New Model Army
Military

Formation

The First English Civil War had been in progress since 1642 when, in 1645 the New Model Army was established on the recommendation of Oliver Cromwell in order to provide Parliament with the means to win the English Civil War. This army replaced the previous un-coordinated parliamentary forces of the early years of the Civil War, largely officered by MPs.

A bill passed by the House of Commons on 19 December 1644 stipulated that no member of the House of Commons or the House of Lords could hold any command in the Army or Navy. Since this meant that nobles were automatically debarred from military command (whereas members of the House of Commons could resign and retain their commands), the House of Lords hesitated, but finally passed the bill on 3 April 1645.

The Ordinance was a political manoeuvre probably engineered by Henry Vane to rid Parliament's army of inefficient aristocratic commanders.

    The Earls of Essex and Manchester lost their commands in the army

    The Earl of Warwick lost control of the navy.

    The Presbyterian Sir William Waller resigned from the army rather than lose his political influence.

Only Oliver Cromwell remained exempt from the order since his military skills were regarded as indispensable.

Composition

The New Model Army was planned to comprise 22,000 men:

    12 regiments of foot (1,200 men each) - in proportion two-thirds musketeers, one-third pikemen

    11 regiments of horse (600 men each)

    1 regiment of dragoons (1,000 men)

    1 regiment of artillery (50 guns)

There is some doubt, however, whether all these regiments were raised.

This New Model Army Infantry was formed from the forces of:

    Robert Devereaux, 3rd Earl of Essex (3,048 men)

    Edward Montague, 2nd Earl of Manchester (3,578 men) - commander of the Eastern Association

    Sir William Waller (548 men)

    Conscripted men from London and the eastern counties (8,460 men)

Commander in Chief - The Lord General Sir Thomas Fairfax

Sergeant Major General - Philip Skippon (Commander of Foot)

Leader of Horse -  Sir Oliver Cromwell (position earmarked but excluded by SDA at the start)

    Appointed Lieutenant General of Horse 13th June 1645 (eve of the Battle of Naseby)

    Commander in Chief 26th June 1650 succeeding Fairfax

Foot Regiments

    The Lord General's Regt (Fairfax)

    Col Edward Montague's Regt (2nd Earl of Manchester) (Eastern Association)

    Col John Pickering's Regt (Eastern Association, supplemented with men from Ayloffe's regiment)

    Col Sir Hardress Waller's Regt

    Sgt Maj Gen Philip Skippon's Regt

    Lt Col Thomas Pride (Col Edward Harley's Regt)

    Col Robert Hammond's Regt

    Col Thomas Rainsborough's Regt

Ardrich's Foot (later Lloyd's Foot)

    1. Gen. Regiment.
    2. Life-Guard
    3. Lieut. Gen. Regiment
    4. Com. Gen. Regiment.
    5. Col. Whaleyes Reg.
    6. Col. Riches Reg.
    7. Col. Fleetwoods Reg.
    8. Col. Harrisons Reg.
    9. Col. Twisldens Reg.    		 Of
    Horse    		 1. Gen. Regiment.
    2. Col. Sir Hardresse Wallers Reg.
    3. Col. Lamberts Reg.
    4. Col. Rainsboroughs Regiment.
    5. Col. Overtons Reg.
    6. Col. Lilburns Reg.
    7. Col. Backsters Reg.    		 Of
    Foot.

Cavalry

    Lord General's Regt (including Fairfax's Life Guard) (formed from Cromwell's Ironsides Regt and commanded by Maj Disprowe)

    9th Horse: Col Edward Whalley's Regt (formed from Cromwell's Ironsides Regt)

    Sir Robert Pye's Regt (Cromwell's Horse)

    Col Thomas Sheffield's Regt (Cromwell's Horse)

    Col John Butler Regt (Ireton's Horse)

    Col Vermuyden's Regt (Ireton's Horse)

    Commissary General Col Sir Henry Ireton's Regt (Ireton's Horse)

    7th Horse: Col Nathaniel Rich's Regt (Ireton's Horse)

    Col George Fleetwood's Regt (Ireton's Horse)

    Col Robert Hammond's Regt?

Non - New Model Cavalry who fought at Naseby

    Col John Feinnes' Regt (Cromwell's Horse)

    Eastern Association (brought from Ely by Cromwell, commanded by Gurdon)

    Col Edward Rossiter's (Midlanders) (Cromwell's Horse)

Dragoons - Col John Okey

Artillery - Lt Gen Hammond

Independent Commands

    Massey's Regt

    Northern Association (5 Horse Regts, 1 Dragoon Regt, 7 Foot Regts), commanded by Maj Gen Sedenham Poyntz (previously commanded by Ferdinando Lord Fairfax

    John Brights's Regt

The infantry regiments of the New Model wore red coats with white markings to identify the individual regiments. They were armed with the matchlock musket or the pike.

The cavalry wore their iron headpieces and chest armour, the latter over a thick leather coat. The troopers were armed with a sword and two pistols.

Officially the New Model ceased to exist in 1647, when Parliament created a standing army with Fairfax as commander-in-chief of all land forces, including both the New Model and local forces that had remained independent.

Disbandment

Charles II disbanded the New Model Army in 1660, leaving the country with no standing army.

Two guards regiments were re-enlisted at the turn of 1600/1, being:

    Col Russell's Regiment, forming the 1st  Guards later the Grenadier Guards (a Royalist Regt)

    Gen Monck's Regiment, the 2nd Guards, renamed the Coldstream Guards (a Parliamentarian Regt)

Dates

    First English Civil War 1642- 13th March 1647

    Second English Civil War May 1648 - 28th August 1648, ended by Royalist surrender at Colchester

    Third English Civil War June 1650 - 3rd September 1651 at Worcester