Keep Your Powder Dry

Molyneux, sometimes Molineux, was Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough in the Irish peerage. Richard inherited his title aged 6, when his father died. Molyneux attended the commission of array on Preston Moor, and assisted at the seizure of the magazine at Preston. On the outbreak of the war he raised two regiments, one of horse and one of foot, composed chiefly of Roman Catholics. They formed part of the Lancashire forces under the command of the Earl of Derby. Present at the siege of Manchester; the siege of Brampton Bryan; Chipping Campden; stormed Crewe Hall; the siege and battle of Nantwich; they marched north with Rupert to relieve York fighting at Stockport, Bolton and Liverpool on route, before fighting at Marston Moor. After Marston they would fight at Ormskirk and possibly Montgomery. Molyneux would finish the First Civil War in command of Prince Maurice's Lifeguard of Horse. Molyneux continued to support the Royalist cause after the King's surrender, but was not involved...

Socially distanced, after work cheese and wine, definitely not a party (note everyone wearing masks). Saturday boy showing himself up again 🙄 I am somewhat surprised to still be writing this nonsense after four whole years - who'd have thunk I'd have this much to blather on about? And who would have thought that the number of regular readers has reached the dizzying heights of 'possibly seven' - a number that other bloggers can only dream of. So I am told. Well somebody must be reading this as the page number thing keeps ticking over. Unless it is my mum, constantly clicking away, or some hackers in some far off distant land hoping to bring down great instruments of state (sorry you've got the wrong website, you want sites that end gov.uk) I'd like to thank everyone who has supported the blog via Buy Me a Coffee, it really is very greatly appreciated. Your contributions pay for the domain, and help towards parking fees, house entrance fees and some fuel; it doe...

Not a 'new' Regiment, but another in the series of 'briefly mentioned, I'd better go into a bit more detail'. So here are fifteen minutes of fame for Colonel Sir Edward Widdrington's Regiment of Horse. Sir Edward Widdrington was born in 1614, son of Roger Widdrington of  Cartington Castle in Northumbria. A Roman Catholic, he was created a baronet of Nova Scotia in 1635. Sir Edward  raised 200 horse for service to the King, and Newcastle's Northern Army. They were repulsed from Bradford; fought at Seacroft Moor; stormed Wakefield; were possibly besieged in Scarborough Castle; fought at Marston Moor (where Edward commanded a brigade of horse). What happened to the Regiment after Marston Moor is uncertain.  Not helped by some confusion between Sir Edward, and his cousin Lord, Sir William Widdrington. I was hoping that John Barratt's "A Rabble of Gentility, The Royalist Northern Horse 1644-45" , and Reid's " Cavalier Army Lists" migh...

Fret no more regular readers (who I am led to believe now number almost seven): a return to the normal Monday posting sees yet more Scots cavalry... Alexander Leslie was an accomplished soldier having first fought for the Netherlands, then Sweden in the Thirty Years War. Gustavus Adolphus thought so highly of Leslie's skills he knighted him and made him lieutenant general. He would return to Scotland in 1638, in response to the crisis brought about by the introduction of the Laudian prayer book, and the signing of the National Covenant. Leslie/Leven had in effect two Regiments of Horse - his Life Guard and his 'normal' Horse. This post looks at the 'normal' Horse, and tries to make sense of their somewhat complicated timeline. Leslie was commander in chief of the Scots Army for both Bishops Wars. For the second war he commanded the Fife Horse who were raised in Kirkcaldy and Cupar. They didn't really get up to much apart from crossing the border, occupying Newca...

Apologies for a not-Monday posting! So here without further ado is Major General Sir John Brown of Fordell's Regiment of Horse Sir John Brown learnt his soldiering on the continent, and was commissioned as one of the first three cavalry troop commanders of the Solemn League and Covenant (he would later receive a commission to be lieutenant colonel of Leslie's Horse). In May 1645, Brown was commissioned colonel of his own Regiment, which was to be made up of four troops. This was quickly amended by the Committee with the Army who raised the Regiment's strength to eight troops.  The newly formed Regiment would be quartered in Cumbernauld. In October 1645 the Royalist Northern Horse were retreating from Yorkshire, and attempting to head north to join up with Montrose's Army. Brown's Horse met the Northern Horse at Annan Moor. Brown's men routed the Royalist reserve line (commanded by Langdale) which in turn led the front line (commanded by Digby) to flee. Brown...