Shrewsbury sent a message to the King of its continuing support. Friends of the King from Pembroke, wrote to the King asking him to spare troops to help them throw off the yoke of Puritans and fanatics.
Thomas Fairfax superseded Ferdinando Fairfax as commander of the Parliamentary forces in the North of England.
Hopton took Winchester, then moved to join King Charles at Oxford, who concentrated upon training his cavalry troopers. Prince Rupert moved south to Gloucester and began to besiege it. Essex remained at Wycombe, training his troops, but was joined there by Willoughby from Colchester and Stamford from Reading, the latter leaving a small garrison behind him. Cromwell left this army and returned to East Anglia to begin recruiting. John Hampden moved forwards and took Guildford.
Wark moved back to King's Lynn to continue recruiting. Groby moved to Stafford to threaten Shrewsbury.
Vasey moved to Preston to attempt to re-take the town for the Royalist cause. Fairfax tried to intercept these forces en route, but Vasey evaded them. Therefore, Fairfax marched to Airedale to pick up Brereton then marched to Preston to try and bring Vasey to battle. Vasey again evaded this movement though, and retired upon Liverpool.
The Marquis of Newcastle divided his forces. He took the smaller portion to besiege Carlisle, then left Cavendish to take Bolton Castle and Appleby.
Waller took Carmarthen then advanced on to Swansea.
Bedford remained in Dorchester, training his troops.
Royalists:
Newcastle besieging Carlisle with c.4000
Cavendish at Appleby with c.7000
Vasey at Liverpool with c.8000
Parliamentarians:
Fairfax at Preston with c.7000
1000 at Carlisle
The Midlands:
Royalists:
Forth at Shrewsbury with c.2000
Prince Rupert besieging Gloucester with c.4000
Parliamentarians:
Groby at Lichfield with c.4000
Waller at Swansea with c.5000
Wark at King's Lynn with c.5000
Cromwell at Bury St.Edmonds with c.2000
The South:
Royalists:
King Charles I at Oxford with c.15000
Goring on Dartmoor with c.2000
Parliamentarians:
Essex at Wycombe with c.16000
Massey at Bristol with c.2000
c.1000 at Reading
Hampden at Guildford with c.4000
Bedford at Dorchester with c.7000
Game Notes:
A month where each side jockeyed for position with neither party gaining much advantage. King Charles and the Earl of Essex continue to face off in the Thames Valley. The Royalists are largely ascendant in the North-East, the Parliamentarians in the North-West. It feels as if Parliament must start to use Bedford, Waller, Groby and Fairfax to make more progress in Wales, the Midlands and the South-West and to try and draw resources away from the King's stronghold around Oxford - Warwick. It is very hard to use the Marquis of Newcastle decisively until Hull falls, but Hull feels so difficult to take it is scarcely worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment