During the early hours of December 13th Waller had moved with the bulk of his forces north towards Basing but doubled back, fooling the Royalist scouts and patrols, his target the Royalist garrison at Alton.
---oXo---
Some pickets managed to raise the alarm and the garrison was alerted. Crawford left with his horse to get help pursued by a large body of Parliamentarian horse, leaving Colonel Boles in command of the town. The Royalists concentrated their defense round the northern end of the town at the church, with a couple of companies holding a half-moon outwork and the rest of the town....
A messenger arrives at the south of the town to inform Sir William de Willoughby of the situation;
Sir William responds: "My compliments to Colonel Boles, I will hold the
south of the town and try and keep the road to Alresford open; if the
situation becomes untenable I will take my horse and dragoons and
withdraw".
The parliamentarians start to move forward to attack the church...
as they close in another regiment of foot heads towards the half moon ...
as the half moon comes under fire a third regiment of foot moves towards the south of the town ...
Sir William sends a folorn hope of horse forward to delay the green regiment of foot at the south of the town ...
The green regiment surges forward attacking the barricade across the road held by the dragoons ...
Up at the northern end of the town the parliamentarians have fallen back to re-group and are using some light guns to clear the houses near the church ....
The defenders of the half-moon are hard pressed but holding on ...
The royalists at the north end of the town have fallen back to the church ....
The half-moon falls and the parliamentarians are into the town ....
The defenders at the church are surrounded and making a brave stand ....
Meanwhile at the south end of the town Sir William withdraws down the Alresford road managing to get some of the foot defending the town out with him; the dragoons cover the withdrawal....
---oXo---
The defenders at the church fought well - but the church was stormed - Colonel Boles was killed and many of the royalist were taken prisoner. They had held the town for three hours or more but no help had come. Crawford and his horse managed to get to safety at Winchester by a roundabout southerly route but by then it was too late to save the situation. Sir William also managed to get back to Winchester having to swing north of Alresford to evade a regiment of parliamentarian horse.
Waller ordered the destruction of the defences of the town, while he considered his next move ....
A victory for Parliamente ...
