In August 1643, Charles
I and his army
surrounded Gloucester but withdrew to avoid a confrontation when Robert
Devereux, Earl
of Essex, arrived the relieve the city. Royalist forces now moved
to block the Parliamentary army's return to London.
Charles
I, with 8,000
foot soldiers and 6,000 cavalrymen, set up defensive positions to
the west of Newbury. Prince Rupert was
in command of the cavalry and Jacob Astley
the infantry.
Robert
Devereux arrived
with 10,000 foot soldiers and 4,000 cavalrymen. Although he arrived
after the Royalists he managed to secure the best ground at Round
Hill. An attack led by John Byron and
his Cavaliers failed to capture the
position from the Roundheads.
The Royalists ran short
of ammunition and that night, despite the protests of Prince
Rupert and John Byron, the
king decided to withdraw
to Oxford. This enabled Robert
Devereux and
his Parliamentary army to return to London.
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