The Battle of Marston Moor, 2nd July 1644
Early in 1644,a force of Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven crossed into northern England in support of Parliament. In April, combining with the forces of Parliament under Lord Fairfax they laid siege to the Royalist stronghold of York, defended by the Marquess of Newcastle. Reinforced on the 3rd June by the army of the Eastern Association under the Earl of Manchester, Parliament tightened its grip on the besieged city.
Prince Rupert was dispatched from Oxford, with orders from the king to lift the siege of York. Heading north, he gathered his forces as he marched, storming Bolton and taking Liverpool along the way. After consolidating his forces in Lancashire, he crossed the Pennines in June following fresh orders from the king (who had left Oxford for Worcester having been exposed to the Parliamentarian forces of the Earl of Essex and Sir William Waller). On 30th June, Rupert arrived at the Royalist outpost of Knaresborough Castle, 14 miles northwest of York. With the Scots and Parliament forces being scattered around York and separated by rivers, Leven and Fairfax abandoned the siege, fearing being picked off by Rupert. They concentrated their forces on Marston Moor, blocking Rupert's expected route to York.
Prince Rupert was dispatched from Oxford, with orders from the king to lift the siege of York. Heading north, he gathered his forces as he marched, storming Bolton and taking Liverpool along the way. After consolidating his forces in Lancashire, he crossed the Pennines in June following fresh orders from the king (who had left Oxford for Worcester having been exposed to the Parliamentarian forces of the Earl of Essex and Sir William Waller). On 30th June, Rupert arrived at the Royalist outpost of Knaresborough Castle, 14 miles northwest of York. With the Scots and Parliament forces being scattered around York and separated by rivers, Leven and Fairfax abandoned the siege, fearing being picked off by Rupert. They concentrated their forces on Marston Moor, blocking Rupert's expected route to York.
The allies (Leven and Fairfax) prepared for battle early on the 1st July when some Royalist cavalry appeared on the moor, having advanced from Knaresborough. Rupert, however, had led the main body of his army on a flanking march to the northeast, crossing the rivers Ure and Swale to leave the River Ouse between him and the allies. Rupert fought a successful minor skirmish, defeating the dragoons who had been left to guard a bridge of boats crossing the Ouse at Poppleton.
The allied commanders decided to move south from the moor, thus protecting their supply lines from Hull and blocking any moves by Rupert. However, soon after setting out early on 2nd July, they learned that Rupert had crossed the Ouse and was advancing on Marston Moor. They hastily recalled their forces, some of whom had already marched as far as Tadcaster.
Rupert's own troops were exhausted after their march, and the forces of the Marquess of Newcastle still languished sullenly behind the defences of York. Reaching the moor at midday, Rupert was in no position to attack the allied armies. Every hour, as the recalled Covenanters and Parliamentarians arrived back at the moor, lengthened the odds against him. At 2.00 p.m the allied artillery began a cannonade, but this petered out by 5.00 p.m - Newcastle's men had finally arrived from York at around 4.00 p.m.
The allies occupied Marston Hill, a low feature between the villages of Long Marston and Tockwith amid rolling cornfields. The left wing was deployed to the west of the cornfields, amid a rabbit warren which the Royalists had earlier tried to seize (in order to enfilade the Parliamentarian positions). Oliver Cromwell commanded this wing, consisting of cavalry from Manchester's Eastern Association (including Cromwell's own feared 'Ironsides'). Sir Thomas Fairfax (son of Lord Fairfax) commanded the right wing, with a mix of Parliament and Covenantor horse, and the main bulk of the foot deployed in the centre.
The Royalists held the lower ground of the moor itself, positioned behind a large drainage ditch which would provide some obstacle to horses. Lord Goring commanded the left wing of horse, with Lord Byron in charge of the right. A Forlorn Hope of musketeers lined the ditch across the centre and behind them were formed the regiments of foot.
Convinced to delay his attack until the next day by his subordinates, the late arrival of the York garrison, several rain showers and the fact that he could hear psalms being sung from the allied lines, Rupert stood his men down and they broke ranks for supper. Leven noted this and, just after 7.30 p.m, he ordered his men forward as a thunderstorm broke over the moor.
The allied commanders decided to move south from the moor, thus protecting their supply lines from Hull and blocking any moves by Rupert. However, soon after setting out early on 2nd July, they learned that Rupert had crossed the Ouse and was advancing on Marston Moor. They hastily recalled their forces, some of whom had already marched as far as Tadcaster.
Rupert's own troops were exhausted after their march, and the forces of the Marquess of Newcastle still languished sullenly behind the defences of York. Reaching the moor at midday, Rupert was in no position to attack the allied armies. Every hour, as the recalled Covenanters and Parliamentarians arrived back at the moor, lengthened the odds against him. At 2.00 p.m the allied artillery began a cannonade, but this petered out by 5.00 p.m - Newcastle's men had finally arrived from York at around 4.00 p.m.
The allies occupied Marston Hill, a low feature between the villages of Long Marston and Tockwith amid rolling cornfields. The left wing was deployed to the west of the cornfields, amid a rabbit warren which the Royalists had earlier tried to seize (in order to enfilade the Parliamentarian positions). Oliver Cromwell commanded this wing, consisting of cavalry from Manchester's Eastern Association (including Cromwell's own feared 'Ironsides'). Sir Thomas Fairfax (son of Lord Fairfax) commanded the right wing, with a mix of Parliament and Covenantor horse, and the main bulk of the foot deployed in the centre.
The Royalists held the lower ground of the moor itself, positioned behind a large drainage ditch which would provide some obstacle to horses. Lord Goring commanded the left wing of horse, with Lord Byron in charge of the right. A Forlorn Hope of musketeers lined the ditch across the centre and behind them were formed the regiments of foot.
Convinced to delay his attack until the next day by his subordinates, the late arrival of the York garrison, several rain showers and the fact that he could hear psalms being sung from the allied lines, Rupert stood his men down and they broke ranks for supper. Leven noted this and, just after 7.30 p.m, he ordered his men forward as a thunderstorm broke over the moor.
Pounding out of the teeming rain, lit by flashes of lightning, Cromwell's men quickly defeated Byron's left wing. Along the line of the ditch, a brigade of Royalist foot under Colonel Robert Napier (consisting of Rupert's and Byron's regiments) was driven back by Manchester's infantry. Rupert, shocked into action, led his reserve of horse in a charge against Cromwell's division, rallying some of the broken regiments of Byron's wing (Cromwell himself briefly left the field at this time to have a wound to his neck treated). The discipline of Cromwell's Ironsides, and the intervention of some Scots cavalry under Sir David Leslie, finally decided the issue.Rupert's counter-attack was routed and he only avoided capture by hiding in a beanfield. His dog, Boy, lay dead on the moor.
The main body of Covenanter foot crossed the ditch in the centre, capturing some pieces of artillery. On the allied right, ditches and uneven ground delayed Sir Thomas Fairfax as he sought to close on the enemy. He succeeded in routing a portion of the Royalist left wing, but a counter-attack by Goring shattered the disordered allies. Many of Goring's men pursued the broken Scots and Parliamentarians from the field, though some wheeled right to attack the allied centre, joined by elements of Newcastle's foot. A further charge by a fresh brigade of horse saw all of Lord Fairfax's foot - and a number of the Covenanter regiments - flee the field.
Manchester left the field for a time and was able to rally some of the dispersed foot regiments and return to the fray. It was near dark now, the countryside strewn with fugitives from both sides,and still the battle hung in the balance. Cromwell now led his men across the field to assault Goring's men on the far flank, supported by Leslie's Scots and some elements of foot which had also breached the Royalist lines. Goring's tired men fell back, allowing Cromwell to fall upon the beleaugered Royalist centre. With both wings collapsed, the Royalist foot were assaulted from all sides and overrun. The Royalists fled the field, cut down as they ran by their victorious pursuers. Even today, there are still reports from Marston Moor of sightings of tired and bedraggled figures in 17th century dress, often wounded, skulking in the ditches and hedgerows. Newcastle's own regiment, 'The Whitecoats' rallied in a ditched enclosure for a final stand. Refusing to surrender they withstood several cavalry charges and were finally overwhelmed by musket fire, some thirty survivors finally throwing down their arms.
The Parliamentarian victory effectively ended Royalist power in the north. Rupert gathered what survivors he could and retreated back across the Pennines whilst the siege of York was resumed.
The main body of Covenanter foot crossed the ditch in the centre, capturing some pieces of artillery. On the allied right, ditches and uneven ground delayed Sir Thomas Fairfax as he sought to close on the enemy. He succeeded in routing a portion of the Royalist left wing, but a counter-attack by Goring shattered the disordered allies. Many of Goring's men pursued the broken Scots and Parliamentarians from the field, though some wheeled right to attack the allied centre, joined by elements of Newcastle's foot. A further charge by a fresh brigade of horse saw all of Lord Fairfax's foot - and a number of the Covenanter regiments - flee the field.
Manchester left the field for a time and was able to rally some of the dispersed foot regiments and return to the fray. It was near dark now, the countryside strewn with fugitives from both sides,and still the battle hung in the balance. Cromwell now led his men across the field to assault Goring's men on the far flank, supported by Leslie's Scots and some elements of foot which had also breached the Royalist lines. Goring's tired men fell back, allowing Cromwell to fall upon the beleaugered Royalist centre. With both wings collapsed, the Royalist foot were assaulted from all sides and overrun. The Royalists fled the field, cut down as they ran by their victorious pursuers. Even today, there are still reports from Marston Moor of sightings of tired and bedraggled figures in 17th century dress, often wounded, skulking in the ditches and hedgerows. Newcastle's own regiment, 'The Whitecoats' rallied in a ditched enclosure for a final stand. Refusing to surrender they withstood several cavalry charges and were finally overwhelmed by musket fire, some thirty survivors finally throwing down their arms.
The Parliamentarian victory effectively ended Royalist power in the north. Rupert gathered what survivors he could and retreated back across the Pennines whilst the siege of York was resumed.