So You Want To Know About The New Model Army?
The second instalment in what could be a very one sided, short lived series.
But first we need to talk about the term 'New Model Army'. 'Tis nought but a Victorian affectation (courtesy Thomas Carlyle in 1845). The New Model Army was not called that in the C17th, you know... when it actually existed. It was technically, just 'the army', but was described as 'the army, newly modelled' or the '' newly modelled' army' so as to distinguish it from Parliament's previous field army (the Earl of Essex's Army), and the fact that they had a new structure.
Now we can move on. Although I will type NMA, as it is much quicker.
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| My 1940 edition ex-Nottingham Reference Library copies. Wondering why it says Firth and Davies as authors? Godfrey Davies assisted and checked Firth's research |
When looking at the NMA our first port of call has to be with the venerable Sir Charles H Firth. His 1902 two volume work "Regimental History of Cromwell's Army" (Clarendon Press) is still the benchmark by which many others are measured (including Château KeepYourPowderDry favourite Old Robin's Foot). No you are not going to be able to buy new copies, but second hand copies do occasionally turn up online (expect to pay £100-£150 for the pair, much more for a first edition). Each regiment is listed, with a succinct narrative of their endeavours. Firth's work still stands up 122 years after he wrote it, nobody has found much to discredit his regimental narratives.
There is an abridged version, "Cromwell's Army: a History of the English Soldier During the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth and the Protectorate" (various) which is available for eReaders and as a print on demand facsimile (a much more amenable £20ish). Derived from series of lectures on the New Model Army given by Firth at Oxford, it provides more narrative, and as a result is an easier read as a book than "Regimental History of Cromwell's Army".
Taking up Firth's baton is Malcolm Wanklyn, whose two volume "Reconstructing The New Model Army" (Helion) meticulously recreates officer lists for each of the regiments. Volume 1 covers 1645-1649, and volume 2 1649-1663.
I'm going to be honest here, whilst these are very impressive works, I fear their appeal might be limited. You can often pick them up in the Naval & Military Press sale for not much more than the cost of a pint*.
Ian Gentles has 2 volumes: his older "The New Model Army In England, Ireland and Scotland 1645-1653" (Wiley–Blackwell) published in 1992 is the one to find. Sadly out of print it is readily available second hand online (£25-35).
His newer volume "The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution" (Yale University Press, 2022) is almost a précis of his earlier work, and I feel a pale shadow of the older book.
The 1992 book is pretty solid, a few errors, most notably his misinterpretation/conflation/ confusion of the Perfect Passages quote about NMA coat colours (30th April - 7th May 1645), and the Essex Committee note about sending recruits from the county of Essex to Fairfax's army in red coats lined blue "as has formerly been the practice". (Calendar of State Papers Domestic 1644-5 pp358-9)
As a result Gentles claims that the whole army wore red coats lined blue, which is quite categorically not true according to the two references that he quotes.
To properly quote Perfect Passages, the regiments were distinguishable "by several facings of their coats" (Perfect Passages 30th April - 7th May 1645).
Other than that, Gentles' 1992 book provides the narrative history of the NMA; Firth and Wanklyn providing the substance (the 'what?', 'when?', 'where?', and 'who?').
Another gem to dig out are what are known as the Mungeam Contracts. Their 'official' name is the Museum of London Tangye Collection MS 46 78/708.
In the mid-late C19th, the Tower of London sent several tons of contracts to be pulped; a fraction of these C17th contracts were saved from pulping, and Gerald Mungeam transcribed a fraction of those that were saved.
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| Some of the markings specified in the 'Mungeam Contracts' |
This transcription can be found in the Journal of the Arms and Armour Society vol.6 no.3 Sept 1968 in an article entitled "Contracts for the supply of equipment to the ‘New Model’ Army in 1645". Back issues of the journal are available from the society on very fancy looking memory sticks.
The contracts explain how shoes should have identifying marks; document phenomenal turn arounds for the supply of hundreds of garments; weapon and, sword belts specifications; and other items. A fascinating snap shot of how an army was supplied in pre-industrial times.
One to watch out for is Andrew Abrams' forthcoming Helion book "Supplying The New Model Army": which, no doubt, will have a lot of 'Mungeam Contracts' action.
If you want real period feel, and aren't too bothered with a skewing of facts, then might I suggest "Anglia Rediviva" by Joshua Sprigge? Sprigge was Thomas Fairfax's chaplain, and gives Fairfax's account of his role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Some hyperbole might be present. It is also the reason we have Streeter's Plan of Naseby, as the original version of the plan appeared in the book. Facsimile versions readily available for about £25 (Caliver do a much nicer version than the print on demand ones listed on a certain internet behemoth.)
Suppliers:
With the bulk of this reading list being out of print, you might be wondering where to source copies of these books from? These are my usual online sources for second hand books:
- The first has to be ABE Books, an online market place for booksellers from around the world. With a little perseverance and patience, you'll usually be able to find what you want, and more importantly at a price that you are prepared to pay.
- My second port of call, eBay, is usually a better source for the more readily available titles than ABE.
- The last place I look is Amazon, as prices for used books (particularly harder to find titles) are usually on the higher end of the price spectrum. A last resort, so to speak.
* or the cost of a half in London
Please note, whilst I do occasionally get sent books to review, I bought all of the above volumes with my own money. Nor do I get any commission for recommending any reading materials... If anyone wants to send me books for review, I'd really appreciate it (and it would save me a fortune too).
