BattlefieldsSecond Newbury 1644 Northern Attack Coordination Failure
English Civil War

Second Newbury 1644 Northern Attack Coordination Failure

1644
England
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Royalist army under Charles I approximately 9,000
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Parliamentary armies of Essex, Manchester and Waller combined approximately 19,000
Outcome
Indecisive result despite Parliamentary numerical superiority; Manchester failure to coordinate with the Speen attack allowed the Royalists to escape northward; the battle discredited Manchester and led directly to the Self-Denying Ordinance.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Second Battle of Newbury on 27 October 1644 involved a complex Parliamentary plan for Manchester and Waller to attack the northern face of the Royalist position at Speen while Essex held the southern face. The northern attack went in on schedule but Manchester delayed his assault for hours, allowing the Royalists to transfer forces and hold both faces until nightfall enabled their escape.

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