After
the trial and execution of the King Charles I, Cromwell led major
military campaigns to establish English control over Ireland (1649-50)
and then Scotland (1650-51). In the summer 1650, before embarking
for Scotland, Cromwell had been appointed lord general, or commander
in chief, of all the parliamentary forces. On June 28, he set
off for Scotland at the head of an army of 16,354 men.
The
commander of the Scottish army that Cromwell would face was a
professional soldier and a former comrade in arms. David Leslie,
1st Lord of Newark, had fought in the Swedish army during the
Thirty Years' War. During the First English Civil War, both Leslie
and Cromwell had led Scottish cavalry on the Parliamentarian army's
left flank at Marston Moor. Leslie also destroyed the Royalist
army of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, at Philiphaugh on September
13, 1645, ending Montrose's legendary string of victories.
Scotland's
army had less than 6,000 regular soldiers in June 1650. Although
that number was swiftly raised to 22,000 by enlisting short-term
levies, David Leslie knew they would not be well-trained enough
to match their English counterparts in open battle. Instead he
planned to draw Cromwell to Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, and
force the English to storm his well-fortified army. Between the
city of Leith on the coast and Edinburgh, he built a network of
entrenchments and fortifications. He also burned all crops and
supplies between Edinburgh and the border, forcing Cromwell to
rely on provisions from England. Aware of the Scots' scorched
earth tactics, Cromwell had arranged for supply by sea, but contrary
winds frequently delayed the ships.
The
English army arrived near Edinburgh on July 29. Not wanting to
risk a direct assault, Cromwell tried to maneuver the Scots out
of their entrenchments. While his ships shelled the Scots' left
flank at Leith, his ground troops captured Arthur's Seat, a large
hill dominating the field in front of Edinburgh. He then placed
artillery there. A Scottish infantry regiment assaulted the hill
and captured the guns, but a counterattack drove them off. The
main Scottish army remained in its trenches, however, and on the
following day, Cromwell fell back to the town of Musselburgh for
resupply.
Cromwell
retreated to Dunbar a few days later because Musselburgh Harbor
was too small for his ships. Dunbar had a good harbor and Cromwell
remained there until August 11. Asserting that the king and not
the Scottish people was his enemy, he pleaded with the Kirk Party:
"I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible
you may be mistaken." Cromwell's attempt to accomplish his
objective without bloodshed failed.
Cromwell
then reverted to a military strategy. He would draw Leslie out
by moving behind the Scots' defensive line and threatening their
rear. On August 27 and 28, he occupied good defensive positions
in the towns of Corstorphine and Gogar. Although Leslie moved
out of his trenches, he did not give battle. Frustrated, Cromwell
ordered a withdrawal to Musselburgh and held a council of war
on the night of August 30. For the third time since the invasion
began on July 22, his senior officers decided to retreat to Dunbar,
to fortify it and to await reinforcements and supplies.
Leslie
arrived at Dunbar before Cromwell on September 1 and took up position
on Doon Hill, two miles south of the town. The hill made an excellent
defensive position because it commanded the road south into England.
The road was on a narrow pass between the hill and the sea. There,
as Cromwell described it, "ten men to hinder are better than
forty to make way."
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