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Battle of Edge Hill

60 second histories

This video covers:

A brief description of the Battle of Edge Hill and how Prince Rupert's cavalry charged into the parliamentarians.

The first major battle of the civil war was at Edge Hill near the Warwickshire Village of Kineton on October twenty third, sixteen forty two. I was with Sir John Meldrum’s brigade so I saw a lot of the action. Our cannon opened the battle at around three in the afternoon; they fired on the enemy who were coming down Edge Hill. It was around this time that I saw Prince Rupert’s cavalry hit us on our left side, they seemed to round on us pushing in at an angle, driving off our horse from the field, something similar had happened on our right. They then charged off the field chasing after our horse. We musketeers on the other hand held firm, firing our muskets. I could hardly breathe with all that smoke and flame, but on we fought and when our reserve cavalry engaged onto the Royalist foot we began to push King’s forces back up the hill. The battle continued for many hours and much blood was spilled, I think it was darkness in the end that brought a halt to it all.
Eras: 
17th Century
English Civil War
Topics: 
Civil War
Battles
Character: 
Parliamentarian soldier
Key words: 
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