Raid on Twyford ...

Sir William de Willoughby has been given command of the small garrison at Twyford to the south of Winchester. To the west of the town is a small farmstead with a herd of cattle.

Some dragoons are stationed in the farmstead, it is early in the morning - the guard check down the road for activity.

Meanwhile in Tywford Sir William is checking in with the officer of the nightwatch - all seems ok.

A dragoon on patrol spots movement by the bridge (a Parliamentarian force from Southampton, led by Sir Warwick Hunt, is crossing the river Itchin).

As the dragoon looks to check on the movement he see a body of horse already over the bridge, he sets off at the gallop ...

He stops at the farmstead to warn them and sets off for Twyford ...

Parliamentarian horse aproach the farmstead, while more have crossed the river at the old ford...

The dragoon reaches Twyford and tells Sir William what he's seen....

Parliamentarian horse jump the barrier over the road and engage the small party off dragoons stationed at the farmstead ..

At Twyford men spill out of the houses and get ready to defend ....

The Parliamentarian horse have the defending dragoons penned up in the farmhouse and are getting into the fields to try and round up the cattle....

Sir William manages to get his regiment of horse mounted up at last and musters them at the edge of the town ....

At the farmstead the cattle are now being got under some control and are starting to be moved, some commanded shot come up to support the horse ...

Sir William leads his regiment forward - they receive a charge by the parliamentarian horse and hold their ground ....

They push back the opposition,

But not for long, the parliamentarian horse defeat them and they fall back to the town ....

Meanwhile the parliamentarians are withdrawing from the farmstead and get away with the cattle....

 

---oXo---

 

A success for Parliamente

Back out on patrol ....

Sir William de Willoughby out for a walk in Winchester to stretch his legs - catches up on the latest news with a fellow officer

 He hears that Arundel Castle surrendered to Parliament on the 6th Jnaury; an attempt to relieve the garrison by Lord Hopton a few days earlier had been abandoned after they found themselves outnumbered by the opposition. Waller and his army are content with securing their positions at Farham, Midhurst and Arundel.

---oXo---

In the afternoon Sir William leads out his regiment of horse to patrol to the south of Winchester; regular patrols are carried out to to deter the parliamentarian garrison of Southampton from any raiding activities.

Battle at Alton ....

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 ...

 

trouble at Romsey .....

Under command of Sir Warwick Hunt, two companies of the parliamentarian Southampton garrison made for Romsey to beat up the royalist quarters. They pushed back the royalist  pickets at the river bridge who ran into town raising the alarm...

caught un-prepared and thinking themselves out-numbered the bulk of the royalist garrison made a run for it up the Winchester road, however a stand was made in the market square

this did not go well and they were either captured or killed. The parliamentarian troops set about destroying any useable supplies before their return to Southampton
                                                                        ---oXo---
Meanwhile Waller was making preparations to move from Farnham against nearby royalist positions.

Into Winter Quarters ....

After Sir William presented himself to Lord Hopton at the manor house he was asked to stay to join the discussion about the disposition of troops for winter quarters....

The bulk of the army would be quartered at Winchester, Alton, Alresford and Petersfield, to keep themselves in position to react to any movement by Waller from Farnham.

 ---oXo---

 Chichester had fallen and Arundel town, but Arundel castle was still held by Parliament. Hopton took a force of horse and foot and with local support summoned the castle to surrender..the captain of the garrison agreed to terms and was allowed to march off.

Arundel Castle surrenders

---oXo---

a summary of the situation in terms of places held on December 6th 1643 (P for Parliament and R for Royalist).

 patrols were in place to detect any movement by Waller from Farnham ... will both sides spend a quiet time in winter quarters ?

Arrival at Odiham ...

On arrival at Basing House in the morning, the supplies are unloaded and Sir William gets some directions to Odiham where he is to join with the main body of Hopton's army.

They arrive late in the afternoon at Odiham finding it bustling with activity, with encampments around the edge of the town; they are directed to where they are to make camp for the night.

 ---oXo---

After seeing that his troops are getting setup in their encampment, Sir William went up to the Manor house to present himself to Lord Hopton.

At Winchester ..., then escort duty...

Sir William de Willoughby and his small force of horse and dragoons, had finally arrived at Winchester. After an uncomfortabe night in a city tavern Sir William went up to the castle to see the garrison comander Sir William Ogle.

Sir William found out from the garrison commander that Hopton had moved north-west during November to lift Waller's siege of Basing House, then onto Farnham to attempt to bring Waller to battle - however this had not worked and Hopton had fallen back to Odiham putting himself between Waller and Basing.

Sir William received new orders - he was to escort much needed supplies to Basing then join Hopton at Odiham. They set off  later in the day and made good time .....