Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/506

 502 CROMWELL summit of a hill, the base of which could be reached only through a gateway in a fence that was commanded by that enemy's fire, he led on his men, charged up hill, and carried the po- sition. Some of the enemy fled, but Cromwell, then exhibiting for the first time that mode of action which gave him so many victories, did not pursue them, but re-formed his troops, and fell upon those who stood, routing them, and driving them into a bog, where they were all butchered, including their general. This victory raised Cromwell's reputation, and the more so that most of the parliamentary generals showed little conduct, and were often beaten. He con- tinued his services in Lincolnshire and the neighboring counties ; and parliament ordered that 2,000 men should be added to his com- mand, to be disciplined after his fashion. He was joined with the earl of Manchester in command of six associated counties, and their forces were united at Boston in October, 1643. Fairfax had previously joined Cromwell. On Oct. 11 Sir John Henderson, at the head of a superior body of royalist cavalry, came up with Cromwell and Fairfax on Winceby field. An action followed, in which Hender- son was beaten, though his force was three times as numerous as that of the parliament. Cromwell had a horse killed under him, and while rising was himself struck down; but soon recovering, he joined in the battle. After this success, and until the weather forbade further operations, Cromwell continued to act in the field. Parliament made him lieutenant governor of the isle of Ely, and he was en- gaged during the winter in raising funds from Peterborough and Ely cathedrals, and from the university of Cambridge, and in reforming the university, 65 fellows being ejected. On Feb. 16, 1644, he was appointed one of the committee of both kingdoms, which was then constituted the executive authority for the conduct of the war, and affairs generally. The campaign of 1644 placed Cromwell clearly before the country. The earl of Manchester and Cromwell joined the army of Fairfax and Leven; and the battle of Marston Moor was fought, July 2, and resulted in the total defeat of the royalists, the victory being principally due to the valor, energy, and coolness of Crom- well and his Ironsides. Cromwell then accom- panied Manchester in the march that was made to the south, where things had gone against the parliament. He commanded the horse. The second battle of Newbury was fought, Oct. 27, 1644, the king being with his army. The royalists retreated in the night, though it can hardly be said they were defeated. Cromwell, who had highly distinguished himself in the action, and in the proceedings preliminary to it, vainly entreated of Manchester to pursue. So little energy had that general, that he allowed the king to return, assume the offen- sive, and carry off the artillery and stores that were in Donnington castle. Manchester was not only listless, but he was a leader of the moderate party, the Presbyterians, who were not for pushing matters to extremity with the king. He did not wish to have the royal army destroyed, as it would have been had Cromwell moved forward with his cavalry as soon as the retreat was discovered. The Inde- pendents, of whom Cromwell was the ablest, and who had been little heard of at the begin- ning of the dispute, were now fast rising to importance in the state and in the army ; and Cromwell determined that the army should pass under their influence. He was supported by all the best men of the parliamentary party, Fairfax, Marten, Ireton, Vane, and others. The time had come for energetic action, and Cromwell from his place in par- liament accused Manchester of backwardness, and of not desiring victory. He narrated all that had happened at Newbury, and bore hard upon the various commanders who be- longed to the moderates. Manchester retorted in the upper house, and, in a narrative that he had written, accused Cromwell of being the cause of the failure of the campaign. He also said that Cromwell was hostile to the peerage, and to the Presbyterian ascen- dancy, which was no doubt the truth. The famous self-denying ordinance, brought before the house of commons Dec. 9, 1644, forbade any member of parliament from holding either civil or military office during the war. Crom- well supported it with great plainness of speech, showing that the want of success was due to the selfish ambition of certain members of both houses, who held places and commands, and who had no wish therefore to bring about the settlement of a quarrel the continuance of which they found so profitable. He also point- ed out the vices and corruptions that had found their way into the army, and declared that " till the whole army were new modelled, and governed under a stricter discipline, they must not expect any notable success in anything they went about." The first ordinance failed, but a milder one was successful. It provided that members of parliament who then held offices should be discharged. The three armies then existing were formed into one, 22,000 strong. Fairfax was made lord general, and Skippon major general. The office of lieutenant gene- ral was not filled up, undoubtedly because it was meant that Cromwell should have it, in spite of the self-denying ordinance. The army was entirely new modelled, and many offi- cers were dismissed. Cromwell had been employed in the mean time, with Sir William Waller, against the royal forces in the west ; and when the time came for him to retire, Fairfax sent a petition to the commons asking that Cromwell might command the horse in his army, and many of his officers signed the petition. The house complied, and Fairfax was allowed to employ him for such time as the house should dispense with his atten- dance. The model had been successful in raising the character of the army, under