Siege of Hereford | |||||||
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Part of the First English Civil War | |||||||
The Bridge over the River Wye was the scene of heavy fighting during the siege. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
English Royalists | Scottish Covenanters | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Barnabas Scudamore | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,500 | 14,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The siege of Hereford took place in 1645 during the English Civil War when the city of Hereford and its English Royalist garrison was besieged by a Scottish Covenanter army under the command of the Earl of Leven. The Covenanters were allied to the English Parliamentarian cause and moved to take the Royalist stronghold in the wake of their victory at the Battle of Naseby. After a month-long siege, the approach of Royalist reinforcements and news of Montrose's victories against the Covenanters in Scotland forced Leven to abandon the siege and retreat. However, in December of the same year the city was taken in a surprise attack by Colonel John Birch and remained in Parliamentarian hands for the remainder of the conflict.[1]