Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-03-08
THE BATTLE OF Massey.
Cromwell's Cavalry Destroys the Last
Army of the King.

Mr.. Morley chooses the fourth of his
Cromwell papers, in the February Gen.
fury, with an account of the battle of
Naseby:
Though some, says the modern SOL
! der, may hold Marston 10 offer a
greater variety of striking pictures and
moments of more intensity (Eoenig,
203), there is scarcely battle IN his
tory where cavalry was better handled
than at Naseby. OF the tactics of
Naseby this second charge of the
Cromwellian horse stands out con-
spicuous for skill and vigor. There
was still, however, one more move to
make before victory was secure.
Though aware of the disaster that
was overwhelming him the king strove
bravely to rally the broken horse of his
left wing. He was joined by Rupert,
at last returning from the baggage
wagons and Naseby village, with his
men and horses exhausted and out of
breath. Here the Royalists made their
last stand. 1t was in vain. The Par
| liamentary generals, with extraordi-
nary alacrity, prepared for a final
charge, and their preparation was
hardly made before all was over and
the day won. Ireton, though severely
wounded in the beginning of the battle,
had got his men together again, and he
took an active part in the new attack
The parliamentary foot, who had been
thrown into disorder by the first
charge, and had then rallied lin a
shorter time than imaginable" now
advanced at the best of their speed to
join the horse. For Oliver had got his
force of cavalry once more in hand, and
made ready to bear down on the enemy
for a third and final charge The
horsemen were again drawn up in two
wings within carbine-shot of the en-
envy, leaving wide space between
the wings for the battle of the foot tc
fall in. Thereby" says the eye-wit-
ness, there was framed, as it were in
trice, second good battalia at the
latter end of the day, which the enemy
perceiving, and that if they stood they
must expect a second charge from our
horse, foot, and artillery (they having
lost all their foot and guns before)
and our drag IONS having already be-
gun to fire upon their horse, they, not
willing to abide second shock upon so
great disadvantage as there was like to
be, Immediately ran away, both fronts
and reserves, without standing one
stroke more" To the king, CALAMITY
heading his line, curious and charac-
/ teristic thing happened. Lord earn
wath, riding by his side, suddenly laid
! his hand upon the kings bride, and
swearing sundry Scotch oaths, cried
out, will you go upon your death in
an instant?" Then" says Clarendon,
before the king understood what he
would have, he turned his horse round,
and upon that they all turned their
horses and rode upon the spur, as IT.
they were every man to shift for him
self"
The fight, which was desperately
maintained at every point throughout
the day, with it's issue often doubtful,
lasted three hours. The killed and
wounded were about five thousand
The Irish camp-followers were slaugh-
tered in cold blood. All the kings
guns, all his wagons and carriages, his
colors and standards, were taken, and,
worst of all his private cabinet con-
tanning his most secret correspondence
and papers. This did him an injury
almost as deep as the loss of battle,
for the letters disclosed his perfidy, his
truthlessness, and the impossibility of
trusting him.
Toward the end of May, Digby writes
in one of his letters, Ere one month
be over, we shall have a battle Of all
for ALL" the prediction came true.
II the battle had gone the other way.
CoTilg and the king would have
marched up to London, heartening
their men with the promise of the
spoil of the richest city in the realm
and the presence of the king and his
army in the metropolis might have Gre
ated a situation that nothing could re-
treive. AS it was. the king had not
even lost his crown. Time had still
golden opportunities to offer him. Yet
Naseby was for AL this one of the de-
cisive battles OF English history. II
destroyed the last organized force that
Charles was able 10 raise; 1t demon
strated that the New Model had pro-
duced sn invincible army; it trans
formsdoiaesassnre sofs the struggle and
the conditions of the case; II released
new interests and new passions. II
changed the balance of parties: and IT
brought Cromwell into decisive presm-
inence in ali mems minds.