August 17–19, 1648 · North Theater
August 17–19, 1648
The Duke of Hamilton's Scottish-Royalist army of some 20,000 invaded England in the Second Civil War, allied with English Royalists under Langdale. Cromwell, with around 9,000 battle-hardened New Model Army veterans, struck their strung-out column at Preston in Lancashire. Over three days of relentless pursuit, Cromwell destroyed the invading army piecemeal — Hamilton was captured, Langdale's men routed. The Scottish army, which had crossed the border in hope of restoring Charles I, was effectively annihilated as a fighting force.
Commanders