Talk:Battle of Edgehill
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Regarding the removal, re-addition and removal of:
"was the opening engagement of the conflict".
Edgehill was preceeded by the seige of Hull, therefore this comment cannot be considered correct.
- Nonetheless some remark on the significance of this battle in the context of the war ought to be made. "First major engagement"? "First set-piece battle"? Or what? Gdr 09:26, 2004 Oct 13 (UTC)
Contents |
[edit] To be merged in from Edge Hill article
The following sub-sections were taken from the Edge Hill page which was becomming an alternative battle page. Please merge in any information which is useful into this article:
[edit] Map
grid reference SP355486. Zoom out one step. The narrow wood on the scarp of Edge Hill, in the south-east overlooks the lower slope and the plain on which the battle was fought. The King's army started the day on the plateau above the scarp and Parliament's front line was about two kilometres away. From Edge Hill, the ground drops steeply, levels out, then rises a little to Battleton Holt and a little beyond it, The Oaks and Graveground Copice. It was across the latter two that Parliament's army was drawn up (SP346485 to SP367498). The King's forces descended from the scarp and faced them, extended between the end of the spur at Knowle End and Brixfield Farm (SP349472 to SP376491). At the time of the battle, there were many fewer trees.
[edit] Strategy
Fundamentally, each commander was seeking to destroy the other's forces so gaining military control of the country, hence political control. In the short term, the king was aiming to clear his way to London. Essex, the Parliamentary commander, aimed to stop him.
[edit] Tactics
Having learned where the King was, Essex, approaching from the west, found the King on the plateau above the scarp of Edge Hill. Essex required the King to come to him in the plain.
The King was nominally in command of his troops but in effect, the command was by a small de facto committee with the King as chairman. At the outset of the battle, one member, the Earl of Lindsey, who had been appointed to command the infantry, having been over-ruled, resigned that command, withdrawing to the command of his own regiment.
[edit] References
- Seymour, W. "Battles in Britain 1066-1746", 1997. ISBN 1853266728.
--Philip Baird Shearer 08:56, 25 Apr 2005 (UTC)
