Newbury, battle of
Newbury, battle of, 1643. After relieving Gloucester in September 1643, Essex was shadowed on his return journey to London by Charles's army. The royalists reached Newbury a few hours before their opponents, cutting off the retreat, and took up defensive positions just west of the town. The king's army was some 10,000 men, Essex's perhaps a little less. On 20 September battle commenced with an artillery exchange but the fighting, though heavy, was inconclusive. Charles, running short of ammunition, was obliged to withdraw to Oxford, leaving Essex free to return to the capital. A royalist victim in the battle was Viscount Falkland, their chevalier sans peur et sans reproche who, despairing of the war, rode deliberately to his death in a hail of bullets.
J. A. Cannon
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
Newbury, battle of
