Fairfax, Sir Thomas, third baron Fairfax,
Baron Fairfax of Cameron (1612–1671)
English general
The son of Ferdinando Fairfax, second baron Fairfax of
Cameron, Thomas Fairfax was born in Denton, York-
shire, on 17 January 1612. He attended Cambridge
University, after which he fought with the Dutch against
the Spanish from 1629 to 1631. From 1639 to 1640, as
commander of the Yorkshire Dragoons, he fought in the
so-called Bishops’ War (a conflict between England and
Scotland caused by the English king Charles I’s attempt
to reform the Scottish church). For his service to the
Crown, Fairfax was knighted by King Charles in 1640.
Eight years later, in 1648, he succeeded to his father’s
title as the third baron Fairfax.
When the long struggle between King Charles and
Parliament erupted into civil war in 1642, Fairfax joined
the Parliamentary cause, taking command of troops in
his native Yorkshire. In An English Garner (1903), En-
glish historian C. H. Firth quotes from manuscripts
that Fairfax wrote, which his nephew, Brian Fairfax,
published in 1699, although they were overlooked until
Firth highlighted them in his work. In one of two papers
regarding his actions prior to and during the English
Civil War—entitled “A Short Memorial of the North-
ern Actions, During the War There, From the Year 1642
till the Year 1644”—Fairfax writes, “The first action we
had was at Bradford, where we had about 300 men. The
Enemy, having about 70 or 800 [probably 700 or 800]
pieces of ordnance [cannon], came thither to assault us.
We drew out close to the town to receive them. They had
advantage of ground, the town being compassed with
hills; which made us more exposed to their cannon shot,
from which we received some hurt. Yet notwithstanding,
our men defended the passages, which they [the Royalist
forces] were to descend, so well that they got no ground
of us. And now, the day being spent, they drew off; and
returned back again to Leeds.”
In January 1643, Fairfax marched his men into
Leeds and then Wakefield, where he captured 1,500
Royalist troops and their commander, Lord Goring,
on 23 January 1643. Despite these victories, his defeat
at the hands of William Cavendish, marquis of New-
castle, on 30 June 1643 at Adwalton Moor left all of
Yorkshire under Royalist control save for the port of
Hull. Assisted by Oliver cromWell, Fairfax launched
an offensive against the Royalists and won a decisive
victory at Winceby (11 October 1643) against Sir John
Henderson. At Marston Moor (2 July 1644), he worked
with Alexander leslie, Lord Leven, and Edward mon-
tague, second earl of Manchester, to defeat Newcastle
and Prince ruPert. Following the battle at Winceby,
Montague wrote that “Sir Thomas Fairfax is a person
that exceeds any expressions as a commendation of his