Battle of Sedgemoor July 6, 1685 at 03:00
Monmouth’s Last Chance
Colonel Holmes’ regiment comes into the battle line to the left of the artillery, and pushes forwards. At the same Jones’ squadron crosses the upper Plungeon to face the Government horse holding the cross over the Halsom Rhyne. However, on the Duke’s right, Oglethorpe’s cavalry charge home against Grey’s horse who break.
Jones’ squadron charges home hitting Sandys troop and a fierce combat breaks out. To Sandys’ right Cornbury’s dragoons have dismounted and engage Holmes regiment. Early in the encounter, Colonel Holmes is wounded.
Jones’ cavalry are victorious and push Sandys troop back, while Brandt places his Scythe battalion on the left of the line, while Bovett brings up the last two regiments. Feversham orders Villiers squadron across the lower Plungeon, while Orby’s and Oglethorpe’s troopers are to go around the right flank. In the centre six guns from the Government artillery are brought into line and start firing into the Whig line.
Across the whole the Whig infantry are beginning to run short of ammunition, but the powder wagons were disrupted by the breaking horse and remain away from the battlefield.
This account is based on a more detail description of the Earl of Argyll’s & the Duke of Monmouth’s campaign of 1685 available from Helion & Company in my Book Fighting For Liberty.
