Page 75 - History of War - Issue 25-16

CROMWELL’S REBEL ARMY

n the 1640s, people of all classes When Charles I declared war on 22 August Manchester, whose ield strategy was timid and
were embroiled in a grim struggle over 1642, the Royalist and Parliamentarian armies lethargic. This meant there was no decisive
a fundamental question – who was the were evenly matched – both amateur in attitude battle for the irst two years of the war. Oliver
supreme power in the land, the king and performance, particularly regarding their Cromwell observed these circumstances from
Ior parliament? The British Civil Wars commanders. On the Royalist side, Prince the sidelines with frustration, and resolved to
raged for a decade and became a cataclysmic Rupert of the Rhine was an experienced soldier change the situation to parliament’s advantage.
struggle for England’s soul. It was also a but also hot-headed and unable to control Already in his 40s when the war broke out,
conlict that would engulf Wales, Scotland the cavalry under his command. During the and without any military training, Cromwell
and Ireland with devastating consequences. irst major battle of the war, at Edgehill on 23 was an unexpected innovator determined to
The resulting chaos saw the execution of a October 1642, the Royalists nearly won the reorganise parliament’s army. His personal
king and the establishment of a republican day having broken through the Roundhead strength stemmed from his religious fervour.
Commonwealth. Two things were largely lines with a cavalry charge. However, this In an age where religion dictated everything,
responsible for making this radical breakthrough was not properly followed up Cromwell was a zealot, seeing the hand of
change possible. One was an obscurely as Rupert’s cavalry charged away from the God in everything. This enabled him to be a
born MP from Huntingdon called Oliver battleield to loot nearby villages – the end supremely conident commander who was
Cromwell; the other was the most result was stalemate. Similarly, Parliamentarian willing to take risks. In 1643, he formed his
innovative military force of the age – the forces were at irst commanded by ineffectual own cavalry regiment in Huntingdon, initially
New Model Army. aristocrats such as the Earls of Essex and known as the Army of the Eastern Association

Dunbar 1650. This remarkable battle saw the
New Model Army completely rout a Scottish
force twice its size

“The British Civil Wars raged

for a decade and became
a cataclysmic struggle for

England’s soul”

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