The Battle of Turnham Green occurred 13 November 1642 near the village of Turnham Green, at the end the first campaigning season of the First English Civil War. The engagement resulted in a standoff between the Royalist army of King Charles I and the much larger Parliamentarian army under the command of the Earl of Essex. In successfully barring the way to London to the Royalist army, the Parliamentarians gained an important victory because the standoff forced Charles and his army to retreat to Oxford for secure winter quarters. The First English Civil War (1642–1646) was the first of three wars, known as the English Civil War (or Wars). The English Civil War refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652, and includes the Second... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 4 - Charles I attempts to arrest five leading members of the Long Parliament, but they escape. ... After Edgehill (23rd Oct) Charles captured Banbury (27th Oct) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford (29th Oct). ... The Middlesex Guildhall at Westminster Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and was the second smallest (after Rutland). ... The Roundheads was the nickname given to supporters of the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War. ... Prince Rupert of the Rhine Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War (1642–1651). ... Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, (January 11 1591 – 14 September 1646), was the son and heir of the unfortunate Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and succeeded to his fathers title in 1604, three years after the previous earl had been executed for treason. ... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... The First English Civil War (1642–1646) was the first of three wars, known as the English Civil War (or Wars). The English Civil War refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652, and includes the Second... The Siege of Hull in 1642 was the first major action of the English Civil War. ... The Battle of Powick Bridge, fought on 23 September 1642, was the first major cavalry engagement of the English Civil War and it was a decisive victory for the Royalists who overthrew of the Parliamentary cavalry. ... The Battle of Edgehill (or Edge Hill) was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. ... On the 1st November 1642, Royalist forces, under the command of Prince Rupert engaged Aylesburys Parliamentarian garrison, at Holmans Bridge. ... The Battle of Brentford was fought in 1642 between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces. ... The Battle of Hopton Heath, in Staffordshire, was a battle of the First English Civil War, fought on Sunday 19 March 1643 between Parliamentarian forces led by Sir John Gell and Sir William Brereton and a Royalist force under Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton. ... The Battle of Chalgrove was a skirmish of the English Civil War in the county of Oxfordshire. ... The Battle of Boldon Hill was a battle fought during the English Civil War in 1644, between a Royalist army based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and a Parliamentarian army based in Sunderland. ... The English Civil War battle of Lansdowne (or Lansdown) was fought on July 5, 1643, near Bath. ... English Civil War battle fought near Devizes, on 13th July, 1643 Following the Battle of Lansdowne on 5th July, 1643, the same two armies faced each again at Rounday Down. ... The Battle of Adwalton Moor was a battle in the English Civil War on 30 June 1643. ... The Battle of Gainsborough was a battle in the English Civil War. ... The Battle of Winceby took place in 1643 during the English Civil War near the village of Winceby, Lincolnshire about 6 km east of Horncastle Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, leading the Parlimentary Forces, defeated the Royalists led by Sir John Henderson. ... Combatants Parliamentary army Royalist garrison Commanders Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex Sir Arthur Aston King Charles I Prince Rupert Strength 16,000+ 2,000+ See also: Battle of Reading (871) and Battle of Reading (1688) The Siege of Reading refers to the English Civil War military campaign waged to... Combatants Royalists Parliamentarians Commanders Charles I, Prince Rupert Colonel Edward Massey Strength about 35,000 1,500 regular troops unknown local militia Casualties exact number unknown, believed to be several thousand 50 The Siege of Gloucester took place took place between the 3rd of August and 5th of September, between... The two Battles of Newbury took place near Newbury, Berkshire during the English Civil War in 1643 and 1644. ... The Battle of Alton took place on December 13, 1643, during the English Civil War. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... The Battle of Nantwich designates a fight of the English Civil War between the forces of Parliament and of King Charles I to the northwest of the town of Nantwich in Cheshire on 26 January 1644 (some sources say 24 January). ... The Siege of York in 1644 was a prolonged contest for York during the English Civil War, between the Scottish Army of the Solemn Oath and Covenant and the Parliamentarian Armies of the Northern Association and Eastern Association on the one hand, and the Royalist Army under the Marquess of... The Battle of Cropredy Bridge was the last battle won on English soil under the command of an English King. ... Combatants Scottish Covenanters, Parliamentarians Royalists Commanders Earl of Leven, Earl of Manchester, Lord Fairfax Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Marquess of Newcastle Strength 7,000 horse, 500+ dragoons, 14,000 foot, 30 - 40 guns 6,000 horse, 11,000 foot, 14 guns Casualties 300 killed 4,000 killed, 1,500... 1. ... Combatants Parliamentarians Royalists Commanders Earl of Essex Sir William Waller Earl of Manchester King Charles I Prince Maurice Strength 7,000 horse 12,000 foot 3,500 horse 5,000 foot Casualties unknown unknown The Second Battle of Newbury was a battle of the English Civil War fought on October... The Siege of Taunton was a siege of the English Civil War. ... Combatants Parliamentarians Royalists Commanders Sir Thomas Fairfax King Charles I Prince Rupert of the Rhine Strength 6000 horse 7000 foot 4100 horse 3300 foot Casualties 1,000 total casualties [1] approximately 1,000 killed, 5,000 captured [1] The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English... The Battle of Langport was a Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War, which destroyed the last Royalist field army, and ultimately gave Parliament control of the West of England, which had hitherto been a major source of manpower, raw materials and imports for the Royalists. ... The Battle of Rowton Heath was a Parliamentarian victory late in the English Civil War. ... Combatants Parliamentarians Royalists Commanders Sir William Brereton Colonel Thomas Morgan Sir Jacob Astley Strength 2,500 Foot 600 horse 3,000 Foot 500 horse Casualties unknown less 1,000 killed 1,000 prisoners The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold took place during the English Civil War. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 4 - Charles I attempts to arrest five leading members of the Long Parliament, but they escape. ... After Edgehill (23rd Oct) Charles captured Banbury (27th Oct) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford (29th Oct). ... The First English Civil War (1642–1646) was the first of three wars, known as the English Civil War (or Wars). The English Civil War refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652, and includes the Second... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, (January 11 1591 – 14 September 1646), was the son and heir of the unfortunate Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and succeeded to his fathers title in 1604, three years after the previous earl had been executed for treason. ...

Background

After the Battle of Edgehill (23 October) King Charles I captured Banbury (27 October) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford on 29 October. Prince Rupert swept down the Thames Valley, capturing Abingdon, Aylesbury and Maidenhead, from where he attempted to capture Windsor though failed due to Parliamentary strength there. After this many officers wanted to open peace negotiations, contrary to Rupert’s desire to carry on to London, but the king agreed with the officers and so the Earl of Essex managed to overtake them and reach London with his Parliamentary army by the 8 November. The Battle of Edgehill (or Edge Hill) was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... The modern Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury alongside the Oxford Canal, with Banbury Museum in the background. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... for the city in British Columbia, see Prince Rupert, British Columbia Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-1682), soldier and inventor, was a younger son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart, and the nephew of King Charles I of England. ... The Thames Valley is generally the region that drains into the River Thames, England, but is used in a more specific term by the government. ... Abingdon Town Councils coat of arms. ... Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. ... Statistics Population: 58,848 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU889811 Administration District: Windsor and Maidenhead Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Berkshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Ambulance service: South Central Post office and telephone Post town: MAIDENHEAD... Windsor (IPA: usually , but also ) is a suburban town and tourist destination in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. ... The Roundheads was the nickname given to supporters of the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, (January 11 1591 – 14 September 1646), was the son and heir of the unfortunate Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and succeeded to his fathers title in 1604, three years after the previous earl had been executed for treason. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ...

Prelude

On the 12 November Rupert with a large cavalry detachment stormed Brentford and then proceeded to sack the town. This action encouraged those Londoners who feared for their property to side with the Parliamentarians.^[2] On 13 November Essex's army with the London trainbands and other London citizenry, assemble as an army of about 24,000 on Chelsea Field and advanced to Turnham Green in the vicinity of the main body of the Royalist army.^[2] November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Battle of Brentford was fought in 1642 between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Trainbands, a contraction of trained bands, were companies of militia in England or The Americas, first organized in the 16th century and dissolved in the 18th. ... After Edgehill (23rd Oct) Charles captured Banbury (27th Oct) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford (29th Oct). ...

Battle

The Royalist army of 7,000-12,000 were short of ammunition and probably too small to attack the 24,000 strong Parliamentarian army. Also the King was advised that to engage such an oddly assorted army containing what was obviously a large contingent of armed civilians, would not endear him to London, and it was too early in the war for the Royalists to contemplate taking London without the support of a sizable part of London's population.^[2]

With the end of campaigning season close at hand, Charles decided not to press the issue and withdrew. So after a sight cannonade, the Parliamentarians secured a victory without engaging in the battle, which was fortunate for them, as many of their number had never seen a battle before and were not used to army discipline formations and deployments. John Hampden, with something of the fire and energy of his cousin, Oliver Cromwell, urged the Earl of Essex to turn both flanks of the Royal army via Acton and Kingston; experienced professional soldiers, however, urged Essex not to trust the London men to hold their ground, while the rest manoeuvred. Hampden's advice was undoubtedly premature. A Battle of Worcester (1651) was not within the power of the Parliamentarians of 1642. In Napoleon's words: "one only manoeuvres around a fixed point",^[3] and the city levies at that time were certainly not, vis-à-vis Rupert's cavalry, a fixed point.^[3] John Hampden as depicted in the 1851 Illustrated London Reading Book John Hampden (circa 1595—1643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, a descendant of a very ancient family of that county, said to have been established there before... Oliver Cromwell (April 25, 1599–September 3, 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for making England a republic and leading the Commonwealth of England. ... Acton is the name of several places, people and organizations: // Places England Acton, Cheshire Acton, Dorset Acton, Staffordshire Acton, Shropshire Acton, Worcestershire Acton, Suffolk Acton, London Of these, the London Acton is the largest. ... Kingston upon Thames, part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is an ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned, and is now a lively suburb of London. ... The Battle of Worcester was the final battle of the English Civil War. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des...

Aftermath

Charles (once more contrary to Rupert's advice) retreated back up the Thames Valley towards Oxford (losing the possible chance for a flanking movement through loyal Kent), where Charles set up his headquarters for the rest of the war. Never again during the Civil War would the Royalists come as close to capturing London and without London they could not win the war.^[3]

References

• Royle, Trevor. Civil War: The wars of the Three Kingdoms, Pub Abacus 2006; (first published 2004); ISBN 978-0-349-11564-1

Further reading

• Plant, David. 1642: First campaigns of the English Civil War, The British Civil Wars & Commonwealth website

Footnotes

1. ^ Royle p. 206
2. ^ ^{a b c} Royle pp. 202-207
3. ^ ^{a b c} Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition article "GREAT REBELLION" Section "4. Battle of Edgehill"