Editing New Model Army (section)

===Establishment and character===
[[File:Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Oliver Cromwell]], appointed commander of the cavalry]]

Parliament authorised an Army of 22,000 soldiers, most of whom came from three existing Parliamentarian armies; that commanded by the Earl of Essex, Waller's Southern Association and the Eastern Association under the Earl of Manchester.{{Sfn|Wanklyn|2014|pp=109–110}} It comprised 6,600 cavalry, divided into eleven units of 600 men, 14,400 foot, comprising twelve regiments of 1,200 men, and 1,000 [[dragoon]]s. Originally each regiment of cavalry had a company of dragoons attached, but at the urging of Fairfax on 1 March they were formed into a separate unit commanded by Colonel [[John Okey]].{{Sfn|Ede-Borrett|2009|pp=206–207}} Although the cavalry regiments were already up to strength, the infantry was severely understrength and in May 1645 was still 4,000 men below the approved level.{{sfn|Rogers|1968|p=207}}

By creating fewer but larger regiments, the re-organisation greatly reduced the requirement for officers and senior [[Non-commissioned officer|NCOs]]. Fairfax had more than double the number of officers available for his 200 vacancies and those deemed surplus to requirements were either discharged or persuaded to re-enlist at a lower rank.{{Sfn|Wanklyn|2014|p=111}} Essex and Manchester raised objections to around 30% of those on the list, for reasons that are still debated, but ultimately only five changes were approved.{{Sfn|HMSO|1802|pp=64–65}} In addition, several Scots officers refused to take up their appointments, including [[John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton|John Middleton]], originally colonel of the Second Regiment of Horse.{{Sfn|Temple|1986|p=64}}

The standard daily pay was 8 pence for infantry and 2 [[Shilling (English coin)|shillings]] for cavalry, who also had to supply their own horses, while the administration of the Army was more centralised, with improved provision of adequate food, clothing and other supplies. At the same time, recruits were also supposed to be motivated by religious fervour, as demonstrated in the "Soldier's catechism", written by [[Robert Ram]].{{sfn|Ram|1644|p=15}} On 9 June 1645, Sir [[Samuel Luke]], one of the officers discharged, wrote the Army was "the bravest for bodies of men, horse and arms so far as the common soldiers as ever I saw in my life". However, he later complained many soldiers were drunk and their officers were often indistinguishable from enlisted men.{{sfn|Rogers|1968|pp=208–209}}

The extent to which the Army can be seen as a hotbed of religious and political radicalism is disputed, particularly since many of those now viewed as radicals, like [[Thomas Horton (soldier)|Thomas Horton]] or [[Thomas Pride]], were not considered such at the time. It is generally agreed that Fairfax, himself a moderate Presbyterian, sought to achieve a balance, while Essex and Manchester tried to remove those they viewed as unsuitable.{{Sfn|Wanklyn|2014|pp=113–115}} What is debated is whether they did so for military reasons, favouring the retention of established officer cadres, or to eliminate personal enemies and those considered too radical. Ultimately they failed and Fairfax successfully achieved his objective.{{Sfn|Temple|1986|pp=52–54}}