Editing Battle of Worcester (section)

==Battle==
[[File:The Civil War in Worcestershire, 1642-1646, and the Scotch invasion of 1651 (1905) (14760307124).jpg|thumb|Plan of Worcester, with 1651 fortifications added.]]
[[File:Oliver Cromwell Battle of Worcester.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|right|Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester, 17th century painting, artist unknown]]
Cromwell took his measures deliberately. Lilburne from Lancashire and [[Major Mercer of the Worcestershire horse|Major Mercer]] with the Worcestershire horse were to secure [[Bewdley Bridge]], {{convert | 12 | mi }} north of Worcester and on the enemy's line of retreat.{{sfn|Worcestershire}} Fleetwood was to force his way across the [[river Teme|Teme]] and attack [[St John's, Worcester|St John's]], the western suburb of Worcester. While Lambert commanded the eastern flank of the army which would advance and encircle the eastern walls of Worcester, Cromwell would lead the attack on the southern ramparts of the city.{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=421}}

The assault started on the morning of 3 September and initially the initiative lay with the Parliamentarians.  Fleetwood forced the passage of the Teme over the pontoon bridges against Royalists under the command of Major General Montgomery. Colonel [[Richard Deane (regicide)|Richard Deane's]] initial attempts to cross the Powick Bridge (where [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine]] had won the [[Battle of Powick Bridge]], his first victory, in 1642) failed against stubborn resistance by the Royalists (many of whom were Scottish Highlanders{{sfn|Willis-Bund|1905|p=240}}) commanded by Colonel Keith. By force of arms and numbers, the Royalist army was pushed backward by the New Model Army with Cromwell on the eastern bank of the Severn and Fleetwood on the western sweeping in a semicircle {{convert | 4 | mi | 0 | spell=in}} long up toward Worcester.{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=dawn attack}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=421}}

The Royalists contested every hedgerow around Powick meadows. This stubborn resistance on the west bank of the Severn north of the Teme was becoming a serious problem for the Parliamentarians, so Cromwell led Parliamentary reinforcements from the eastern side of the town over the Severn pontoon bridge to aid Fleetwood. Charles II, from his vantage point on top of [[Worcester cathedral|Worcester Cathedral's]] tower, realised that an opportunity existed to attack the now-exposed eastern flank of the Parliamentary army. As the defenders on the Western side of the city retreated in good order into the city (although during this manoeuvre Keith was captured and Montgomery was badly wounded), Charles ordered two [[sortie]]s to attack the Parliamentary forces east of the city. The north-eastern sortie through St Martin's Gate was commanded by the [[William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton|Duke of Hamilton]] and attacked the Parliamentary lines at Perry Wood. The south-eastern one through Sidbury Gate was led by Charles II and attacked [[Red Hill, Worcester|Red Hill]]. The Royalist cavalry under the command of David Leslie that was gathered on Pitchcroft meadow on the northern side of the city did not receive orders to aid the sorties and Leslie chose not to do so under his own initiative. Cromwell seeing the difficulty that his east flank was under rushed back over the Severn pontoon bridge with three brigades of troops to reinforce the flank.{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=Cromwell intervenes}}{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=Charles intervenes}}

Although they were pushed back, the Parliamentarians under Lambert were too numerous and experienced to be defeated by such a move. For an hour, the Parliamentarians retreated before the unexpected attack. However, following their reinforcement by Cromwell's three brigades, they reversed the situation and drove the Royalists back toward the city.{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=Charles intervenes}} The Royalist retreat turned into a rout in which Parliamentarian and Royalist forces intermingled and skirmished up to and into the city.  The Royalist position became untenable when the Essex militia stormed and captured [[Fort Royal Hill|Fort Royal]], (a [[redoubt]] on a small hill to the south-east of Worcester overlooking the Sidbury gate), turning the Royalist guns to fire on Worcester.{{sfn|Willis-Bund|1905|p=245}}{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=Cromwell intervenes (2)}}

Once in the city, Charles II removed his armour and found a fresh mount; he attempted to rally his troops but it was to no avail. A desperate Royalist cavalry charge down Sidbury Street and High Street, led by the [[Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland|Earl of Cleveland]] and [[William Careless|Major Careless]] amongst others, allowed King Charles to escape the city by St Martin's Gate.{{sfn|Grammont|1846|p=490}}  This cavalry force was composed of the few Midland English Royalists who had rallied to Charles II, and largely consisted of [[Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury|Lord Talbot]]'s troop of horse.{{sfn|Atkin|2004|pp=141–145}}

The defences of the city were stormed from three different directions as darkness came on, regulars and militia fighting with equal gallantry. Most of the few thousands of the Royalists who escaped during the night were easily captured by Lilburne and Mercer, or by the militia which watched every road in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Even the country people brought in scores of prisoners, for the Royalist officers and men alike, stunned by the suddenness of the disaster, offered no resistance.{{sfn|BBC staff|2003|loc=Cromwell intervenes (2)}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=421}}