Battle of Alton
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Alton (also Storm of Alton), of the First English Civil War
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
, Hampshire
, England
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
of Royalist
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
, Surrey
, Sussex
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities.
The Battle of Alton (also Storm of Alton), of the First English Civil War
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
, Hampshire
, England
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
of Royalist
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
, Surrey
, Sussex
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities.
The Battle of Alton (also Storm of Alton), of the First English Civil War
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
, Hampshire
, England
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
of Royalist
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
, Surrey
, Sussex
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities. He marched further that day, but later retreated to Farnham. On 2 November, Waller attacked one hundred men of Colonel Bennett's at Alton. From 7–9 November, Waller laid siege to Basing House
, but withdrew to Basingstoke
in failure, with his soldiers near mutiny from poor weather conditions. He tried again on the night of 11 November, but retreated to Farnham to await Hopton's army.
Lord Hopton arrived on 27 November, given by King Charles
1580 horse, but only around 2000 conscripted infantry and 500 troops recently returned from fighting in Munster
, Ireland
. Hopton had been ordered in late September to make secure Dorset
, Wiltshire
and Hampshire, and to push as far as possible toward London. Toward this end, Hopton spread his men across Hampshire County, quartering them for the winter at Winchester, Alresford
, Petersfield
and Alton. He did so to alleviate the burden on any one town, and because winter was approaching quickly. However, this left his army vulnerable. Hopton placed Lord Crawford charge of Alton, and on 1 December Crawford began to fortify the small town as quickly as he could. Crawford had at his disposal one cavalry regiment
and one infantry regiment, though his exact number of men is unknown; it was likely around 1000.
", promising an ox in exchange. When the wine was sent, Crawford refused to send the ox, challenging Waller to fetch it himself.
Reverend G.N. Godwin's Civil War in Hampshire (1882)
During this exchange, Waller, eager to repair his reputation after Roundway Down, promptly decided to attack Alton, the nearest Royalist outpost to Farnham and only ten miles away. According to the Mercurius Aulicus
, a contemporary publication, Crawford was watching only the main road from Farnham at this time.
Waller's forces reached the western side of Alton at around 9:00 a.m., capturing six of Crawford's sentries posted in the north. One Royalist sentry, however, managed to raise the alarm just before dawn, leading Crawford and his horse to quit Alton and head for Winchester at a gallop, as Waller approached the town. It is reported that they had promised the remaining infantry men that they would return soon with reinforcements. Initially, Crawford and his cavalry attempted to flee from the eastern border of Alton, but were routed back into town and to the south (heading directly for Winchester) by Parliamentary horse. The fleeing Royalists were chased for a half-mile by Waller's heavy cavalry (these under Sir Arthur Haslerig and nicknamed the "Lobsters"), losing a few men and some number of horses. Haslerig, forfeiting pursuit, guarded the entrances to the town.
Meanwhile, Boles's men concentrated to the north-west corner of town, before the Church of St. Lawrence. A regiment of Waller's infantry, five companies of Haslerig's, and five companies of Kentish Men
attacked Alton from the north and north-west. The Royalist infantry, however, took effective cover inside buildings, out of which they fired quickly; they particularly favoured a large brick house near the church. This house, however, was soon abandoned as Waller's artillery, positioned at the foot of the hill to the west, fired upon it, forcing these defenders to retreat to the church. The Parliamentary regiments from London and four companies from Farnham Castle
descended the hill: Waller's Red Regiment attacked a lunette
and breastwork
which the Royalists had built and which they were using as an effective fortification
. The Green Regiment flanked the Royalists which were behind these fortifications forcing them out, while marching through town under the cover of smoke from a thatch house which they had set on fire. Soon after, the rest of Waller's men entered the town en masse, flying their colours and pushing Boles's men back to the Church of St. Lawrence. From the church and nearby fortifications (including a large earthwork
on its north side), the Royalists held their ground for two hours. The Royalists fired from the windows of the church, and employed a scaffolding
inside the church proper to fire from greater heights.
Eventually, the Parliamentarians forced the Royalists to abandon the south-east part of the wall around the church. However, since the retreating men had left their muskets sticking up, the Parliamentarians were temporarily unaware that the Royalists had left. After some time it was concluded that the defenders had gone, and the Parliamentary army promptly attacked the churchyard
, driving the last of Boles's men into the church itself. Waller's forces threw hand grenades into the windows while working to enter the church themselves. Inside the building, Boles declared he would, "run his sword through him which first called for quarter [i.e. surrendered]." There had been no time for the Royalists to barricade the church doors, and the Parliamentarians soon managed to gain entry. Inside, the Royalists shot from behind a jerry-rigged breastwork of dead horses. Some of Boles's men were killed; other surrendered. Boles did not give up, and he killed as many as seven men before being killed himself. With Boles killed, all but a few of the Royalists requested quarter.
Inscribed in Boles's honour was this epitaph:
Waller ordered his men to demolish the town's fortifications, and had survivors that did not re-enlist paraded through the streets of London to mark his victory. Lord Crawford's hat, cloak and gifted wine were all left behind in Alton. From then on, it was said that Lord Crawford, in fleeing, "left his sack at Alton". King Charles
, upon hearing of Boles's death, called for a mourning
scarf, lamenting at the loss of what he considered to be one of "the best Commanders in this Kingdome". In the following weeks, letters were sent from Crawford and Hopton to Waller:
Sir, your servant, Crawford
Winton, 16 December. Ralf Hopton.
Hopton was severely depressed by his defeat at Alton, actually more than was appropriate given its military import. On the Parliamentarian side, the morale boost enjoyed by Waller was significant, and on 15 December, the House of Commons of England
ordered Sir Arthur Haslerig and Sir Gilbert Gerard to draft a letter to Sir William Waller commending him for his success. The Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Alton allowed Waller to advance south-east, and upon Arundel where he began a successful siege on the Royalists garrisoned there. Hopton was unable to break the siege with his few remaining foot soldiers, and the 1000 horse he received from Oxford
were unhelpful. After the Siege of Arundel, both armies were forced to retire for the winter due to the harsh weather.
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford took part in the strange plot of 1641 called The Incident. Having joined King Charles I at Nottingham in 1642, he fought at the Battle of Edgehill, at the Battle of Newbury and elsewhere during the English Civil War; in 1644, just after the Battle of Marston...
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:Hopton was the son of Robert Hopton of Witham Somerset. He was apparently educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and served in the army of Frederick V, Elector Palatine in the early campaigns of the Thirty...
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
Church of St Lawrence, Alton
The Church of St Lawrence, Alton is an Anglican parish church in Alton, Hampshire, England. A Grade 1 listed building, it is notable for the range of its architecture and for being the site of the concluding action of the Battle of Alton during the English Civil War.-History:The Church of St...
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
Background
On 13 September 1643, English Parliament ordered Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
Battle of Roundway Down
The Battle of Roundway Down was fought on 13 July 1643, during the First English Civil War. A Royalist cavalry force under Lord Wilmot won a crushing victory over the Parliamentarians under Sir William Waller who were besieging Devizes in central Wiltshire, which was defended by Lord Hopton...
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
Odiham
Odiham is a historic village and large civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The current population is 4,406. The parish contains an acreage of 7,354 acres with 50 acres of land covered with water. The nearest...
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
Old Basing
Old Basing is a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It is situated just to the east of Basingstoke, and in the 2001 census had a population of 7,232...
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities.
The Battle of Alton (also Storm of Alton), of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford took part in the strange plot of 1641 called The Incident. Having joined King Charles I at Nottingham in 1642, he fought at the Battle of Edgehill, at the Battle of Newbury and elsewhere during the English Civil War; in 1644, just after the Battle of Marston...
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:Hopton was the son of Robert Hopton of Witham Somerset. He was apparently educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and served in the army of Frederick V, Elector Palatine in the early campaigns of the Thirty...
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
Church of St Lawrence, Alton
The Church of St Lawrence, Alton is an Anglican parish church in Alton, Hampshire, England. A Grade 1 listed building, it is notable for the range of its architecture and for being the site of the concluding action of the Battle of Alton during the English Civil War.-History:The Church of St...
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
Background
On 13 September 1643, English Parliament ordered Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
Battle of Roundway Down
The Battle of Roundway Down was fought on 13 July 1643, during the First English Civil War. A Royalist cavalry force under Lord Wilmot won a crushing victory over the Parliamentarians under Sir William Waller who were besieging Devizes in central Wiltshire, which was defended by Lord Hopton...
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
Odiham
Odiham is a historic village and large civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The current population is 4,406. The parish contains an acreage of 7,354 acres with 50 acres of land covered with water. The nearest...
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
Old Basing
Old Basing is a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It is situated just to the east of Basingstoke, and in the 2001 census had a population of 7,232...
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities.
The Battle of Alton (also Storm of Alton), of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford
Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford took part in the strange plot of 1641 called The Incident. Having joined King Charles I at Nottingham in 1642, he fought at the Battle of Edgehill, at the Battle of Newbury and elsewhere during the English Civil War; in 1644, just after the Battle of Marston...
. In the context of the First English Civil War, the Battle of Alton was the first decisive defeat of Sir Ralph Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:Hopton was the son of Robert Hopton of Witham Somerset. He was apparently educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and served in the army of Frederick V, Elector Palatine in the early campaigns of the Thirty...
, leader of Royalist forces in the south, and the event had a significant psychological effect on him as commander. More important to Hopton was the loss of men, however, as he was already short-handed in much-needed infantry. The successful Parliamentarians were able, after their victory, to attack and successfully besiege Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
, a larger and more formidable Royalist outpost in the south of England.
At dawn on the 13th, as Lord Waller's army approached Alton, Lord Crawford fled with the cavalry to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, leaving Colonel Richardus Boles to defend Alton with only the infantry. Outnumbered and overpowered, Boles's men were soon forced to seek refuge in the Church of St. Lawrence
Church of St Lawrence, Alton
The Church of St Lawrence, Alton is an Anglican parish church in Alton, Hampshire, England. A Grade 1 listed building, it is notable for the range of its architecture and for being the site of the concluding action of the Battle of Alton during the English Civil War.-History:The Church of St...
, where they made a desperate last stand. Boles was killed, along with most of his remaining men. The Parliamentarians won a clear victory, losing only a few men and taking many prisoners.
Boles's fight is also notable for its demonstrated drama and heroism. Stories boast of Boles, who is said to have killed a number of his enemies before falling himself. The battle of Alton is known as one of the "most savage encounters" of the English Civil War. Indeed, musket holes from this fierce but hopeless fight can still be seen in the south door to the church and inside, where so many cornered men were killed and captured. The Battle of Alton was notably the first battle in the English Civil War to use leather guns, employed effectively by Waller before and during the battle proper.
Background
On 13 September 1643, English Parliament ordered Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William Waller to muster forces for the "protection" of Hampshire County. In November, he was given control of forces stationed in Farnham, a major Parliamentary staging ground, in order to take control of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Hampshire. These forces were supplemented by the Red Regiment (from Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
) and the Green and Yellow Regiments (from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). Also at Waller's disposal were a personal regiment of foot soldiers and surviving cavalry from the Battle of Roundway Down
Battle of Roundway Down
The Battle of Roundway Down was fought on 13 July 1643, during the First English Civil War. A Royalist cavalry force under Lord Wilmot won a crushing victory over the Parliamentarians under Sir William Waller who were besieging Devizes in central Wiltshire, which was defended by Lord Hopton...
.
Waller marched from Farnam for Odiham
Odiham
Odiham is a historic village and large civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The current population is 4,406. The parish contains an acreage of 7,354 acres with 50 acres of land covered with water. The nearest...
and Alton, intending to occupy these towns while gradually approaching his objective, Basing
Old Basing
Old Basing is a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It is situated just to the east of Basingstoke, and in the 2001 census had a population of 7,232...
. While not of great strategic importance, Basing's proximity to the main road between London, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, and Winchester made it worthy of attention. Marching toward Alton, Waller halted at Bentley Green on 3 November, where he determined his capabilities. He marched further that day, but later retreated to Farnham. On 2 November, Waller attacked one hundred men of Colonel Bennett's at Alton. From 7–9 November, Waller laid siege to Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
, but withdrew to Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
in failure, with his soldiers near mutiny from poor weather conditions. He tried again on the night of 11 November, but retreated to Farnham to await Hopton's army.
Lord Hopton arrived on 27 November, given by King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
1580 horse, but only around 2000 conscripted infantry and 500 troops recently returned from fighting in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Hopton had been ordered in late September to make secure Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and Hampshire, and to push as far as possible toward London. Toward this end, Hopton spread his men across Hampshire County, quartering them for the winter at Winchester, Alresford
Old Alresford
Old Alresford is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated some 1 km north of the town of New Alresford, 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester, and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton....
, Petersfield
Petersfield
Petersfield can refer to any of the following places:*Petersfield, Hampshire, a market town in England*Petersfield, Jamaica, a small town in the parish of Westmoreland*Petersfield, Manitoba, in Canada*Petersfield, an area of Cambridge, England...
and Alton. He did so to alleviate the burden on any one town, and because winter was approaching quickly. However, this left his army vulnerable. Hopton placed Lord Crawford charge of Alton, and on 1 December Crawford began to fortify the small town as quickly as he could. Crawford had at his disposal one cavalry regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
and one infantry regiment, though his exact number of men is unknown; it was likely around 1000.
Preparations
During the week prior to the Battle of Alton, Waller scouted the town and planned his attack. He confided his intent to only a few of his senior men, maintaining secrecy. Waller did make another raid on the evening of 9 December, where a small party of his forces struck at Crawford's lodging but fell back after the minor attack. During the morning hours of 12 December, Lord Crawford sent a missive to Farnham, requesting of Waller that he be sent a "runlet of sackSack (wine)
Sack is an antiquated wine term referring to white fortified wine imported from mainland Spain or the Canary Islands. There were sack of different origins such as:* Canary sack from the Canary Islands,* Malaga sack from Málaga,...
", promising an ox in exchange. When the wine was sent, Crawford refused to send the ox, challenging Waller to fetch it himself.
During this exchange, Waller, eager to repair his reputation after Roundway Down, promptly decided to attack Alton, the nearest Royalist outpost to Farnham and only ten miles away. According to the Mercurius Aulicus
Mercurius Aulicus
Mercurius Aulicus was one of the "most important early newspapers" in England, famous during the English Civil War for its role in Royalist propaganda.-Creation:...
, a contemporary publication, Crawford was watching only the main road from Farnham at this time.
Battle
Sir William Waller mustered his men in Farnham Park near 10:30 p.m., 12 December. At around midnight, 5000 of Waller's men marched west from Farnham toward Basing House. The Parliamentarians marched about two miles in this direction (in order to confuse Royalist scouts), until around 1:00 a.m., before abruptly turning south toward Alton. The march was quick and quiet, owing to a long frost which had hardened the roads and Waller's judicious use of wooded areas. Also helpful in Waller's advance was his use of leather guns, here employed for the first time in the English Civil War. Unlike heavier artillery, a leather gun could be led by a single horse, transported efficiently over difficult terrain, and still be an effective tool for bombardment.Waller's forces reached the western side of Alton at around 9:00 a.m., capturing six of Crawford's sentries posted in the north. One Royalist sentry, however, managed to raise the alarm just before dawn, leading Crawford and his horse to quit Alton and head for Winchester at a gallop, as Waller approached the town. It is reported that they had promised the remaining infantry men that they would return soon with reinforcements. Initially, Crawford and his cavalry attempted to flee from the eastern border of Alton, but were routed back into town and to the south (heading directly for Winchester) by Parliamentary horse. The fleeing Royalists were chased for a half-mile by Waller's heavy cavalry (these under Sir Arthur Haslerig and nicknamed the "Lobsters"), losing a few men and some number of horses. Haslerig, forfeiting pursuit, guarded the entrances to the town.
Meanwhile, Boles's men concentrated to the north-west corner of town, before the Church of St. Lawrence. A regiment of Waller's infantry, five companies of Haslerig's, and five companies of Kentish Men
West Kent
West Kent and East Kent are one-time traditional subdivisions of the English county of Kent, kept alive by the Association of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men: an organisation formed in 1913....
attacked Alton from the north and north-west. The Royalist infantry, however, took effective cover inside buildings, out of which they fired quickly; they particularly favoured a large brick house near the church. This house, however, was soon abandoned as Waller's artillery, positioned at the foot of the hill to the west, fired upon it, forcing these defenders to retreat to the church. The Parliamentary regiments from London and four companies from Farnham Castle
Farnham Castle
Farnham Castle is a castle in Farnham, Surrey, England .First built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, Bishop of Winchester, the castle was to become the home of the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years. The original building was demolished by Henry II in 1155 after...
descended the hill: Waller's Red Regiment attacked a lunette
Lunette (fortification)
In fortification a lunette was originally an outwork of half-moon shape; later it became a redan with short flanks, in trace somewhat resembling a bastion standing by itself without curtains on either side...
and breastwork
Breastwork (fortification)
A breastwork is a fortification. The term is usually applied to temporary fortifications, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position...
which the Royalists had built and which they were using as an effective fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
. The Green Regiment flanked the Royalists which were behind these fortifications forcing them out, while marching through town under the cover of smoke from a thatch house which they had set on fire. Soon after, the rest of Waller's men entered the town en masse, flying their colours and pushing Boles's men back to the Church of St. Lawrence. From the church and nearby fortifications (including a large earthwork
Earthworks (engineering)
Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving or processing of quantities of soil or unformed rock.- Civil engineering use :Typical earthworks include roads, railway beds, causeways, dams, levees, canals, and berms...
on its north side), the Royalists held their ground for two hours. The Royalists fired from the windows of the church, and employed a scaffolding
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes or tubes, although it can be from other materials...
inside the church proper to fire from greater heights.
Eventually, the Parliamentarians forced the Royalists to abandon the south-east part of the wall around the church. However, since the retreating men had left their muskets sticking up, the Parliamentarians were temporarily unaware that the Royalists had left. After some time it was concluded that the defenders had gone, and the Parliamentary army promptly attacked the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
, driving the last of Boles's men into the church itself. Waller's forces threw hand grenades into the windows while working to enter the church themselves. Inside the building, Boles declared he would, "run his sword through him which first called for quarter [i.e. surrendered]." There had been no time for the Royalists to barricade the church doors, and the Parliamentarians soon managed to gain entry. Inside, the Royalists shot from behind a jerry-rigged breastwork of dead horses. Some of Boles's men were killed; other surrendered. Boles did not give up, and he killed as many as seven men before being killed himself. With Boles killed, all but a few of the Royalists requested quarter.
Inscribed in Boles's honour was this epitaph:
- Alton will tell you of that famous Fight
- Which ys man made, and bade this world good-night.
- His Vertious Life fear'd not Mortality,
- His body must, his Vertues cannot die,
- Because his Bloud was there so nobly spent,
- This is his Tombe; that Church his Monument.
- Ricardus Boles, Wiltoniensis in Art. Mag.
- Composuit Posuitque Dolens. An. Domi 1679.
Aftermath
During and after the battle, Waller captured at least 500 men , around 100 of these re-enlisting with him. Additionally, more than 100 Royalist soldiers were killed. Together, the men lost represented nearly half of Hopton's infantry forces in the south. Waller, on the other hand, lost around ten men and gained much reputation for his success. Waller put his prisoners to work dragging the horse carcasses from the church, dismantling the scaffoldings inside, and burying their fallen comrades near the northern wall of the building. All of the captured men were then marched to Farnham tied together in pairs.Waller ordered his men to demolish the town's fortifications, and had survivors that did not re-enlist paraded through the streets of London to mark his victory. Lord Crawford's hat, cloak and gifted wine were all left behind in Alton. From then on, it was said that Lord Crawford, in fleeing, "left his sack at Alton". King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, upon hearing of Boles's death, called for a mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
scarf, lamenting at the loss of what he considered to be one of "the best Commanders in this Kingdome". In the following weeks, letters were sent from Crawford and Hopton to Waller:
Hopton was severely depressed by his defeat at Alton, actually more than was appropriate given its military import. On the Parliamentarian side, the morale boost enjoyed by Waller was significant, and on 15 December, the House of Commons of England
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
ordered Sir Arthur Haslerig and Sir Gilbert Gerard to draft a letter to Sir William Waller commending him for his success. The Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Alton allowed Waller to advance south-east, and upon Arundel where he began a successful siege on the Royalists garrisoned there. Hopton was unable to break the siege with his few remaining foot soldiers, and the 1000 horse he received from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
were unhelpful. After the Siege of Arundel, both armies were forced to retire for the winter due to the harsh weather.