William Vaughan (royalist)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Vaughan was an English royalist commander in the First English Civil War
. He was killed at the Battle of Rathmines
.
. Having joined the royalist forces at Chester
under John Byron, 1st Baron Byron
, he took part in Welsh and northern engagements during the ensuing summer. On 25 March, with Colonel Ellis, he defeated Thomas Mytton
at Lilleshall
. He defeated parliamentary cavalry at Much Wenlock
on 9 May; then during May and June that year, he and his regiment took part in the campaign to relieve the besieged city of York, which ended with the disastrous Battle of Marston Moor
on 2 July. In September he accompanied Byron to the relief of Montgomery
. On 8 September with Sir Michael Erneley he advanced from Shrewsbury
, surprised Thomas Myddelton
who retreated towards Oswestry
, and shut Mytton up in Montgomery..On 18 September Sir John Meldrum defeated Byron and Erneley, with Vaughan not much involved.
He was appointed governor of Shrawardine Castle in Shropshire
, which he garrisoned on 28 September. In early October he was surprised and taken prisoner by Mytton, in Shrawardine church. He was allowed to re-enter the castle on the pretext of persuading a surrender, but, breaking his parole, he raised the drawbridge. During the following winter he was general of Shropshire, he quartered his own regiment in the various garrisons of the county, and left his clergyman brother James in command of Shrawardine. He continued to harass parliamentarians in the district.
When the king in May 1645 marched from Oxford
towards Chester, he was met on the 17th at Newport, Shropshire
(or Evesham
), by Vaughan. He was defeated by Oliver Cromwell
on 27 April at Bampton
in Oxfordshire
. During the next four weeks he accompanied the king), and at the battle of Naseby
he took part in the charge that pierced through the enemy's force. After that defeat he fell back on Shropshire, where on 4 and 5 July he won two victories, resulting in the relief of High Ercall
. Vaughan was shortly after directed by Prince Maurice to join Prince Rupert at Bristol
, but for a few months he attended the king in his marches along the Welsh borders, accompanying him to Newark
, where towards the end of October he was appointed general of the horse in all Wales, and in Shropshire, Worcestershire
, Staffordshire
, and Herefordshire
. He marched back to Denbighshire
to organise the royalist troops there and relieve Chester (then besieged by Sir William Brereton
), but on 1 November was attacked and defeated by Mytton and Colonel Michael Jones
, just outside the town of Denbigh
. Vaughan's routed horse made their way to Knighton, Radnorshire, where on 13 November the party broke up; but many, with their commander, found temporary quarters at Leominster
, but soon had to escape to Worcester
. Early in December he received orders to renew the attempt to relieve Chester, whereupon he began the difficult task of reinforcing his troops, chiefly around Leominster and Ludlow
.
In January 1646 he joined his forces with those of Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
, and they hovered about Bridgnorth
, waiting for Lord St. Paul with Welsh troops; but their junction with him failing, Vaughan and Astley had to fall back once more on Worcester
. On 22 March their joint forces were completely broken up at the battle of Stow-on-the-Wold
in Gloucestershire
, by Brereton, who had hurried in pursuit of them immediately after he had taken Chester.
The war being practically at an end, Vaughan went to The Hague
. There in November 1648 Prince Rupert gave him the command of a ship. In Ireland he became major-general of horse under Ormonde. When General Michael Jones, however, surprised the royalists at Rathmines, on 2 August 1649, Vaughan led the charge in repulsing him, but was killed at the head of his men.
On 8 October 1651 Charles Vaughan, his administrator, applied for leave to compound for his estate, and permission was granted.
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...
. He was killed at the Battle of Rathmines
Battle of Rathmines
The Battle of Rathmines was fought in and around what is now the Dublin suburb of Rathmines in August 1649, during the Irish Confederate Wars, the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
.
Life
He appears to have been serving in the Irish campaign of 1643, for towards the end of the following January the Marquis of Ormonde despatched him (already described as Sir William) from Dublin at the head of some 160 horse, with which he landed early in February 1644 at Neston in CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. Having joined the royalist forces at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
under John Byron, 1st Baron Byron
John Byron, 1st Baron Byron
John Byron, 1st Baron Byron was an English Royalist and supporter of Charles I during the English Civil War.-Life:...
, he took part in Welsh and northern engagements during the ensuing summer. On 25 March, with Colonel Ellis, he defeated Thomas Mytton
Thomas Mytton
-Life:Born about 1597, son of Richard Mytton of Halston, Shropshire, by Margaret, daughter of Thomas Owen of Condover, he matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, on 11 May 1615, aged 18. He became a student of Lincoln's Inn in 1616...
at Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
. He defeated parliamentary cavalry at Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...
on 9 May; then during May and June that year, he and his regiment took part in the campaign to relieve the besieged city of York, which ended with the disastrous Battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
on 2 July. In September he accompanied Byron to the relief of Montgomery
Montgomery, Powys
The historic county town of Montgomery in Powys, Wales lies just three miles from the English border in the Welsh Marches. It is best known for its castle, Montgomery Castle, begun in 1223, and its parish church, begun in 1227. However its origins go back much further, as seen by the Celtic Iron...
. On 8 September with Sir Michael Erneley he advanced from Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, surprised Thomas Myddelton
Thomas Myddelton (younger)
Sir Thomas Myddelton of Chirk Castle was a Welsh politician and Parliamentary general.-Early life:He was the son of Sir Thomas Myddelton. He matriculated from Queen's College, Oxford, on 22 February 1605, and became a student of Gray's Inn in 1607. he was knighted on 10 February 1617, and was M.P...
who retreated towards Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
, and shut Mytton up in Montgomery..On 18 September Sir John Meldrum defeated Byron and Erneley, with Vaughan not much involved.
He was appointed governor of Shrawardine Castle in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, which he garrisoned on 28 September. In early October he was surprised and taken prisoner by Mytton, in Shrawardine church. He was allowed to re-enter the castle on the pretext of persuading a surrender, but, breaking his parole, he raised the drawbridge. During the following winter he was general of Shropshire, he quartered his own regiment in the various garrisons of the county, and left his clergyman brother James in command of Shrawardine. He continued to harass parliamentarians in the district.
When the king in May 1645 marched 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...
towards Chester, he was met on the 17th at Newport, Shropshire
Newport, Shropshire
Newport is a market town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It lies some north of Telford and some west of Stafford sitting on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border...
(or Evesham
Evesham
Evesham is a market town and a civil parish in the Local Authority District of Wychavon in the county of Worcestershire, England with a population of 22,000. It is located roughly equidistant between Worcester, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon...
), by Vaughan. He was defeated by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
on 27 April at Bampton
Bampton, Oxfordshire
Bampton, also called Bampton-in-the-Bush, is a village and civil parish in the Thames Valley about southwest of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Weald....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. During the next four weeks he accompanied the king), and at the battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
he took part in the charge that pierced through the enemy's force. After that defeat he fell back on Shropshire, where on 4 and 5 July he won two victories, resulting in the relief of High Ercall
High Ercall
High Ercall, also known in the past as Ercall Magna, is a village in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The civil parish is still called Ercall Magna, and had a total population of 1,679 at the 2001 census. The parish also includes the villages of...
. Vaughan was shortly after directed by Prince Maurice to join Prince Rupert at Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, but for a few months he attended the king in his marches along the Welsh borders, accompanying him to Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
, where towards the end of October he was appointed general of the horse in all Wales, and in Shropshire, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, and Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
. He marched back to Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
to organise the royalist troops there and relieve Chester (then besieged by Sir William Brereton
Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet
Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1659. He was a commander in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....
), but on 1 November was attacked and defeated by Mytton and Colonel Michael Jones
Michael Jones (soldier)
Lieutenant-General Michael Jones fought for King Charles I during the Irish Confederate War but joined the English Parliamentary side when the English Civil War started....
, just outside the town of Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
. Vaughan's routed horse made their way to Knighton, Radnorshire, where on 13 November the party broke up; but many, with their commander, found temporary quarters at Leominster
Leominster
Leominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...
, but soon had to escape to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. Early in December he received orders to renew the attempt to relieve Chester, whereupon he began the difficult task of reinforcing his troops, chiefly around Leominster and Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
.
In January 1646 he joined his forces with those of Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:He came from an established Norfolk family, and was born at Melton Constable. His first experiences of war were at the age of 18 when he joined the Islands Voyage expedition in 1597 under the Earl of...
, and they hovered about Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
, waiting for Lord St. Paul with Welsh troops; but their junction with him failing, Vaughan and Astley had to fall back once more on Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. On 22 March their joint forces were completely broken up at the battle of Stow-on-the-Wold
Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold
The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold took place during the English Civil War. In the Spring of 1646, King Charles I of England was getting ever more desperate to hold the Royalist cause together whilst waiting for the long promised relief forces from Ireland, Scotland and France...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, by Brereton, who had hurried in pursuit of them immediately after he had taken Chester.
The war being practically at an end, Vaughan went to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. There in November 1648 Prince Rupert gave him the command of a ship. In Ireland he became major-general of horse under Ormonde. When General Michael Jones, however, surprised the royalists at Rathmines, on 2 August 1649, Vaughan led the charge in repulsing him, but was killed at the head of his men.
On 8 October 1651 Charles Vaughan, his administrator, applied for leave to compound for his estate, and permission was granted.