Page 82 - History of War - Issue 25-16

THE NEW MODEL

irst major setback and its greatest loss of life Leslie, the defeated commander at Dunbar. order to carry out the battle plan, so Cromwell
sustained in a single action. Nonetheless, the In August 1651, 14,000 Scottish troops began the ight by personally leading three
Irish had also suffered and abandoned the town crossed the border. Cromwell, who was still brigades to attack the pontoon bridge on the
having lost several hundred men. reducing Scotland, followed Charles and River Teme. Once the north bank had been
Cromwell left Ireland soon afterwards but collected reinforcements as he proceeded taken, the Scots collapsed back towards
his remaining troops carried on the systematic south. The New Model Army caught up Worcester itself. While Cromwell was crossing
conquest of the country, with the whole island with the invading army at Worcester on 3 the rivers, the east lank of his army was
eventually being subjugated. September. By this time, Cromwell’s force threatened when Charles II rallied his troops
After many negotiations, Charles II sailed numbered 28,000 regular troops and 3,000 to sally out of the town and assault the New
to Scotland and was proclaimed king. militiamen. This was the irst occasion when Model infantry. This surprise attack was initially
This presented a genuine threat to the the New Model Army had overwhelming successful and there was a moment when the
Commonwealth and Cromwell subsequently numerical superiority over the enemy and entire east wing of the army almost collapsed.
invaded Scotland to prevent a Scottish invasion Cromwell was at the peak of his conidence. However, Cromwell came charging back from
into England. After the miraculous New Model The Battle of Worcester took place in a wide his position on the River Severn to bolster his
victory at Dunbar in September 1650, the area around the city. Cromwell attempted to troops. The return of his brigades turned the
Royalist cause looked lost. Nonetheless, encircle Worcester in order to force Charles into tide of the battle and the Royalists were thrown
Charles II was crowned king of Scots on 1 a defensive position within its walls. However, back into Worcester.
January 1651, and later in the year he led a to the south and south west of Worcester, the At this point, parliament’s Essex militia
last-ditch invasion of England to regain his Rivers Severn and Teme blocked the army’s stormed and captured Fort Royal, which was a
throne. This was against the advice of David advance. These would need to be crossed in defensive entrance into the city. Once the guns

Charles II was forced to
lee after defeat at the
Battle of Worcester

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