Marston Moor

Date: 2nd July 1644 Location: Long Marston, Yorkshire Parliamentarian Commander: Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven Royalist Commander: Prince Rupert Victor: Parliament

Manchester had set Lieutenant-General Oliver Cromwell the task of patrolling the area, so he was forewarned of Rupert's proximity.

Not wanting to be caught between two enemy forces, the allied parliamentary army marched out to Long Marston (July 1) to intercept Rupert.

Rupert sent a cavalry screen ahead to Marston Moor, to be observed by the allies. However, he took the major part of his army North, and then East, bypassing Manchester and reaching York without hindrance.

Leven and Manchester moved South, expecting Rupert to march that way. Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Fairfax was left with a small cavalry force to cover their manouever.

When Fairfax saw that the royalist cavalry were being reinforced in strength, he sent for Leven asking that the army be returned - fearing that it might be attacked whilst in order of march.

Rupert had sent Lord George Goring into York, demanding that Lord William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle, meet him at Marston Moor to engage the enemy. Newcastle was not happy with this order, but agreed to comply when he was told that Rupert had a letter from Charles I ordering the battle. The letter was ambiguously worded, but Newcastle was not to know that.

The combined allied army outnumbered the royalists considerably, although the number of cavalry was almost equal. Rupert, however, remained undaunted.

The forces of parliament were positioned to the South, along a ridge overlooking the moor. On their right were cavalry commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax. In the centre were the infantry of Leven and Manchester. On their left flank were the rest of the cavalry under Cromwell and Sir David Leslie.

The royalists, on the moor itself, had Goring's horse opposite Fairfax and Sir John Byron's horse opposite Cromwell. Prince Rupert was in the rear with a reserve of cavalry. Holding the centre were the infantry of Newcastle and Lord James Eythin.

Byron's horse, however, were able to meet Cromwell at the charge, and initially had some success against the troopers. Rupert rode up in support, hoping to press this advantage. However, Leslie came in on the flank and the royalist cavalry were routed. This was the first time that Rupert's cavalry had been beaten in the war!

Manchester's infantry made use of this victory to press home an attack on Eythin's infantry from their flank. Unsupported, the royalists were forced back, but did not break.

On the other flank, parliament were not faring so well. Fairfax suffered some casualties from musket fire, and his cavalry were disordered by difficult terrain. When contact was made with Goring's cavalry, the parliamentarians were quickly routed.

Goring could not prevent his cavalry from giving chase off the field, and some occupied themselves with looting the baggage train, rather than returning to support their infantry.

Those few horse that did remain gave Leven's infantry a hard time. Manchester, whose infantry had not suffered that badly, sent some of his men to the right in support, and the line was stabilised.

Leslie's horse had now driven Rupert's cavalry off the field, and had rallied. They came in on the rear of Newcastle's 'Whitecoats'. These withdrew slightly to White Syke Close, which was easier to defend, and held their ground well.

Cromwell and the remainder of Fairfax's horse then rode to the rear and assisted Leslie in attacking the royalist infantry. In the face of this new threat all resistance crumbled or was smashed, the 'Whitecoats' dying to a man since they refused to surrender.

After their disastrous defeat, Newcastle and Eythin fled to Scarborough and sailed to the continent, fearing that all was lost. Rupert, who was made of sterner stuff, took what troops remained West and South to Lancashire, but his reputation of invincibility was ruined.

York surrendered on July 16th, with no way of resisting any further siege. This left the North totally under Parliament's control, a complete reversal from the previous year.