Battle of Braddock Down

Historical re-enactment of the Battle of Braddock Down in England

Date	19 January 1643
Location	Braddock Down, Cornwall
Result	Royalist victory

Belligerents

Royalists

Parliamentarians

Commanders and leaders

Sir Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton

Colonel William Ruthven

Strength

c. 5,000

c. 4,000

Casualties and losses

few

200 dead
1,500 captured

Coordinates: 50°24′51″N 4°34′2″W / 50.41417°N 4.56722°W / 50.41417; -4.56722

The Battle of Braddock Down was a battle of the south-western campaign of the First English Civil War. It was fought on open ground in Cornwall, on 19 January 1643. An apparently easy victory for the Royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton secured Cornwall for King Charles and confirmed Hopton's reputation as a commander. Hopton also gained respect for the mercy shown to his foe, of whom 1,500 were captured during and after the battle. The precise location of the battlefield is a matter of dispute, though English Heritage believe it to be within parkland at Boconnoc.

Hopton had been attempting to march into Devon from Cornwall but was prevented from doing so by the Parliamentarian force at Plymouth under the Earl of Stamford and William Ruthven. He retreated across Bodmin Moor and on 17 January was able to replenish his food and ammunition stores from three Parliamentarian ships that sought refuge from a storm at Falmouth and were captured.

Sir Ralph Hopton's Royalist forces had been camped the night of 18/19 January at Boconnoc. On breaking camp, their dragoon vanguard encountered Parliamentarian cavalry to the east, and discovered Ruthven's army deployed on Braddock Down. Ruthven had been unwilling to wait for reinforcements sent by Stamford to arrive and had marched to face the Royalists in the hope of a quick victory. Ruthven initially believed he was facing stragglers from Hopton's main army but was instead lured into facing the entire Royalist force.

...
Wikipedia