siege siege week blockade english civil war port considered strategic importance controlled main shipping route bristol english channel commanded town defences siege laid prince april june start war claimed pair local members parliament garrisoned king charles ordered capture town early sent nephew troops siege laid april despite steady bombardment attempts storm town ground defences town established blake held fast regularly reinforced sea weakening effectiveness siege june withdrew siege face relieving army led 3rd earl essex background late 16th century important port liverpool main links england mainland europe combination strong beliefs demands king charles ship money meant outbreak english civil war town sympathetic cause local members parliament claimed set town local assigned governor town forces immediately set removing royalist area sent forces region far exeter somerset permanent fortifications established set walls ditches forts perimeter town end south west royalist control plymouth held controlled navy strategically important location bristol english channel early charles ordered captured sent large force command nephew prince siege marched march initially set garrison town detachment troops captured razed property garrisoned april fire devastated forced royalist troops establishing new quarters following day marched army men miles opposing forces captured roughly miles town garrisoned thirty defenders day siege attackers set artillery west town began bombardment day sent force men attack battery forced position new batteries set town besieging forces continued attack town ordnance april ordered advance town attack got little range musket shot day town ammunition food reinforced men ships mary rose ann war garrisoned army supported women town aided building fortifications later disguised men siege appear town held troops ran ammunition town helped weapons efforts drew comparisons joan arc essay written detailing achievements entitled feminine discovered following week royalist forces held siege engage town attacked town places thick fog defenders caught slightly soldiers eating evening supper rallied quickly hour repelled attack account kept garrison records besieging army killed garrison lost man following day requested dead buried request granted exchange town defenders able claim weaponry week little fighting armies seven ships arrived aid town including soldiers sir army men sent earl turned attention harbour week placing artillery units cliff tops bombarding ships morning attack sunk barge laden followed raiding party men evening attacked harbour setting fire barges remained fighting drive captain commanded town cavalry mortally wounded died fever days later despite surgeon arrived ships promise help provide including seamen help garrison town funeral held firing volley town ordnance besieging army signalled second attempt storm town town came barrage enemy batteries scaling brought fortifications attack repelled town defenders request immediate aftermath turned fear town reinforced sailors day attack town launched ships sent split royalist forces succeeded sending small detachment cavalry foot away quickly returned clear ships going land midday batteries began heavily bombard town followed ground attack managed breach fortifications hours fighting rebuffed attack fourteen ships arrived days later bringing provisions ammunition news relieving force sent aid town stage realised unlikely able capture town determined destroy instead fires set june attacks light june heavier red hot shot fired try set fires town despite orders lay siege king headquarters oxford 3rd earl essex opted attempt reclaim south west marching hearing fall impending arrival earl essex relieving army abandoned siege night june 17th century historian suggested suffered loss reputation having long strength place reducing aftermath retreated exeter earl essex continued devon cornwall sending blake capture essex campaign failed suffering total defeat battle early september remaining forces retreated leaving plymouth control south west earl sent letter parliament detailing hardships endured town siege requesting course taken relief parliament voted grant town year compensation paid residents suffered losses siege maintained garrison war finally disbanding july
Siege of Lyme Regis