History of War – October 2019

IN THE RANKS

The cavalry and infantry of both sides

carried a variety of weapons into battle

BRITISH CIVIL WARS

Frontline

THELONDONLOBSTERS

RAISEDBYA POPULARMEMBEROFPARLIAMENT,THELON

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unitwithhisownmoney,anddueto itsfullarmourtheregimentbe

theLondonLobstersor Haselrig’sLobsters.TheLobstersformedth

in theParliamentarianarmyof SirWilliamWalleranddistinguished

combatduringtheBattleof Lansdownon5 July1643.Theywerec

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17thcenturycuirassierarmour

CIVIL WAR CAVALRY

A DIVISION OF LABOUR EMERGED AMONG THE CAVALRY UNITS DEPLOYED BYB

SUPPORTERSOFPARLIAMENTANDTHESTUARTMONARCH

asa broadsword, the basket hilt sword

distinctive guard meant to protect the

wascommonly wielded in combat by

rassiers, and many variations developed.

THE PROTECTIVE POT HELMET

Both Royalist and Parliamentarian harquebusiers

were typically protected by body armour and the

pot style helmet that included a brim to ward

off blows from an adversary’s sword, crown

protection, and a covering for the neck.

RINGBLUNDERBUSS

rbuss is popularly

anearly shotgun. Its

e-calibre barrel was

short-range combat,

repower for cavalry

ight,powerful firearm.

rm,it was nicknamed

heroot of the cavalry

oon’.

THE MULTI-USE POLLAXE

Developed during the

14th century to breach

the protective armour

of an adversary, the

pollaxe survived for

more than 300 years

as an implement of

individual combat. Its

broad blade and spike

were ideal for slashing

and thrusting.

NDON LOBSSTERS

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ecameknownas

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eadtheLobsters

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THETHUNDE

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considered

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providingfi

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OTH

BASKETHILTSWORD

Sometimesreferredto

wasidentifiedwiththe

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THE WHEEL-LOCK PISTOL

Facilitating firing a weapon

from horseback, the wheel-

lock pistol introduced

secondary firepower

along with mobility. The

wheel-lock emerged

after the matchlock and

signified an advance in the

development of firearms.

ENGLISH LOCK CARBINE

Theprincipal weapon of the harquebusier, the English lock carbine,

or doglock, utilised an external apparatus for loading. The dog was

half-cock safety that prevented the weapon from firing inadvertently.

mechanism was replaced by the flintlock.

When civil war broke out in England

in 1642, there were no standing armies,

and men with military experience

typically brought country militia bands

together to form armed contingents

capable of marching to war in decisive

numbers. At the same time, the cavalry

units gathered for the conflict exhibited

an efficient division of labour rising

from earlier traditional combat roles.

Four distinct groups of cavalry units

emerged during the wars, and each

fulfilled a specific purpose.

The majority of the cavalry deployed

during the civil wars were harquebusiers,

or light cavalry, nicknamed the ‘Ironside’.

Their role evolved from that of foot

soldiers armed with the crossbow

during earlier wars on the European

continent, and by the mid-17th century

the harquebusier carried an early

matchlock firearm called the arquebus,

or harquebus. The harquebusier was

regularly armed with a matchlock firearm,

a pair of pistols, and a defensive sword.

He wore body armour and a pot helmet.

The lancers carried a lighter version

of the traditional weapon that dated

back to medieval times and were

noted for speed and mobility, often

negating any advantage of more heavily

armed units. The dragoons rode to the

battlefield on small horses, quickly

dismounted, and then fought as infantry.

They typically carried small carbines or

muskets as firearms and a short sword

for close-in combat since the procedure

for loading and firing was cumbersome.

The dragoons, therefore, combined

mobility with firepower.

The heavy cavalry, or cuirassiers,

were few in number and descended

from the heavily armoured knights of

the Middle Ages. They wore full,

articulated armour and carried wheel-

lock carbines, pistols and swords.

Parliamentariancavalryu

horsemen.However,ei

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Left:

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