Cromwell's Army: A History of the English Soldier During the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth, and the Protectorate

English statesman Oliver Cromwell contributed significantly to the military reforms that resulted in the eventual creation and success of the New Model Army of England, formed by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, despite having no formal military training. This volume explores the features of Cromwell's military system which made it so successful and the character of the army which he organized. It provides a detailed and comprehensive survey of the many regiments and their officers, beginning in 1642 with the raising of the Ironsides, who formed the nucleus of Cromwell's New Model Army. The two volumes examine the origins and history of the regiments, the careers and beliefs of their officers, the course of the Civil War, and the activities of the army outside Britain. Sir Charles Firth exploited contemporary sources to the full to build up this vivid composite portrait of the soldiers of the Civil War and the regiments in which they served. [modified from Oxford University Press]