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Defoe, Daniel, 1661-1731

"Memoirs of a Cavalier A Military Journal of the Wars in Germany, and the Wars in England. From the Year 1632 to the Year 1648."

We lost about fifteen of our men, and
the enemy about forty, chiefly by the fire of our dragoons in their
retreat.
In this posture we continued our march; and though the king halted
at Lichfield--which was a dangerous article, having so many of the
enemy's troops upon his hands, and this time gave them opportunity to
get into a body--yet the Scots, with their General Leslie, resolving
for the north, the rest of the troops were not able to face us, till,
having ravaged the enemy's country through Staffordshire, Warwick,
Leicester, and Nottinghamshire, we came to the leaguer before Newark.
The king was once more in the mind to have gone into Scotland, and
called a council of war to that purpose; but then it was resolved by
all hands that it would be too late to attempt it, for the Scots and
Major-General Poyntz were before us, and several strong bodies
of horse in our rear; and there was no venturing now, unless any
advantage presented to rout one of those parties which attended us.
Upon these and like considerations we resolved for Newark; on our
approach the forces which blocked up that town drew off, being too
weak to oppose us, for the king was now above 5000 horse and dragoons,
besides 300 horse and dragoons he took with him from Newark.


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