Encounter at Ramsbury

After their defeat at Axford the parliamentarians retreated up the valley to their outpost at Ramsbury. Sir Warwick Hunt continued on to Hungerford to find a place for his army to give battle to defend the town; he left his brother Herrick with his Lobsters (cuirassiers) at Ramsbury to hold off royalist advance.

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The royalists advance up the valley towards Ramsbury ...

At Ramsbury the parliamentarians have taken up defensive positions by the bridge over the river. Herrick Hunt's Lobsters wait on the side of the river with the most open ground ...

The royalist horse charge impetuously up the valley and are met by the Lobsters ....

The Lobsters hack their way through the first royalist horse regiment and follow up, throwing the rest of the royalist column into confusion ...

The next royalist horse regiment make an attempt to hold off the lobsters and are beaten back with heavy casualties; Herrick Hunt manages to control his regiment and the Lobsters regroup...

While the Lobsters regroup and retire back to Ramsbury the royalist infantry on the other side of the valley exchange some vollies with the defenders....

As the light fades both side draw back, the parliamentarians withdraw towards Hungerford, covering their movement with their horse. The royalists move into Ramsbury in the late evening and make camp and wait for their artillery train to catch up with them, they will need its escort of two regiments of horse if they are to advance further.

to be continued ...