main force. After a period of fierce fighting, the Royalists began to fall back, eventually fleeing from the battlefield pursued by the Parliamentary cavalry. Cromwell then noticed that Cavendish had held a regiment of horse in reserve and was now moving to counter-attack those Parliamentarians that had remained on the field. Seeing this, Cromwell, Major Whalley and three troops of Parliamentarian horse attacked Cavendish and his reserve from the rear. Cromwell and his troopers forced Cavendish's horse down the hill into the flat marshy land of the Trent, where 300 Royalists were slaughtered. Cavendish was knocked off his horse and killed by a sword thrust in the chest. The place where he was killed was later known as "Candish Bog." Aftermath With the battle over, Cromwell rode into Gainsborough with supplies for Willoughby's garrison. While this was being done, news arrived that a small Royalist force was marching on Gainsborough from the north. Cromwell and Meldrum, thinking this was a remnant of Cavendish's force not yet engaged, rode out to meet them with 600 of Willoughby's foot soldiers. At Morton they drove off two troops of Royalist horse. Then climbing a hill, they were shocked to discover the army of Lord Newcastle consisting of about 30 regiments of foot and a great body of horse, who were marching on Gainsborough to retake it for the King. Willoughby's foot soldiers fell back in disorder. With his own men and horses exhausted by the recent battle, Cromwell ordered a withdrawal. In a disciplined manoeuvre, two rearguard parties of horse, one from Cromwell's regiment and another from Lincoln, stood firm and retired alternately in order to cover the main force. With the loss of only two men, they held back the Royalists until reaching the safety of Lincoln. Meanwhile, Newcastle besieged Gainsborough, firing on the town with his cannons. After a three-day siege, Willoughby surrendered on 31 July. Newcastle then turned his forces around and headed north to besiege Hull, leaving a Royalist garrison at Gainsborough. With the town back in Royalist hands, raiding parties once more started to harass Parliamentary-held areas. Citations References Further reading West, John (2021) The Battle of Gainsborough 1643. JMD Media. ISBN 9781780916187 External links Timeline 1643 – British Civil Wars Gainsborough Gainsborough 1643 in England Gainsborough 17th century in Lincolnshire Gainsborough, Lincolnshire