Scots defeated 11 April

The Thirsk campaign- Rupert’s sweep 11 April 1644 Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/1644campaign/sets/ The Scots marched down the Great North Road from Newcastle towards York. Their march took them to 4 miles north of Thirsk by the evening of 10 April with over 12,000 men in arms. At Easingwold – just 12 miles away - awaiting them were Rupert, Byron and Newcastle with 14,000 men. Rather than await the Scots advance Rupert decided on a bold sweep. At 7am on the 11th His 4000 horse set off up the GNR towards Thirsk. Byron’s men followed behind. The Scots continued their advance south down the A19 through Thirsk and onto Easingwold, not knowing that the Royalists were marching north in the opposite direction around their flank and possible rear. By 3pm The Scots army had marched through Thirsk and was in line of march and drawing up in camp 5 miles from Easingwold. Newcastle with 6000 men sat and waited nervously in Easingwold, not knowing that the Scots had halted for the day. The Scots were unaware that so few men faced them! Rupert with 4000 cavalrymen had swept north and was just outside Thirsk on the A61 whilst Byron with 3000 men was at Topcliffe just 3 miles from Thirsk and some 3.5miles west of the Scots encampment at Hutton Sessay on the A19. Earlier in the day, at 1pm, Byron had sent messages to Rupert and Newcastle informing them of his position. Unfortunately one of these messages was intercepted by Scots scouts and was delivered to Leven at Hutton Sessay at 3pm. Would this alert Leven to the flanking movements of Byron and Rupert? As Leven deliberated, at 3.30pm Byron’s men encountered Scots scouts just east of Topcliffe- pushing them back through Dalton. Byron was becoming aware of marching noises in the east; presumably the main Scots army. Byron sent his cavalry regiment out through the village and by 4pm had discovered the entire Scots army encamped at Hutton Sessay just a few miles away. The Scots pushed the regiment back. By now Byron’s small army was a couple of miles from Thirsk at Sowerby. As Byron decided what to do he heard a commotion in the town. Rupert’s men had marched carefully and by 3.30 were in the outskirts of Thirsk. Scots stragglers and many carts were seen and his regiments could not be held back from bursting forward into the town. At 4pm Rupert entered the town to find some Scots baggage lagging behind and camp followers trying to flee south as fast as possible. For 20 minutes his troopers roamed through the streets slaughtering anyone with a foreign voice or strange clothes. By 4.30 he had brought everyone to order and was ready to set off. Four regiments were sent down the York Road and the rest headed south west to Sowerby. Newcastle sat outside Easingwold waiting for the Scots advance. Byron decided to continue on his march to Thirsk, in battle array as ordered. By 5.30 he was in Sowerby and had been met by Rupert and some of his men. Both armies mopped up some scots camp followers but otherwise saw no troops. All troops and horses were tired from marching and it was decided to over night in Thirsk before moving south in the morning. By 6.30 Rupert’s four regiments returned from a swift march down the a19 towards easingwold. It appears the Scots army is encamped across the road 2.5miles south of Thirsk with regiments facing back up to Thirsk... All the troops were tired from their days march and rested around the town. They now awaited what the 12 April would bring. At first light, 7am, things had begun to stir. The Scots at Sessay had attempted to march off at 5am but the darkness had thrown troops into confusion. As dawn broke the troops had almost reorganised themselves and the main body set off down the A19 towards Easingwold in line of march. 2000 men had been left a mile or so north of Hutton Sessay straddling the A19 but facing Thirsk around Thirkleby- 3 miles from the town. In Easingwold, Newcastle decided that as the Scots had not been seen or heard he would march to attack. His troops set off at first light in column of march too, with a small cavalry force out on his right flank. By 8am scouts from both sides had clashed across the A19. With both armies clearly close, the flanking forces were drawn in and troops deployed in line of battle half a mile south of Thormanby. Half a mile separated the armies as they faced each other, ready for battle at 8.30am. (with about 3 miles separating this battle line from the Scot’s defensive forces further north. At Thirsk, Rupert and Byron also began a cautious march south, aside the A19. Marching through fields and countryside took a little longer than marching down a road but by 9am they were within half a mile of the Scots force and poised to strike. The small Scots force at Thirkleby on the a19 was sat behind a stream and hedge giving a good defensive position. But 5 regiments of foot, one artillery battery and a mere 100 strong cavalry regiment were facing 6 foot and 13 horse regiments ! The Royalist’s powder supplies were somewhat depleted which meant some regiments had limited stocks – affecting their fighting ability but the Scots weren’t to know that! The Royalists deployed with cavalry on both flanks looking to sweep round the Scots but were also cautious about reinforcements and the whereabouts of the main Scots army. Rupert’s cavalry on the Royalist left swept forward quickly followed by Tuke’s contingent which hung back outside of the Scots musket range. On the Royalist right Byron and Goring’s horse were delayed by Wheldon’s 100 strong cavalry unit. Byrons foot advanced in the centre and despite much pounding from the artillert did not falter in its advance. The Scots hastily reorganised to avoid being outflanked with infantry falling back to stop flanking movements. By 9.45am the Royalist grand advance took place. In the distance to the south the sound of artillery and gunfire seemed to be heard. With the distant noise wafting across the field, Rupert’s cavalry and lifeguard, led from the front by Rupert himself, charged Crawford’s regiment. Instead of sweeping the foot away, both cavalry units took casualties but also inflicted them on the foot too. As the cavalry broke off Rupert was hit by a musket ball and was carried from the field severely injured. Both regiments flung themselves back against Crawford’s men and succeeded in causing enough casualties to break them. With the flank open the Royalists swept round. Rupert’s regiment was broken by Hepburn’s unit turning round to shoot them but this left Hepburn open to charges by several Royalist cavalry regiments in front and flank, with the inevitable consequences. On the Royalist right the Scots cavalry still fended off both of Byron’s regiments but in the centre Cassillis regiment behind the hedge simply melted away in the face of superior fire power. Things were bad for the Scots but their resistance had lasted longer than anticipated. By 10.30 all was lost. Loundon’s regiment advanced rather than retreat but became surrounded and surrendered. The remaining Scots were overwhelmed and looked for escape wherever possible. By 11.15 the Royalist cavalry had come to order and were ready to leave the field. Rupert’s regiment and his lifeguard retreated to Thirsk taking the injured Rupert with them. Byron was left in overall command and was left to ponder his next move. Meanwhile three miles south Leven had drawn his troops into battle line facing the rapidly deploying army of the Marquis of Newcastle. The Scots placed their few cavalry in centre reserve and on their left flank stiffened with commanded shot. 15 regiments of foot with artillery in the centre filled the rest of the battle line. Opposing them Newcastle had placed cavalry on either flank, and his 11 foot regiments of mainly poor quality and depleted ranks in the centre. His plan was to push forward with both flanks whilst delaying in the centre to await reinforcements from the north. Leven showing uncharacteristic reticence decided on pushing his cavalry to meet the Royalists on his left and holding his foot in place until the cavalry battle was won. As 9am passed the battle began in earnest. By 9.30 the Scots left flank was engaged by 4 Royalist horse regiments. By 9.45 Kirklington’s lancers had broken but Errington’s Royalist cavalry had fled from shooting. Both sides lost another horse unit to routing so it looked like first blood to the Scots as they had their left flank looking strong. On the Scots right however a death or glory charge by Blakeston had won a victory against the odds over the Scots right flank. A supporting charge by Langdale manages to wound Buccleugh, leaving his division leaderless. Campbell’s foot breaks and suddenly as 10am arrives the Scots right flank collapses. Back on their left flank the combined horse and infantry advance is making progress and getting the upperhand. By 10.30 as sounds of gunfire are heard to the north of the battlefield both sides push their centre lines forward to try make a decisive breakthrough. At 10.45 the Scots are heartened as Lawer’s poor regiment on their right holds off and routs Royalist cavalry despite being on the verge of breaking themselves. If the Scots right can hold off the Royalists for a little longer then the battle can be won on the left and centre where the odds are with the Scots. The centre line of infantry clash and the Royalists have the best of it. Both sides see units fleeing but the one superior foot unit on the field, Huddleson, breaks its opponents and cuts deep into the Scots centre. The Scots cavalry on their left finally collapse after failing to break their opponents. Leven personally leads his regiment in vital charge to try cut through the remaining Royalist cavalry. He fails and has to find shelter in a nearby pike block. What should seemingly have been a Scots victory in the foot battle does not seem to be happening. The significant number of poor quality troops on both sides makes gaining a decisive victory hard. But slowly and surely as 11am passes, the Scots on both flanks are routed and the Royalists flow round. The four or five untouched Scots foot regiments in the centre try to push on and finish off a rapidly depleted Royalist foot line but through a combination of bad power, poor luck and general misfortune their hopes are dashed. The Royalists lose several units who run off the field with tales of a Scots victory all the way to York. But the sad fact is that as the last Scots division is held off by five Whitecoat regiments of mixed quality the rest of Newcastle’s army is marching around the Scots flank and rear to cut off their retreat. The battle lingers on until noon where the Scots realise their victory is gone and that defeat is inevitable. Many units have fled north back towards Thirsk, whilst Baillie manages to march his regiment to safety. Newcastle’s army has taken a beating but is still strong enough to hold the field for a clear victory against all the odds. He has taken many casualties and many regiments have been decimated and broken. But half his cavalry remains on the field in action. All his horse have taken part in heavy fighting and are loath to pursue the Scots hard. So Newcastle is forced, but content, to gather his remaining troops together and take stock. By 1pm he is able to despatch two horse regiments north after the Scots and await news of the clash further north. As troops routed north they came across those retreating from the Royalist attack at Thirkleby.It was clear the Scots were trapped between two forces. Many troops then scattered but some headed north west across country to Carlton on the Great North Road. Leven and his generals managed to make that escape too but many of his forces were scattered or captured. As evening drew in Leven managed to take a roll call of troops who had reached the village and its vicinity. For the Royalists the afternoon was one of taking stock. Rupert had been badly injured and had retired to Thirsk with his regiment and Life Guard. Byron’s troops swept down the A19 towards Easingwold. The Scots camp was quickly encountered and for an hour or more Byron struggled to control his men and those of Rupert who plundered and laid waste. But all the time fleeing Scotsmen were waylaid, butcher, captured or let go depending how fate decided. By 3pm the picture was becoming clear to Byron and Newcastle. The Scots had been routed 4,000 men had been taken prisoner and the north has been saved for the King. With the day coming to a close, Newcastle and Byron’s men decided to see the day out at Easingwold. The remainder of Rupert’s cavalry went north to Thirsk to assess Rupert’s health and protect him from any retreating Scots. The Scots prisoners need guarding or sending somewhere and as the day closed it became clear that Rupert had been seriously wounded and would need several weeks rest before he would be in a position to command troops again.