Col. James Wardlowe's (or Wardlow's) Dragoons

Further troops have joined the ranks in the form of the first part of the second Dragoon regiment - this time Parliamentarian's and representing the dragoons commanded by Colonel James Wardlowe (or Wardlow, or Wardley, or Wardlace for I have seen them all used!)..

In the battle the unit was deployed as below (black arrow and circle)

By Jlorenz1 - own creation, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2155575

From the Battlefields Trust site..   "..On the right wing Balfour was extremely weak in cavalry, because a substantial number of troops of horse had not yet reached Kineton. Here again Essex chose his ground well and was able to take advantage of the hedged enclosures that flanked the field on this side. He deployed 700 dragoons to line these hedgerows in support of Balfour. With his right wing thus protected from an outflanking cavalry move, he could afford to deploy at least some of the small number of horse on this wing behind the foot. This was to prove a key decision, for it was to protect them from Wilmot’s charge and enable them to play a crucial role later in the battle....." my highlight...  the unit in question is my boys..

If the terrain on that flank was best suited to defence by dragoons then but it also suited a dragoon attack and in the battle this was how it transpired..  Wilmot, the Royalist left wing commander, ordered his own dragoons forward, probably Washington's, to clear the hedgerows (which they did) which allowed the Royalist cavalry to charge. The result was pretty much the same as Rupert's charge on the other flank, with the Parliamentary (and Royalist!) cavalry disappearing into the distance..

So what of Colonel James Wardlow (or Wardlowe etcetcetc)? I have managed to find next to nothing..  but...

In one of my trusted and trusted sources ("A Military History of the English Civil War, 1642-1646: Strategy and Tactics" by Wanklyn and Jones) I found this reference describing him as a 'professional soldier' ...

...which is interesting indeed as it implies Wardlow survived Edgehill with reputation untarnished...   

In "Plymouth and Devonport : in Times of War and Peace" (Whitfeld, published 1900) it says that the siege [of Plymouth] did not start in earnest until September, 1643..  Exeter had gone over to the King, and Parliament realising the fall of Plymouth would be almost as catastrophic as losing Bristol, acted as follows..

"Colonel Wardlow was sent from Portsmouth in command of a company of Roundheads [I have seen various reports of the size of this force but it seems to have been 500-600 strong and travelled by ship], with instructions to maintain the defence. At the outset, however, St. Nicholas Island was 

nearly betrayed by Sir Alexander Carew, whose honesty was suspected by Philip Francis, 

the Mayor".

Following the arrest of Carew (who was subsequently beheaded with the same axe they had used for Stafford!)..

"Maurice hemmed in the town and no provisions entered it for several weeks. An attempt was then made to raise the relief, and the Roundheads, outflanking the enemy at Plympton and Hooe, seized several of the "malignants". Colonel Wardlow made a similar dash upon a heavy guard of Cavalier horse at "Knockers Hole," with an insignificant force of musketeers, and the besiegers fled towards "Roborow" Down. The Roundheads, in their exuberance, continued the pursuit "too farre," and narrowly escaped annihilation"

...and in another source..

"In November 1643 immediately after the reduction of Mount Stamford by Maurice and while all men stood in doubt of the issue Colonel James Wardlow governor of Plymouth gave orders for securing this Island which at that time from presumed culpability of four deputy lieutenants to whom its defence had been was utterly destitute of provisions and ammunition. Both the Fort and Island were in consequence revictualled and the garrison strengthened by which means and by employing officers of approved fidelity this important barrier was effectively occupied and secured from danger" ("BATH AND BRISTOL With the counties of Somerset and Gloucester Displayed in A Series of Views" BRITTON John, SHEPHERD Thomas Published by Frank Graham, 1829)

Clearly a man of some skill and experience..  

So...  Peter Pig, 15mm, painted August 2019, stay tuned for the dismounted version and horseholders...