Draft:Siege of Manchester

Siege of Manchester
Part of First English Civil War
Date 24 September – 1 October 1642 Location Manchester, Lancashire Result Royalist withdrawal
Belligerents
Royalists	Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Lord Strange	John Rosworm
Strength
4,000 infantry 200 dragoons 100 light horse 6–7 cannon	Unknown
Casualties and losses
~200	~20

The Siege of Manchester was an 8 day siege between the Parliamentarians (English Civil War) and The Royalists. It began with Lord Strange leaving Warrington to Manchester to begin the siege.

Prelude

During the summer of 1642, the Parliamentarians and Royalists were scrambling accross the country for soldiers and gunpowder. On 15 July 1642, Lord Strange entered Manchester, to have the town declare their support. The town resisted and a small scuffle broke out which is considered the first casualty of the war as a local weaver named Richard Perceval died in the fight.

Siege

on 24 September 1642, Lord Strange moved out of Warrington, England and laid siege to the town. That began the Siege of Manchester. The town refused to surrender and, on 26 Sptemeber 1642, the Royalists attacked down deansgate, while firing their cannon. They were fought off after some fierce fighting. There was more fighting on 27 September, where the Royalists were repulsed. A truce was called because the town was running out of ammunition supplies, but the town refused , but there were some divisions in the town anyways. On 29 September, 200 Parliamentarians sailed down to a deansgate house, which was occupied by the Royalists. There was an hour of fighting in which, the Royalists were defeated. There was some more fighting the next day, but on 1 October, there was an exchange of prisoners and Lord Strange abandoned the siege.

Aftermath

Though the Royalists lost this siege, they had success almost everywhere else. on 18 March 1643, the Royalists captured Lancaster, but they decided to lay fire rather than garrison it.