Edmund Fortescue (died 1647) facts for kids
Sir Edmund Fortescue (1610–1647) was an English commander who fought for King Charles I during the English Civil War. He was a loyal supporter of the King, also known as a Cavalier.
Early Life
Edmund Fortescue was born in 1610 at his family home called Fallapit in South Devon, England.
High Sheriff of Devon
In 1642, Fortescue was chosen to be the High Sheriff of Devon. This was a very important job for the King, as he wanted loyal people in charge of different areas. Even though Fortescue was quite young and his father was still alive, he was picked because he was known for being brave and capable.
In December 1642, Fortescue called together the local volunteers of Devon. He wanted them to join Sir Ralph Hopton's army, which was marching from Cornwall to attack Plymouth. About 2,000 men gathered on December 6, planning to meet the main army the next day.
However, during the night, a Parliamentarian officer named Colonel Ruthven led about 500 soldiers out of Plymouth. They surprised Fortescue's local soldiers at Modbury. The new recruits quickly scattered when the attack began. The Parliamentarian soldiers then took over the village. They went to Modbury Castle, a large house, set it on fire, and broke in. They captured Fortescue, his brother Peter, Sir Edward Seymour, and other important gentlemen who supported the King.
The winning soldiers then marched to Dartmouth. From there, they sent their prisoners by sea to London. When Fortescue arrived in London, he was sent to Windsor Castle. You can still see his name and a drawing of his family's coat of arms carved on a wall in a small room near the Round Tower, along with the words "Pour le Roy C." (which means "For the King Charles"). He was later moved to Winchester House. Before the end of 1643, he was either exchanged for another prisoner or set free.
Defending Fort Charles
On December 9, 1643, Fortescue received a special order from Prince Maurice. He was told to fix up "the Old Bull-worke near Salcombe," which was a ruined fort, and hold it for the King. This fort, which Fortescue renamed Fort Charles, stands on a rock at the entrance of Salcombe harbour near Kingsbridge. You can reach it from the land when the tide is low, but it's completely surrounded by the sea when the tide is high.
Fortescue carefully planned the rebuilding and stocking of the fort. Records show that he made sure the soldiers had everything they needed for a long siege. This included over 30 large barrels of meat, 10 barrels of punch, 10 large barrels of cider, 2,000 dried fish, and 600 pounds of tobacco. He also made sure the officers had good food and drinks, like sweet treats, good wine, and strong spirits.
The fort's team included 11 officers (with Sir Charles Luckner as second-in-command, and two of Fortescue's brothers serving under him), a chaplain, a surgeon, two laundresses, and 43 soldiers. During the siege, one soldier was killed, three were wounded, and two ran away.
The fort was ready by November or December 1644. In January 1645, Parliamentarian forces from Plymouth set up a battery of three cannons on the mainland, directly across from the fort. The siege lasted until May 1646.
Fortescue finally surrendered to Colonel Ralph Weldon, who was in charge of Plymouth. He managed to get very good terms for his soldiers. The agreement said that the entire group could march out of the fort with all their military honors and go safely to their homes. Fortescue and the other officers were allowed to stay home for three months without being bothered. After that, they could either make peace with the Parliament or leave the country from any port they chose. Fortescue kept the key to Fort Charles, and it is still owned by his family today.
Later Life and Death
Fortescue did not want to, or could not, make peace with the Parliament. So, he traveled to Delft, a city in the Netherlands. He lived there for the short time he had left. In July 1646, the Parliament listed him as someone who should not be allowed to advise the King or hold any public office.
Sir Edmund Fortescue died in January or February 1647, when he was 37 years old. He was buried in the "New Church" of Delft. He had married Jane, the daughter of Thomas Southcote, and they had a son named Edmund (who later became a baronet in 1664) and three daughters. There is a painting of Fortescue at Fallapit House, and a Dutch engraving of him also exists.
