Battle of Aldbourne Chase

The Battle of Aldbourne Chase was a relatively small battle of the First English Civil War that occurred on 18 September 1643. In the skirmish the Royalist cavalry led by Prince Rupert attacked the extended columns of the Parliamentarian army of the Earl of Essex at Aldbourne Chase as he was attempting to get his army to London.[3]

Battle of Aldbourne Chase
Part of the First English Civil War
Date18 September 1643
Location
Aldbourne, Wiltshire
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Royalists Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Prince Rupert Earl of Essex
Strength
3,000 horse[1] 5,000 foot[2]
2,000 horse[2]
15-20 cannons
Aldbourne
Cirencester
Swindon
Newbury
Hungerford
Wiltshire County

The battle in and of itself was inconclusive, but it allowed the Royalists to get to Newbury ahead of Essex and ultimately forced the Parliamentarian army into a major confrontation.[4]

Background

After relieving the siege of Gloucester, the Earl of Essex needed to return to London with his army intact. To do so, Essex first chose to travel north to Tewkesbury in an attempt to draw the Royalist forces near Gloucester off his intended route back to London.[5] After King Charles and the Royalist army followed, Essex turned south and traveled through Cheltenham to Cirencester where on 16 September he attacked and captured the Royalist garrison. At that time, Essex thought that he was far ahead of the Royalist army and slowed the pace of his army as they marched toward Swindon.[6]

When King Charles realized that Essex was attempting to travel directly to London, he sent Prince Rupert ahead with the cavalry in an attempt to intercept the Parliamentarian army before it could link up with reinforcements coming from London.[7]

Battle

Early on 18 September, Rupert's cavalry caught the Parliamentarians as they were crossing Aldbourne Chase, approximately two miles north-west of the village of Aldbourne. At Aldbourne Chase, Rupert came upon long columns of Parliamentarian infantry ambling along with large intervals between the individual divisions. Given such an opportunity, the Royalist cavalry immediately began a series of charges at the Parliamentarian foot. Although the Parliamentarian cavalry soon joined in the fray, the Royalist began to take a heavy toll on the Parliamentary infantry units. The Royalist charges continued as the Parliamentary foot struggled to unite into a single fighting force. The Royalist began to prevail despite a charge by Colonel Harvey of the Parliamentarians.[3][8]

As they were able, the Parliamentarians began a retreat off of the down starting with their baggage and followed by their foot.[9] The battle ultimately continued through the village of Aldbourne where the Parliamentarians destroyed ammunition wagons to prevent their capture.[3] Finally in combination with their infantry, the Parliamentarians were able to hold off the Royalists and even drive them away.[4][10]

Aftermath

When Essex felt it was safe to continue the march, he chose not to continue on the London road, but rather to cross the River Kennet and use it as a barrier as he traveled through Hungerford to Newbury. As a result of the skirmish at Aldbourne Chase and the alternative route taken, the Parliamentarians were delayed and the King's army arrived and occupied Newbury on 19 September just before the Parliamentarians arrived. The delay at Aldbourne Chase, as such, ultimately blocked Essex from London and led to the First Battle of Newbury of 20 September.[3][10]

Citations
  1. Money (1881), p. 17.
  2. Money (1881), p. 14.
  3. Wallace (2013), p. 32.
  4. Manganiello (2004), p. 12.
  5. Day (2007), pp. 171-172.
  6. Day (2007), pp. 184-185.
  7. Money (1881), p. 16.
  8. Money (1881), pp. 17-21.
  9. Money (1881), p. 20.
  10. The Two Battles of Newbury.

References
  • Day, Jon (2007). Gloucester & Newbury, 1643: The Turning Point of the Civil War. Pen & Sword Military Publishers. ISBN 978-1844155910.
  • Manganiello, Stephen C. (2004). The Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810851009.
  • Money, Walter (1881). The First and Second Battles of Newbury and the Siege of Donnington Castle During the Civil War, A.D. 1643-6. London: Simpkin, Marshall and Company. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  • "The Two Battles of Newbury". Wayback Machine. Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  • Wallace, David C. (2013). Twenty-Two Turbulent Years 1639 - 1661. Great Britain: Fast-Print Publishing. ISBN 9781780356600.
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