Russell - an event involving 34,000 armed participants cannot be described as a skirmish. This was the third largest land battle ever fought on these islands in recorded history. Casualties were light because the Royalists discovered probably to their surprise that they were vastly out numbered and could not risk a full frontal assault on the Parliamentarian forces. The Parliamentarian Leader the Earl of Essex knew that to achieve his paramount objective of protecting the City of London all he had to do was block the King's advance. Essex did send Colonel John Hampden MP and his troops out to perform an encircling manoeuvre through "the heights of Acton" but recalled him before any contact was made with the enemy.   A gigantic Mexican Stand-off is probably the best description of the days events - certainly not a skirmish. The battle is often quietly ignored in the history books but its real significance is that it is the last time the King got close to London before he returned for his "head ache cure" in 1649 just a little over six bloody years later.

Entire Thread

Topic	Date Posted	Posted By
Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 15:25:00	Sarah Thomas
Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 16:11:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 16:53:00	Russell Pearson
Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 18:16:00	Cllr Sam Hearn
Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 18:21:00	Russell Pearson
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 18:36:00	Richard Greenhough
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 18:38:00	Russell Pearson
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 19:42:00	Keith Iddon
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 21:01:00	Russell Pearson
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 21:13:00	Keith Iddon
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Battle of Turnham Green 13.11.1642	13/11/15 21:40:00	Russell Pearson

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