The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 63
FOR THE HONOURABLE COMMITTEE OF LANCASHIRE SITTING AT MANCHESTER
(I DESIRE THE COMMANDER OF THE FORCES THERE TO OPEN THIS LETTER, IF IT COME NOT TO THEIR HANDS)
Gentlemen,—It hath pleased God, this day, to show His great power by making the Army successful against the common Enemy.
We lay last night at Mr. Sherburn’s of Stonyhurst, nine miles from Preston, which was within three miles of the Scots quarters. We advanced betimes next morning towards Preston, with a desire to engage the Enemy; and by that time our Forlorn had engaged the Enemy, we were about four miles from Preston, and thereupon we advanced with the whole Army: and the Enemy being drawn out on a Moor betwixt us and the Town, the Armies on both sides engaged; and after a very sharp dispute, continuing for three or four hours, it pleased God to enable us to give them a defeat; which I hope we shall improve, by God’s assistance, to their utter ruin: and in this service your countrymen have not the least[1] share.
We cannot be particular, having not time to take account of the slain and prisoners; but we can assure you we have many prisoners, and many of those of quality; and many slain; and the Army so dissipated “as I say.” The principal part whereof, with Duke Hamilton, is on south side Ribble and Darwen Bridge, and we lying with the greatest part of the Army close to them; nothing hindering the ruin of that part of the Enemy’s Army but the night. It shall be our care that they shall not pass over any ford beneath the Bridge,[2] to go Northward, or to come betwixt us and Whalley.
We understand Colonel-General Ashton’s are at Whalley; we have seven troops of horse or dragoons that we believe lie at Clitheroe. This night I have sent order to them expressly to march to Whalley, to join to those companies; that so we may endeavour the ruin of this Enemy. You perceive by this Letter how things stand. By this means the Enemy is broken. and most of their Horse having gone Northwards, and we having sent a considerable party at the very heel of them; and the Enemy having lost almost all his ammunition, and near four-thousand arms, so that the greatest part of the Foot are naked;—therefore, in order to perfecting this work, we desire you to raise your County; and to improve your forces to the total ruin of that Enemy, which way soever they go; and if[3] you shall accordingly do your part, doubt not of their total ruin.
We thought fit to speed this to you; to the end you may not be troubled if they shall march towards you, but improve your interest as aforesaid, that you may give glory to God for this unspeakable mercy. This is all at present from, your very humble servant,
OLIVER CROMWELL.[4]
Commons Journals, Monday 21° Augusti 1648: ‘The Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant-General Cromwell, from Preston, of 17° Augusti 1648, to the Committee of Lancashire sitting at Manchester, enclosed in a Letter from a Member of this House from Manchester, of 19° Augusti 1648, were this day read. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee at Derby House to send away a copy of Lieutenant-General Cromwell’s Letter to the General’ Fairfax, ‘and to the Lord Admiral’ Warwick, to encourage them in their part of the work.—The enclosing ‘Letter from the Member of this House at Manchester,’ short and insignificant, about ‘dispensations,’ ‘providences,’ etc. is also given in the old Pamphlets, and in this Chetham Book now before us. He signs himself ‘W. L.’; probably William Langton, the new member for Preston.
- ↑ means ‘the not least.’
- ↑ There is such a ford, rideable if tide and rain permit.
- ↑ ‘that’ in the Original.—The punctuation and grammar of these sentences might have been improved; but their breathless impetuosity, directness, sincere singleness of purpose, intent on the despatch of business only, would have been obscured in the process.
- ↑ Lancashire during the Civil War (a Collection of Tracts republished by the Chetham Society, Manchester, 1844), p. 257. The Letter is in many old Pamphlets of the time. Langdale’s Letter is also given in this Chetham Book, p. 267.