Siege of Gloucester

Part of the First English Civil War

Date	10 August - 5 September 1643
Location	Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Result	Decisive Parliamentarian victory

Belligerents

Royalists

Parliamentarians

Commanders and leaders

Charles I
Prince Rupert

Colonel Edward Massey

Strength

about 35,000

1,500 regular troops
unknown local militia later 15,000 reinforcements

Casualties and losses

3,000+ killed or wounded

50 killed or wounded

The Siege of Gloucester was an engagement in the First English Civil War. It took place between 10 August and 5 September 1643, between the defending Parliamentarian garrison of Gloucester and the besieging army of King Charles I. The siege ended with the arrival of a relieving Parliamentarian army under the Earl of Essex. The Royalist forces withdrew, having sustained heavy casualties and had several cannon disabled as a result of sallies made by the defenders.

The siege took place after a run of Royalist successes, known as the "Royalist summer". After the fall of Cirencester, Gloucester was one of the few remaining Parliamentarian strongholds in the west. During a council of war at Bristol, the King faced a decision to either attack a weakened London, or to consolidate the South Western Royalist stronghold by attacking the small garrison at Gloucester. Although the reasons for his decision are not known, Gloucester's position cutting the overland route between Royalist-held Wales and Cornwall made it a favourable target, and with the city having only a very small garrison the King may have believed that Gloucester would fall quickly.

Five days before the arrival of the Royalist army the defenders had discovered they were to be attacked and messengers were sent to London to ask Parliament for assistance.

On 10 August, the Royalist army arrived at Gloucester and promptly demanded that Colonel Edward Massey surrender. Massey refused and Royalist forces began digging in and setting up artillery batteries around the south and east gates of the city and also severed or diverted water pipes. The defenders burned houses and other obstacles outside the city walls. The bombardment of the city began.

However, over the next days, the defenders made several sallies from the gates, attacking and disabling Royalist artillery, taking prisoners and tools. Breaches in the wall were filled with cannon baskets and wool sacks. The Royalists made attempts to drain the city moat and fill it in at places.

As the siege was prolonged, the King requested his favourite, Prince Rupert, who was currently holding the newly captured port of Bristol, to acquire a newly built cannon from his friends and associates in the Low Countries. This was done post-haste and this huge cannon was shipped over to Bristol and escorted up the Severn Channel to Gloucester, to be positioned just outside the city walls (actually on the high wall of Llanthony Secunda priory in Hempsted), aimed at the cathedral itself.

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Wikipedia