New Model Army

Founded in 1644 by Oliver Cromwell. The first two years of the civil war went in the favour of the king. After a speech in the House of Commons, where Cromwell asked for a better armed and educated force, the New Model Army was formed as Army of Parliament. It should “comprise 11 regiments of horse of 600 men each, 12 regiments of foot of 1,200 men each, and 1,000 dragoons (mounted infantrymen)” [source of the quote?]. And it should also fix an error in the already existing army, the lack of unified command. The idea was to build a “national army with no regional affiliations” [source of the quote?] Sir Thomas Fairfax was designated as Commander in Chief and was responsible for the military education and training of the New Model Army. The cavalry of this army were taken from the army of Manchester, Earl of Essex, and Sir William Waller. The training was very successful and so they won against the royal army at Naseby (June 14, 1645). The king, Charles I, surrendered to the Scots, who handed him over to Parliament. After debates and a trial, he was finally beheaded on 30 January 1649. The New Model Army remained successful and under Cromwell it won the battles of Dunbar and Worcester against Charles II and the Scots. Interestingly enough there is a scholarly work , published in Innsbruck that compares the Civil War in England with the War against the Hussites (1419 – 1434). It is claimed that the strong belief of the soldiers gave them a strong foundation. A word of Edward Hyde, later Earl of Clarendon, cited by the author of the mentioned work “And that difference was observed shortly from the beginning of the war, in the discipline of the King’s troops and of those which marched under the command of Cromwell, … that though the King’s troops prevailed in the charge, and routed those they charged, they never rallied themselves again in order, nor could be brought to make a second charge again the same day: which was the reason that they hat not an entire victory at Edgehill: whereas Cromwell’s troops, if they prevailed, or though they were beaten and routed, presently rallied again, and stood in good order till they received new orders” (Rebitsch 12f.). So it seems that the victories of the New Model Army could not only be explained by a special training and organization, but also by the strong belief that they fight on the right god-supported side.

Sources:

F.E.Halliday. A Concise History of England. London: [Publishing House?], 1991.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/411846/New-Model-Army (01/07/09)

http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/glossary/new-model-army.htm (01/07/09)

Robert Rebitsch. "Gedanken zur Antriebsmotivation zum Krieg bei den Hussiten und in der New Model Army". Innsbrucker Diskussionspapiere zu Weltordnung, Religion und Gewalt 6 (2006), Pages??