Peter Harrington,

author of ENGLISH CIVIL WAR ARCHAEOLOGY , published by Batsford

for English Heritage in 2004.

"HONOURABLE, - Yesterday we advanced with your brigade to Abbotsbury as a place of great concern, and which by the whole council of war was held feasible. We came thither just at night, and sent them a summons by a trumpeter, to which they returned a slighting answer and hung out their bloody flag. Immediately we drew out a party of musketeers, with which Major Baintun in person stormed the church, into which they had put thirteen men, because it flanked the house. This after a hot bickering we carried, and took all the men prisoners. After this we sent them a second summons under our hands that they might have fair quarter if they would accept it, otherwise they must expect none if they forced us to storm. But they were so gallant that they would admit of no treaty, so that we prepared ourselves for to force it, and accordingly fell on. The business was extreme hot for above six hours; we were forced to burn down an outgate to a court before we could get to the house, and then our men rushed in through the fire and got into the hall porch, where with furse fagots they set fire on it, and plied the windows so hard with small shot that they enemy durst not appear in the low rooms: in the meantime one of our guns played on the other side of the house, and the gunners with fire balls and granadoes with scaling ladders endeavoured to fire the second story, but, that not taking effect, our soldiers were forced to wrench open the windows with irons bars, and, pouring in fagots of furse fired, set the whole house in a flaming fire, so that it was not possible to be quenched, and then they cried for quarter; but we having lost divers men before it, and considering how many garrisons of the same nature we were to deal with, I gave command there should be none given, but they should be kept into the house, that they and their garrison might fall together, which the soldiers with a great deal of alacrity would have performed, but that Colonel and Major Sidenham, riding to the other side of the house, gave them quarter; upon which our men fell into the house to plunder and could not be by any of their commanders drawn out, though they were told the enemy’s magazine was near the fire and, if they stayed, would prove their ruin, which accordingly fell out, for the powder taking fire blew up all that were in the house, and blew four score that were in the court a yard from the ground, but hurt only two of them. Mr. Darby was of the number, but not hurt. We had hurt and killed by the enemy not fifteen, but I fear four times that number will not satisfy for the last mischance. Captain Heathcock and Mr. Cooper (who did extreme bravery) were both slain by the blow of the powder. Captain Gorge, a very gallant young gentleman, is hurt in the head with a freestone from the church tower and shot through the ankle, but we hope will live. Lieutenant Kennett to Major Peutt, who behaved himself very well, was blown up with the powder and slain; and Lieutenant Hill, who went a volunteer and was sent in to get out the soldiers, was blown up with the rest, yet since we have taken him strongly out of the rubbish and hope to preserve him. The house is burnt down to the ground, and could not be saved. We have prisoners Colonel James Strangways, Major Coles, and three captains, besides a hundred foot soldiers and thirty horse, all Strangways his whole regiment. Sir William Waller’s officers all of them have behaved themselves extreme gallantly, and more than could be expected in their readiness and observance for your commands; we cannot say to whom you owe the most thanks, only Lieutenant-Colonel Oxford we are extremely obliged to for his nobleness in joining in this expedition, though without command, only on our entreaty. Captain Starr and Captain Woodward behaved themselves extremely well. Our men are so worn out with duty and this mischance that we are necessitated to retire to Dorchester to refresh them. If you have anything in particular to command us, we shall most readily obey you. Tomorrow we have a council of war of all the officers, and then we shall conclude of what may be of most advantage to your service, and by God’s blessing will faithfully prosecute it. Colonel Sidenham has yet afforded us no ammunition; all his men are supplied from us hitherto besides. He makes not up his regiment either of horse or foot; he has withdrawn one more company this day. We have given him orders that all the prisoners that are officers should be sent to you. We humbly desire you will be pleased to consent to no exchange for any of them until Haynes be exchanged.

1. A. Cooper."

"SIR, - We marched from Dorchester to Abbotsbury, where Colonel James Strangways and all his regiment were in garrison; they held both the house and the church which joined the house: it was night before we summoned it, and they in a scorn refused the summons of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, a very active and noble gentleman. And Commander-in-Chief, whereupon he sent his Major-General with a considerable party against the church, who presently assaulting it took it and all the men in it prisoners, without the loss of one man of our own. After this we summoned them in writing, the second time, to yield on fair quarter or else to expect no mercy, if they forced us to storm them. To this they disdained to return an answer; upon which denial we fell on, and after as hot a storm as ever I heard of, for six hours together, it pleased God at last to give us the place. When by no other means we could get it, we found a way by desperately flinging in fired turf-fagots into the windows. And the fight then grew so hot that our said Commander-in-chief (who to his perpetual renown behaved most gallantly in this service) was forced to bring up his men within pistol-shot of the house, and could hardly then get them to stay and stand the brunt, yet in all this time (God be praised) we had but three men killed and some few wounded. Now when as by the foresaid hot assault half of the house was on a light fire, and not to be quenched, then at length Colonel James Strangways called out for quarter, which our Commander-in-chief was resolved no man in the house should have, in regard they had so desperately and disdainfully scorned his summons, and also in regard that the Cavaliers’ custom was observed to be to keep such paltry houses and pilfering garrisons against any of our armies, that they might thereby be sure to do us mischief, and (by reason of our observed clemency) to have their lives at last granted to them: but some of our commanders upon one side of the house, contrary to the mind of our said Commander-in-chief, and against the opinion of all the officers, in his absence had given them quarter, which being granted them, we instantly rushed into the house, which being on a light fire and their magazine in it (I believe rather accidentally than, as some reported, purposely and treacherously), to set on fire four or five barrels of gunpowder, and blew up between thirty and forty of our men; yet the Lord be blessed, myself and the rest were even miraculously preserved.

We took prisoner Colonel James Strangways, Sir John Strangways his son, governor of this garrison, his Major and three Captains: and not three of his whole regiment but were either killed or taken, and the house was wholly burnt down to the ground, and we thereby freed of a pestilent and pernicious neighbour. Colonel Bruen and Mr. Compton behaved themselves very worthily in this action, and Captain Starre incomparably bravely.

Yours

C.A."