Battle of Aldbourne Chase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Aldbourne Chase
Part of the First English Civil War
Date 18 September 1643 Location Aldbourne, Wiltshire Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Royalists	Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Prince Rupert	Earl of Essex
Strength
3,000 horse	5,000 foot 2,000 horse 15-20 cannons

The Battle of Aldbourne Chase was a small but important fight during the First English Civil War. It happened on September 18, 1643, near Aldbourne, Wiltshire. In this battle, Prince Rupert led the Royalist cavalry. They attacked the spread-out army of the Earl of Essex, who led the Parliamentarians. Essex was trying to march his army back to London.

Even though the battle didn't have a clear winner, it helped the Royalists. It allowed them to reach Newbury before Essex. This forced the Parliamentarian army into a much bigger battle later on.

Why Did the Battle of Aldbourne Chase Happen?

After helping to end the siege of Gloucester, the Earl of Essex needed to get his army safely back to London. To do this, Essex first went north to Tewkesbury. He hoped this would make the Royalist army near Gloucester move away from his planned route.

King Charles and the Royalist army followed him. But then, Essex quickly turned south. He marched through Cheltenham to Cirencester. On September 16, he attacked and captured the Royalist soldiers there. At this point, Essex thought he was far ahead of the Royalist army. So, he slowed down his march towards Swindon.

When King Charles realized Essex was heading straight for London, he acted fast. He sent Prince Rupert and his cavalry ahead. Their mission was to stop the Parliamentarian army. They wanted to prevent Essex from meeting up with more soldiers coming from London.

What Happened During the Battle?

Early on September 18, Prince Rupert's cavalry found the Parliamentarians. They were crossing Aldbourne Chase, about two miles northwest of Aldbourne village. Rupert saw that the Parliamentarian foot soldiers were marching in long, spread-out lines. There were big gaps between their groups.

Seeing this chance, the Royalist cavalry immediately charged. They attacked the Parliamentarian foot soldiers many times. Soon, the Parliamentarian horsemen joined the fight. But the Royalists were causing a lot of damage to the Parliamentarian infantry. The Royalist charges continued as the Parliamentarian foot soldiers struggled to get organized. The Royalists started to win, even after a charge by Colonel Harvey of the Parliamentarians.

As they could, the Parliamentarians began to retreat. First, their baggage wagons moved off the hill. Then, their foot soldiers followed. The battle continued through the village of Aldbourne. Here, the Parliamentarians destroyed their ammunition wagons. They did this to stop the Royalists from capturing them. Finally, with the help of their foot soldiers, the Parliamentarians managed to hold off the Royalists. They even pushed them away.

What Happened After the Battle?

When Essex felt it was safe, he decided not to stay on the London road. Instead, he crossed the River Kennet. He used the river as a barrier as he traveled through Hungerford to Newbury.

Because of the fight at Aldbourne Chase and the different route Essex took, the Parliamentarians were delayed. The King's army arrived and took over Newbury on September 19. They got there just before the Parliamentarians. This delay at Aldbourne Chase stopped Essex from reaching London. It also led to the First Battle of Newbury on September 20.

Images for kids

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  Royalist Standard

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  Parliamentarian Flag