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The English Civil War: A Military History
"Sir, God hath taken away your eldest son by a cannon shot. It brake his leg. We were necessitated to have it cut off, whereof he died."
In one of the most famous and moving letters of the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell told his brother-in-law that on July 2, 1644 Parliament had won an emphatic victory over a Royalist army commanded by King Charles I's nephew, Prince Rupert, on rolling moorland west of York. But that battle, Marston Moor, had also slain his own nephew, the recipient's firstborn.
In this vividly narrated history of the deadly conflict that engulfed the nation during the 1640s, Peter Gaunt shows that, with the exception of World War I, the death-rate was higher than any other contest in which Britain has participated. Numerous towns and villages were garrisoned, attacked, damaged, or wrecked. The landscape was profoundly altered. Yet amidst all the blood and killing, the fighting was also a catalyst for profound social change and innovation.
Charting major battles, raids, and engagements, the author uses rich contemporary accounts to explore the life-changing experience of war for those involved, whether musketeers at Cheriton, dragoons at Edgehill, or Cromwell's disciplined Ironsides at Naseby (1645).
In one of the most famous and moving letters of the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell told his brother-in-law that on July 2, 1644 Parliament had won an emphatic victory over a Royalist army commanded by King Charles I's nephew, Prince Rupert, on rolling moorland west of York. But that battle, Marston Moor, had also slain his own nephew, the recipient's firstborn.
In this vividly narrated history of the deadly conflict that engulfed the nation during the 1640s, Peter Gaunt shows that, with the exception of World War I, the death-rate was higher than any other contest in which Britain has participated. Numerous towns and villages were garrisoned, attacked, damaged, or wrecked. The landscape was profoundly altered. Yet amidst all the blood and killing, the fighting was also a catalyst for profound social change and innovation.
Charting major battles, raids, and engagements, the author uses rich contemporary accounts to explore the life-changing experience of war for those involved, whether musketeers at Cheriton, dragoons at Edgehill, or Cromwell's disciplined Ironsides at Naseby (1645).
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Peter Gaunt
26 books1 followerEducated at the Universities of Lampeter and Exeter, Gaunt has since held academic posts at a number of universities in England, Wales, and New Zealand.
A specialist in mid-17th-century Britain, he has published widely on military, political, and constitutional aspects of the 1640s and 1650s. He is also Chairman of the Cromwell Association.
A specialist in mid-17th-century Britain, he has published widely on military, political, and constitutional aspects of the 1640s and 1650s. He is also Chairman of the Cromwell Association.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 11, 2021
Although this is a military history, Gaunt does a good job explaining the political and social complexities that led to the break between parliament and the king. He also deals with the legacy of the war during the Restoration and after the Glorious Revolution. In short, this book would be a solid introduction to the subject if you want to start with a military history.
If you aren’t familiar with the geography of England and Wales, I would recommend keeping an atlas or google maps by your side when you read. A good part of the narrative describes battles at cities and castles you might not be familiar with. There are some maps at the start, but they don’t cover the full scope of these campaigns.
There is an admirable even-handedness to the narrative. Gaunt is more interested in outlining current historiographical debates than in becoming a partisan of one viewpoint. The benefit of this is that, as a reader, you can make up your own mind. I thought it was especially interesting that the English argue about their civil war the same way Americans do; one side suggests that the superior resources of Parliament made their victory highly likely (or even inevitable), while the other side points to the early successes of the Royalists on the battlefield and argues that the outcome was in doubt.
You probably won’t pick this one up for the pictures, but the author has put such good effort into including 17th century illustrations that it’s worth mentioning. He’s also included a lot of photographs of churches and castles which help you get a sense of what some of these places might have looked like.
If you aren’t familiar with the geography of England and Wales, I would recommend keeping an atlas or google maps by your side when you read. A good part of the narrative describes battles at cities and castles you might not be familiar with. There are some maps at the start, but they don’t cover the full scope of these campaigns.
There is an admirable even-handedness to the narrative. Gaunt is more interested in outlining current historiographical debates than in becoming a partisan of one viewpoint. The benefit of this is that, as a reader, you can make up your own mind. I thought it was especially interesting that the English argue about their civil war the same way Americans do; one side suggests that the superior resources of Parliament made their victory highly likely (or even inevitable), while the other side points to the early successes of the Royalists on the battlefield and argues that the outcome was in doubt.
You probably won’t pick this one up for the pictures, but the author has put such good effort into including 17th century illustrations that it’s worth mentioning. He’s also included a lot of photographs of churches and castles which help you get a sense of what some of these places might have looked like.
November 2, 2021
This is not a bad introduction to the subject and takes you clearly through the origins, progress and aftermath of the Civil War without being painful.
February 8, 2021
As someone who does not particularly enjoy military histories, as well as someone who knew nothing of the English Civil War before this reading, I found Gaunt's work an incredibly approachable introduction to the time period.
July 24, 2021
A great in-depth and engaging history of England's civil war, an often overlooked topic in popular history. This is well written and is peppered with contemporary sources.
September 24, 2021
I was a bit disappointed, couldn't really get into it. A bit too academic, not fluid enough and misses some aspects I would have found interesting, e.g. how did Cromwell rise etc.
April 17, 2024
The best of the military histories on my shelves, Gaunt effortlessly combines narrative with strategy, tactics, movements and logistics.
September 20, 2021
A very good book if the military aspects of the English Civil War are to be understood in detail. Does delve into the context of the English Civil War but only briefly at it's initiation. Key turning points in the war are visited and military involvement of the other home nations is touched upon. I used this as revision for my Oxford Interview as Peter Gaunt (the author is a bit of a legend).
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews