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Newark, first seige of


Battle Name : Newark, first seige of

Date(s) : 27 February 1643 - 28 February 1643

Part of : The Civil Wars of the Three Kingdoms , The 1st English Civil War ,

Outcome : A victory for Royalist Forces over Parliamentarian Forces

Type of battle : Land, Seige

Summary

Maj-Gen Ballard with Roundhead troops attempted to take the vital Newark from the Royalists but after holding at Beacon Hill on the 27th, Henderson and the Royalists fell back into the city's defences and managed to successfully defend the walls throughout the next day, finally launching a counter-attack driving off the Parliamentarians.

Location

Newark, England (England)

More details

Major-General Thomas Ballard of the Midlands Association with Roundhead troops from Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire determined to take the important town of Newark. It was a vital link for the King protecting his supply route from Newcastle and the north to his central forces and headquarters in Oxford.

Colonel Sir John Henderson fought a successful delaying action at Beacon Hill before Newark, holding Ballard's troops during the 27th. That night they fell back on the town's defences, burning the bridges on the approach.

The following day the Roundheads assaulted the works from both the north and south with Sir John Gell and his Derbyshire men making the best headway in the south. Henderson used his internal lines to reinforce the hottest areas and managed to hold the parliamentarians at bay for 3 hours until around 6pm when he launched a counter attack just as the roundheads were flagging. The parliamentarians were driven off in disarray.