Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

English Civil War

@englishcivilwar.bsky.social

1.4K followers 770 following 2K posts

We're passionate about the English Civil Wars and 17th Century history! We're also reenactors - step into history and have an incredible weekend for just £10! www.earlofmanchesters.co.uk

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · Mar 1

Love adventure and trying new things? Join us for as little as £10, with your kit provided, for an unforgettable experience! Message us now ➡️ earlofmanchesters.co.uk

6 12

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 10h

When some of our members met Hacker T Dog in Wigan yesterday, they knew what had to be done…

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

📸: Ruth Lochrie

#history #reenactment #battle #battlereenactment #17thcentury #britishhistory #militaryhistory #winceby #battleofwinceby #englishcivilwar #britishcivilwar #warofthreekingdoms

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

By the end of the day about 300 Royalists had been slain and a further 800 were captured. In comparison the Parliamentarians only suffered twenty killed and a further eighty wounded. This defeat was one of the reasons the Earl of Newcastle would give up his siege of Hull.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

This left them easy targets for the Parliamentarians when they caught up with this stuck group. This place would later be referred to as “slash hollow” to the high number of Royalists cut down at the gate.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

But as they attempted to escape through Horncastle a large group of Royalists encountered a parish boundary gate. What they hadn’t realised was that it only opened if you pulled it. But the panicked Royalists packed against the gate and jammed it close.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

With the Parliamentarian cavalry close behind the Royalists they could not afford to get trapped in the village.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

This was what happened to the Royalists at the Battle of Winceby 11th October 1643. After failing to defeat the cavalry led by the Earl of Manchester and Oliver Cromwell the Royalist horse and dragoons led by Sir William Widdrington began retreating to Horncastle.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

A panic could lead to even greater casualties if sections of an army turned the wrong corner into an area they could not escape easily from.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

During a battle the majority of deaths would occur during the closing phase of the fighting, as one side retreats the field. If the defeated army did not retreat in good order it left their men vulnerable to attack from the pursuing victors.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 2d

⚔️🐴 Caught in the rout at Winceby🐴⚔️

1 7

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 3d

Soldiers could be executed, but only if they were found guilty of committing the most serious of crimes on campaign.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 3d

Fear, home-sickness, and even just boredom would contribute to low morale, and desertion was a regular occurrence.

A common punishment for unruly soldiers was flogging, with the hope of the officers being it would keep their men in line without weakening their forces.

1 2

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 3d

Maintaining discipline in the ranks was a constant challenge in the English Civil Wars. With England having been at relative peace for half a century, many men joining the armies of the King and Parliament knew very little of the obedience and order drilled into professional soldiers.

1 2

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 3d

🤜 Brawls in the Ranks 🤛

A small disagreement quickly escalates into a mass brawl, as the two men left standing fight it out. What punishments await them?

📷: @eryzlie

1 6

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

📸: Steve Liddle

#history #reenactment #battle #battlereenactment #englishcivilwar #britishcivilwar #warofthreekingdoms #royalist #parliament #newport #supplies #education

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

His decision to withdraw had come following news of an approaching Parliamentarian army and having received no update on the supplies he crucially needed. When Parliament recaptured the town they fortified it so that no Royalist force could easily capture the town again.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

When the Royalists decided to send supplies to Newport Pagnell they realised that they no longer had enough carts to transport the material, causing further delays. On the 27th October 1643, Sir Dyve decided to withdraw from the town and head to safety.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

But the request for supplies was not immediately granted by the Royalist high command. While Prince Rupert argued that the supplies should be sent immediately the other Royalist commanders and advisors to the King wanted to consider other requests first.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

Therefore it was imperative for Sir Dyve to be resupplied so that he could defend the town from a Parliamentarian counterattack.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

On the 6th October 1643 a Royalist force commanded by Sir Lewis Dyve captured the small, but important, town of Newport Pagnell. Royalist control of the town would sever the supply route between London and the eastern counties.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

In some cases the army high commanders had to make difficult choices about which forces would be prioritised supplies. In other cases it was the result of poor logistics and communication that left forces devoid of supplies.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

Throughout the Civil Wars the need for supplies was a problem both sides struggled with. The failure to resupply the armies would both cripple their ability to fight effectively and lower the morale of the soldiers.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 4d

Holding out for supplies!

1 1 9

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 5d

This enquiry eventually led to members of the Houses of Commons and Lords being barred from holding any command. Parliament’s military would be completely restructured, leading to the creation of the New Model Army.

English Civil War @englishcivilwar.bsky.social · 5d

Infuriated by what he saw as unwilling and incompetent leadership, Cromwell demanded an enquiry into the conduct of Parliament’s commanders, including the Earl of Manchester.

1 2