贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > tour through the eastern counties of england >

第5章

tour through the eastern counties of england-第5章

小说: tour through the eastern counties of england 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




Greenwich; were come to Stratford; and were advancing this way;

upon which news; Sir Charles Lucas; Sir George Lisle; Colonel Cook;

and several gentlemen of the loyal army; and all that had

commissions from the king; with a gallant appearance of gentlemen

volunteers; drew together from all parts of the country to join

with them。



The 8th; we were further informed that they were advanced to

Chelmsford; to New Hall House; and to Witham; and the 9th some of

the horse arrived in the town; taking possession of the gates; and

having engineers with them; told us that General Goring had

resolved to make this town his headquarters; and would cause it to

be well fortified。  They also caused the drums to beat for

volunteers; and a good number of the poor bay…weavers; and such…

like people; wanting employment; enlisted; so that they completed

Sir Charles Lucas's regiment; which was but thin; to near eight

hundred men。



On the 10th we had news that the Lord Fairfax; having beaten the

Royalists at Maidstone; and retaken Rochester; had passed the

Thames at Gravesend; though with great difficulty; and with some

loss; and was come to Horndon…on…the…Hill; in order to gain

Colchester before the Royalists; but that hearing Sir Charles Lucas

had prevented him; had ordered his rendezvous at Billerecay; and

intended to possess the pass at Malden on the 11th; where Sir

Thomas Honnywood; with the county…trained bands; was to be the same

day。



The same evening the Lord Goring; with all his forces; making about

five thousand six hundred men; horse and foot; came to Colchester;

and encamping without the suburbs; under command of the cannon of

St。 Mary's fort; made disposition to fight the Parliament forces if

they came up。



The 12th; the Lord Goring came into Colchester; viewed the fort in

St。 Mary's churchyard; ordered more cannon to be planted upon it;

posted two regiments in the suburbs without the head gate; let the

town know he would take them into his Majesty's protection; and

that he would fight the enemy in that situation。  The same evening

the Lord Fairfax; with a strong party of one thousand horse; came

to Lexden; at two small miles' distance; expecting the rest of his

army there the same night。



The Lord Goring brought in prisoners the same day; Sir William

Masham; and several other gentlemen of the county; who were secured

under a strong guard; which the Parliament hearing; ordered twenty

prisoners of the royal party to be singled out; declaring; that

they should be used in the same manner as the Lord Goring used Sir

William Masham; and the gentlemen prisoners with him。



On the 13th; early in the morning; our spies brought intelligence

that the Lord Fairfax; all his forces being come up to him; was

making dispositions for a march; resolving to attack the Royalists

in their camp; upon which; the Lord Goring drew all his forces

together; resolving to fight。  The engineers had offered the night

before to entrench his camp; and to draw a line round it in one

night's time; but his lordship declined it; and now there was no

time for it; whereupon the general; Lord Goring; drew up his army

in order of battle on both sides the road; the horse in the open

fields on the wings; the foot were drawn up; one regiment in the

road; one regiment on each side; and two regiments for reserve in

the suburb; just at the entrance of the town; with a regiment of

volunteers advanced as a forlorn hope; and a regiment of horse at

the head…gate; ready to support the reserve; as occasion should

require。



About nine in the morning we heard the enemy's drums beat a march;

and in half an hour more their first troops appeared on the higher

grounds towards Lexden。  Immediately the cannon from St。 Mary's

fired upon them; and put some troops of horse into confusion; doing

great execution; which; they not being able to shun it; made them

quicken their pace; fall on; when our cannon were obliged to cease

firing; lest we should hurt our own troops as well as the enemy。

Soon after; their foot appeared; and our cannon saluted them in

like manner; and killed them a great many men。



Their first line of foot was led up by Colonel Barkstead; and

consisted of three regiments of foot; making about 1;700 men; and

these charged our regiment in the lane; commanded by Sir George

Lisle and Sir William Campion。  They fell on with great fury; and

were received with as much gallantry; and three times repulsed; nor

could they break in here; though the Lord Fairfax sent fresh men to

support them; till the Royalists' horse; oppressed with numbers on

the left; were obliged to retire; and at last to come full gallop

into the street; and so on into the town。  Nay; still the foot

stood firm; and the volunteers; being all gentlemen; kept their

ground with the greatest resolution; but the left wing being

routed; as above; Sir William Campion was obliged to make a front

to the left; and lining the hedge with his musketeers; made a stand

with a body of pikes against the enemy's horse; and prevented them

entering the lane。  Here that gallant gentleman was killed with a

carabine shot; and after a very gallant resistance; the horse on

the right being also overpowered; the word was given to retreat;

which; however; was done in such good order; the regiments of

reserve standing drawn up at the end of the street; ready to

receive the enemy's horse upon the points of their pikes; that the

royal troops came on in the openings between the regiments; and

entered the town with very little loss; and in very good order。



By this; however; those regiments of reserve were brought at last

to sustain the efforts of the enemy's whole army; till being

overpowered by numbers they were put into disorder; and forced to

get into the town in the best manner they could; by which means

near two hundred men were killed or made prisoners。



Encouraged by this success the enemy pushed on; supposing they

should enter the town pell…mell with the rest; nor did the

Royalists hinder them; but let good part of Barkstead's own

regiment enter the head…gate; but then sallying from St。 Mary's

with a choice body of foot on their left; and the horse rallying in

the High Street; and charging them again in the front; they were

driven back quite into the street of the suburb; and most of those

that had so rashly entered were cut in pieces。



Thus they were repulsed at the south entrance into the town; and

though they attempted to storm three times after that with great

resolution; yet they were as often beaten back; and that with great

havoc of their men; and the cannon from the fort all the while did

execution upon those who stood drawn up to support them; so that at

last; seeing no good to be done; they retreated; having small joy

of their pretended victory。



They lost in this action Colonel Needham; who commanded a regiment

called the Tower Guards; and who fought very desperately; Captain

Cox; an old experienced horse officer; and several other officers

of note; with a great many private men; though; as they had the

field; they concealed their number; giving out that they lost but a

hundred; when we were assured they lost near a thousand men besides

the wounded。



They took some of our men prisoners; occasioned by the regiment of

Colonel Farr; and two more sustaining the shock of their whole

army; to secure the retreat of the main body; as above。



The 14th; the Lord Fairfax finding he was not able to carry the

town by storm; without the formality of a siege; took his

headquarters at Lexden; and sent to London and to Suffolk for more

forces; also he ordered the trained bands to be raised and posted

on the roads to prevent succours。  Notwithstanding which; divers

gentlemen; with some assistance of men and arms; found means to get

into the town。



The very same night they began to break ground; and particularly to

raise a fort between Colc

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的