The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1646: Ordnance and Associated Capabilities of English Armies During the First Civil War

By Simon Marsh

Artillery trains are a neglected aspect of Civil War military history, despite leaving behind a rich archival legacy. Some historians have dismissed them as having little impact in battle, while acknowledging their utility in sieges. The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1646 seeks to reevaluate this perception and ensure that the importance of ordnance trains to Civil War armies is more widely recognised.

Drawing upon previously unpublished archival material and a broad array of other sources, The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1646 examines the organisation, equipping, and utilisation of artillery. It explores contemporary ordnance doctrine as described by military writers and compares this to the evidence found in written accounts, providing a comprehensive understanding of operational practice and the areas in which it diverges from theory.

For the first time in a single volume, The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1646 offers a detailed examination of the main trains of artillery established by both Parliament and the royalists, including those for the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Manchester, Sir William Waller, the royalist Oxford army, and the New Model Army. It also investigates the smaller artillery trains established by regional forces, thus providing as comprehensive a picture as possible of this often overlooked and misunderstood subject.

The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1646 will appeal to military historians of the British Civil Wars and those with an interest in the development of the ordnance arm of service and its operation. Wargamers and re-enactors will also find much of interest in this volume.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1804518409
• ISBN13: 9781804518403
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Helion & Company
• Length: 384 Pages