this point while Rupert’s horse were still in the field. Rupert saw that nothing could be done now, but to protect the King’s withdrawal, so he fought off enemy horse, allowing most of the Royalist horse and a little infantry to retire towards Leicester. Alas the flower of the infantry and the King’s last hope of fighting in the future had gone. As if this cost wasn’t great enough, Charles lost his coach with all of his personal correspondence in it, providing much propaganda to the Roundheads. Parliament had lost a couple of hundred men, their victory complete partially through superior numbers but also through clear and effective command and highly disciplined troops.
King Charles could no longer go on with the war, although having a few thousand troops around the country and many garrisons, he held no field army and defeat was all but inevitable.
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© Copyright 2002 by Mark Turnbull.
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