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Chapter 1472 The Idea of ​​the New Parliamentary Army

At the beginning of November of that year, the King’s Army appeared in Brentford, which is only 11 miles away from London. At this critical moment, the Parliament organized more than 7 militia teams composed of craftsmen, apprentices and urban civilians to rush to the front line to fight against Egypt. Sykes's parliamentary army joins.

More than 5000 London militiamen joined the parliamentary army, and the number of the parliamentary army returned to 20000, while the king's army had less than 10000!As a result, the morale of the greatly increased parliament was greatly boosted, and the situation was reversed again!

The city of London is located in the southeast of Britain, and this is the core site controlled by the parliament!
Perhaps Sun Chuanting and Astley did not expect that the City of London would stand so firmly on the side of the Parliament. Just one city in the City of London could call 5000 militiamen to the front line within a few days when the King's Army approached.

Such progress and Sun Chuanting's estimate have once again deviated.After the king's army captured Oxford and turned the city into its own base camp, the subsequent march became slow, and it took a long time to attack the city of London before the parliamentary army reacted.

"Although the progress is slower than imagined, our initial goal has been achieved. We have pushed the front line to the hinterland of the parliament-controlled area, which will make them very uncomfortable. At the same time, our strategic depth has become wider, and we can expand from the south and the west. It is much better to get support from the royalists in North, North, Wales, Ireland and other places than to retreat to Wales. In the case of a balance of power between the two sides, whichever side retreats to its own territory, the balance of victory will not be tilted to his side .”

"Now the parliamentary army is supplemented by the militiamen of the city of London, with more than 20000 people. Our troops are limited, and we cannot deal with the parliamentary army led by the Earl of Essex while attacking the city. In addition, winter is coming, and the weather is freezing, so it is not suitable Carry out siege battles and field battles. So I suggest that we withdraw to Oxford, spend the winter in Oxford, and accumulate strength. Your Majesty, you can call more knights and people to join our king's army during this period. We train soldiers during this period , and fight again next year."

Sun Chuanting put forward his views to Charles I.

The king's army approached the city of London, which lowered the morale of the parliamentary army and the civilians in the city of London to a freezing point, but the civilians in the city of London quickly formed a militia to join the parliamentary army, which revived the morale of the parliamentary army.

Sun Chuanting had to admit the strength of the civilians. When the core forces of both sides were militias, the morale bonus brought by the numbers was very advantageous.

"It doesn't matter if we don't attack the city of London. We use Oxford as our base and wait for the opportunity to attack the city of London." Charles I also had no confidence in taking down the city of London, so he easily agreed to Sun Chuanting's proposal to withdraw his troops.

The king's army only appeared outside London for a while, and the king was forced to give up his plan to attack London.

However, the Earl of Essex, who had gained more troops, ordered that he not be allowed to pursue the retreating king, and only planned to passively defend the city of London, waiting for the king to change his mind.

A group of noble officers represented by Cromwell were very dissatisfied with the command of the commander-in-chief, the Earl of Essex.This time it was not just Cromwell alone, more noble officers who opposed the king joined Cromwell in attacking the Earl of Essex.

"According to the information collected by our people, the king's army lost one-third of its troops in the Battle of Mount Edge, and the number of troops was less than 10000. Those who supported the king had not had time to replenish the loss for the king's army. Now they are sending Oxford retreats, as long as we pursue it, not only can we recover many occupied towns along the way, but we can also completely defeat the king!"

This time it was not Cromwell, but a parliamentary cavalry officer in a red tall hat.

Sun Chuanting had also met this person in the Battle of Newcastle before. He recruited a red-capped dragoon from Yorkshire to participate in the Battle of Newcastle. A young man named Fairfax.

Originally, he belonged to the camp of the King's Army in the battle with the Scots, but after the parliament was reorganized by Pym, Hampton and others, he had seen Fairfax, which was vulnerable to the attack of the King's Army under the attack of the Scottish Covenant Army. Disappointed with the King, he joined the Parliamentary Army instead of the King's Army at the outbreak of the British Civil War.

He thought similarly to Cromwell, thinking that the Earl of Essex's behavior was almost missing the opportunity!
"I am the commander-in-chief of the parliamentary army. The members of the parliament trust me to give us this position. Don't doubt my approach. I am also planning for the well-being of the parliament and the people of Britain. Britain cannot live without a king."

The Earl of Essex kicked out Cromwell, Fairfax and other noble officers who attacked him.

"Whether it is the parliament or the Earl of Essex, they are not thorough enough to oppose the king. They are afraid that they will be liquidated by the king in the future, so all actions are restrained, and many opportunities for war are wasted! When the king was still in Nottingham, we had a large number of people. , The King's Army is about to collapse at the Battle of Edge Hill, and now that the King is retreating to Oxford, we have no less than three chances to completely defeat the King! However, the King's Army is still alive and kicking and has occupied Oxford. We are here to fight, not to sympathize with the King!"

"The Earl of Essex is a coward. Although I also think that the king is still the king, there is no reason to tie his hands and feet to fight against the enemy in a duel!"

Cromwell and a group of noble officers were depressed.

Although the king's army made a lot of mistakes, the behavior of the earl of Essex in the parliamentary army seemed to them to be extremely stupid.

"We can't rely on the Earl of Essex's army... The soldiers are more expensive than the elite. If we continue to be under his command, no matter how many times we fight, we will not be able to completely defeat the king. We need to form an elite army The standing army, don't need to look at the face of the Earl of Essex." Cromwell suggested.

"It is estimated that neither side will be able to engage in a large-scale battle in winter. I plan to return to Yorkshire to recruit more cavalry and sweep the royalists out of Yorkshire. If I can occupy Yorkshire, I will definitely go south to support you after the beginning of next spring." Fairfax said.

The earl of Essex, who was more resolutely opposed to the king, was gradually disappointed by the inaction of the Earl of Essex, and they had the idea of ​​​​establishing a new parliamentary army.

"In addition to building a new army, if the parliament really wants to make the king submit, it must first break with the parliament!" Cromwell suggested to this group of practical parliamentary officers.

"How can the parliament completely break with the king?" Some officers asked in puzzlement.

"Parliament has arrested the king's favorite, the Earl of Stratford. At this time, he is still imprisoned in the prison of London City. If he is tried and executed this winter..."

(End of this chapter)