An audacious night attack on Wakefield by Sir Thomas Fairfax, where he carried the town against greatly superior numbers.

Sir Thomas Fairfax took 1,500 horse and infantry on a night attack of what he thought was a lightly defended Royalist garrison at Wakefield. The intension was to capture some prisoners in order to exchange them for some men he required back.

A 4am on the 21st, airfax arrived in front of the works to find them well defended but decided to attack anyway. After some stiff fighting, Gifford and William fairfax's foot breached the barricades, and Sir Thomas' Cavalry charged the breach, gaining the streets. The force of his assault drove all before it, and the Royalist garrison were driven through and out of the town, despite receiving reinforcements in early morning.

Following the victory, fairfax was surprised to find that he had been facing some 4,000 opponents, and that they had taken Lord George Goring himself.