BattlefieldsReading Siege 1643 — Parliamentary First Civil War Investment
English Civil War

Reading Siege 1643 — Parliamentary First Civil War Investment

1643
England
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Royalist
Forces
Royalist Reading garrison under Colonel Fielding approximately 3,000
VS
Victor
Parliament
Forces
Parliamentary army under Essex approximately 16,000
Outcome
Parliamentary capture of Reading April 1643. Garrison marched out on terms. Fielding later court-martialled by the king though eventually pardoned.
The Battle

History & Significance

The first siege of Reading in April 1643 saw Parliamentary forces under the Earl of Essex invest the Royalist garrison town. The garrison under Colonel Richard Fielding bombarded and sorties repeatedly but the town was too exposed and Fielding negotiated a surrender when a relief force failed to break through. Charles I subsequently court-martialled Fielding for surrendering prematurely.

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