Battle of Winceby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Winceby |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First English Civil War | |||||||
 Parliamentary cavalry at a re-enactment of the Battle of Winceby |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Royalists |
 Parliamentarians |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sir William Widdrington Sir John Henderson Sir William Savile |
Earl of Manchester Oliver Cromwell |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| c. 2,500–3,000 horse | c. 3,000 horse c. 2,000 foot |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 200–300 800 taken prisoner |
c. 20 killed | ||||||
The Battle of Winceby was an important fight during the First English Civil War. It happened on October 11, 1643, near the village of Winceby in Lincolnshire. In this battle, the Royalist army, led by Sir William Widdrington, was defeated. They lost to the Parliamentarian cavalry, commanded by the Earl of Manchester. This victory was a big step for the Parliamentarians.
Contents
Why the Battle of Winceby Happened
The English Civil War Background
The First English Civil War was a conflict between King Charles I and the Parliament. The King's supporters were called Royalists. Parliament's supporters were known as Parliamentarians. In the summer of 1643, the Royalists planned to march on London. But first, they needed to capture important towns like Hull and Plymouth. If they didn't, these towns could attack the Royalists from behind.
Sieges and Strategies
While these sieges were happening, King Charles decided to attack Gloucester. This was a major Parliamentarian stronghold in the west. Parliamentarian forces managed to save Gloucester on September 5. The Royalists then fought the Parliamentarians at the First Battle of Newbury. This battle was a draw, but it stopped the Royalists from attacking London.
Meanwhile, the Royalist army, led by the Earl of Newcastle, started a second siege of Hull on September 2. The Parliamentarian forces, known as the Eastern Association, wanted to help Hull. Their leader, the Earl of Manchester, began by attacking King's Lynn. His cavalry rode north to join other Parliamentarian forces. Hull could still get supplies by using the River Humber.
Joining Forces
On September 18, some cavalry from Hull crossed to Barton. A few days later, more cavalry, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax, sailed to Saltfleet. All these forces then met up with Oliver Cromwell near Spilsby. In return, Lord Fairfax, who stayed in Hull, received more soldiers and supplies.
With his army ready, Manchester and his cavalry then attacked the Royalist base at Bolingbroke Castle. In response, Newcastle ordered Sir William Widdrington to take his cavalry and dragoons from Lincoln. Their mission was to stop Manchester and help the castle.
The Battle of Winceby
First Skirmish
On October 10, 1643, near Horncastle, Royalist forces met some Parliamentarian cavalry. These Parliamentarians were guarding the main army that was attacking Bolingbroke Castle. A short fight happened, and the Parliamentarians pulled back. They reported to their main army that the Royalists were moving towards them.
Armies Prepare to Fight
The next day, both armies prepared to face each other. Manchester took part of his army to Kirkby Hill. This was to stop the Bolingbroke Castle soldiers from attacking them from behind. With the rest of his army, Manchester moved towards Horncastle. At the same time, Widdrington and the Royalists left Horncastle and advanced towards Bolingbroke Castle.
The Parliamentarian cavalry moved faster than their foot soldiers. They met the Royalists, who were coming from the other direction, at Winceby. The battlefield was not perfect, with some sharp dips in the land. However, it was still good enough for a battle. Both armies were about the same size and were mostly cavalry.
The Cavalry Charge
The battle lasted about 30 minutes. Cromwell pretended to retreat, which tricked the Royalists. They moved from a strong defensive spot onto flat ground. A small group of Parliamentarians rode forward, and the Royalists fired their guns at them. Then, Cromwell led his main group of cavalry in a charge. He hoped to attack before the Royalists could reload their weapons.
However, some Royalist dragoons (soldiers who rode horses but fought on foot) managed to fire a second shot. They hit several of Cromwell's soldiers, known as "Ironsides." Cromwell's own horse was shot from under him. It seems Sir Ingram Hopton shot it. Hopton was killed in the fighting that followed. Cromwell got another horse and rejoined the battle.
Royalist Retreat
A Royalist cavalry group, led by Sir William Savile, attacked Cromwell's right side. But then, Sir Fairfax's cavalry attacked Savile's group from the side. In the confusion, the Royalists lost their formation. Savile ordered his men to turn around, but they thought it was an order to retreat. Savile's cavalry then fled the battle.
On the Parliamentarian left side, the Royalists had some early success. But with their left and center lines collapsing, Widdrington had to retreat. Cromwell's reformed cavalry then attacked the Royalists from the side. This was enough to make the Royalists run away in confusion.
After the Battle
In Horncastle, at a place now called "slash hollow," some Royalists were killed or captured. They got trapped against a gate that only opened one way, and in their panic, they jammed it shut. For the rest of the day, Parliamentarian soldiers chased down Royalist stragglers. They stopped only when it got dark. The Royalists lost about 300 men, and 800 were taken prisoner. The Parliamentarians lost about 20 men, with 60 wounded.
On the same day, the Royalist army near Hull was attacked by the city's defenders. They had been suffering from the long siege. They were so badly beaten that they gave up the siege of Hull the next day.
What Happened Next
After the battle, Manchester kept Bolingbroke Castle under siege. He then went on to take back Lincoln and Gainsborough. With no hope of help, the soldiers inside Bolingbroke Castle surrendered on November 14. Before the siege of Hull, most of Lincolnshire was controlled by the Royalists. But after the Battle of Winceby, the Parliamentarians took control of the entire county.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Winceby para niños
