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Wednesday, 4 April 2018

ECW Campaign: May 1643

The English Civil War: May 1643

 The county of Norfolk and the Port of Dover sent messages to Parliament, assuring it of their continued loyalty and support.

Waller advanced across South Wales, taking Swansea, Bridgend and Cardiff.  Rupert's siege of Gloucester came to an end with the fall of that city.

Cavendish attacked the Fairfaxes at the Battle of Adlington near Preston, defeating Thomas Fairfax's army and capturing Ferdinando Fairfax.  The Parliamentarians retreated upon Blackburn whilst Cavendish settled down to besiege Preston.  The Marquis of Newcastle successfully concluded the siege of Carlisle.  Vasey remained in Liverpool training his Horse.  Groby took Derby.

Bedford advanced from Dorchester, taking Bridgewater.

John Hampden moved southwards and took Chichester.  Cromwell moved to Chelmsford to recruit.

Things were very quiet on the main front between Wycombe and Oxford: both Essex and King Charles remained stationary, concentrating on training their troops.



The North:

The Royalists:
Newcastle is at Carlisle with c.5000
Cavendish is besieging Preston with c.6000
Vasey is at Liverpool with c.6000

Parliamentarians:
Fairfax is at Blackburn with c.5000


The Midlands:

The Royalists:
Forth is at Shrewsbury with c.3000

The Parliamentarians:
Waller is at Cardiff with c.5000
Groby is at Derby with c.5000
Wark is at King's Lynn with c.6000



The South:

The Royalists:
King Charles is at Oxford with c.15000
Goring is on Dartmoor with c.2000
Prince Rupert is at Gloucester with c.4000

The Parliamentarians:
Cromwell is at Chelmsford with c.2000
Essex is at Wycombe with c.15000
Bedford is at Bridgewater with c.8000
Hampden is at Chichester with c.4000
Massey is at Bristol with c.2000

c.1000 at Reading

Game Notes:
Another interesting month, as Cavendish's victory over Fairfax restores Royalist fortunes in the North-West: how different the situation looks form merely two months ago, when the Fairfaxes and Brereton were eliminating Derby's Lancastrian Royalist army.  Combined with the taking of Carlisle and Gloucester by the Royalists, the pendulum seems to have swung back towards the King.  The Parliamentary forces in the South, South-West, Wales and Midlands are strong but they must be brought into decisive action in the next months to pull the Royalist forces in different directions.  In this regard at least, Waller at Cardiff and Bedford at Bridgewater -and perhaps also Groby at Derby - are particularly well placed to start these necessary offensive movements.

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