Author Topic: The Bluecoats/Battle of Naseby  (Read 2858 times)

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Offline Thom

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The Bluecoats/Battle of Naseby
« on: February 12, 2013, 06:04:06 pm »
Hello people, I was just wondering if anyone had any information regarding the Blue coats who fought at the Battle of Naseby during the English civil war??  I know it is a little before the Napoleonic wars but I will be writing a paper on Royalist battle tactics soon, trying to explain their eventual defeat.  Anyway I have watched a documentary on the battle and it mentions a last stand performed by the blue coats in the royalist army.  They were eventually scattered and cut down, yet they inflicted hundreds of casualties on the new model army in a short space of time!  Now as history tends to be written by the winners, this heroic last stand is rarely ever mentioned alongside other valiant displays on the battlefield.   
Any information on royalist army tactics etc and the blue coats would be greatly appreciated! 

Thank You

Thom
Thom

Offline Mr T

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Re: The Bluecoats/Battle of Naseby
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2013, 06:17:44 pm »
Well the first engagment happened on the right of the royalist line, when dragoons fired upon royalist horsemen through hedges, those horsemen charged the Parlimentarian cavalry in front of them, though they won and drove them off the field, the Royalists found the supply and baggage wagons, they began looting the baggage and would take no more part in the battle.

In the centre, the Royalists had 3 lines of infantry In a pyramid shape, the rear infantry were the reserves, the front two lines advanced upon the Parlimentarian New Model army and they clashed, the Royalists at first were getting the better of the fighting and Parlimentarian troops were starting to flee.
It was then that Cromwell with his Ironsides on the right of the Parlimentarin line decided to charge the enemy cavalry  in front of him in order to save the centre, the Ironsides overthrew the Royalist horsemen, some men were sent to keep them routing while the rest charged the Bluecoat infantry in the centre. This charge, and reinfocments for the Parlimentarian in the form of fresh troops and rallied men defeated the Bluecoats in the centre.

The reserve Bluecoats were the ones who performed the heroic last stand mentioned, from what I understand, theu kept their pikes up at surrounding cavalry to avoid being charged while the matchlock men fired, I don't know my knowledge on Naesby is limited.

In terms of Royalist tactics, I suppose having one reserve and attempting to crush the Parlimentarian with the front two ranks, otherwise I don't know.

Thats more or less all I know about Naesby, could find out more, hoped it helped, best of luck :P
« Last Edit: February 12, 2013, 06:20:50 pm by Mr T »