Battle of Roundway Down, 13th July 1643
After a hiatus, the adventures of William Waller's Southern Association continue... After the battlefield defeat (and campaign stalemate) of Lansdowne the now reinforced Southern Association shadowed Hopton's army and took position on Roundway Down, above Devizes on the 8th July. Hopton's army had been joined by Prince Maurice's and the Marquis of Hertford's forces to form The Army of The West. As Hopton had been temporarily blinded the Royalist command decided to retreat and regroup in Oxford. Waller put the town under siege; Maurice's cavalry, of little use in a siege broke out and he headed to Oxford, whilst the Regiments of Horse dispersed over Wiltshire. Waller stepped up the pressure and brought his artillery to bear upon the town. Charles was not in Oxford; Lord Wilmot decided to relieve the siege with just a cavalry force made up of two brigades of Oxford Horse; this was joined in Marlborough by another brigade of horse under Crawford and some o...