One King!: A Guide to Wargaming Argyll’s and Monmouth’s Rebellion of 1685

The Duke of Monmouth’s Whig Army takes on Lord Churchill and the vanguard of the Government Army at the Battle of Norton St Philip, 27 June 1685. (From multiple collections)

Preface

This publication started as an extension to Fighting for Liberty, the true story of the Monmouth Rebellion in Scotland and England, but it has evolved to include new research and learning. However, it was the science of warfare during this period that shaped the campaign and I have covered this in some detail to provide a more realistic style of wargame. My aim is to make One King! the perfect companion to the Whig invasions of Britain, by covering every encounter, commander and military formation in England and Scotland.

One King! is more a set of guidelines than rules, so I have warmed up the historical campaign with some interesting ‘what ifs’ and some basic campaign rules to spice up events, just a little. This should provide everything needed to bring the Monmouth Rebellion to life on the tabletop but also for the military enthusiast to follow in the footsteps of the commanders over a coffee (or beer) and cake.

I would like to thank my ever-patient wife and daughters but also David Gerhard who acted as a sounding board over a curry, plus Alan Larsen and Warwick Louth for plugging some gaps in my knowledge on uniforms and saddle cloths. And finally, a big thank you to Mark Shearwood, Charles Singleton, Alan Larson & Barry Hilton for the loan of the fantastic figures seen in this publication.

One King! was finished on the anniversary of the day when the Scottish Whig Council of War elected Argyll as their general. It is time to recruit, train, equip and paint your armies, to secure the kingdoms for your one true King.

Yours in the cause

Stephen M. Carter

17 April 2022

One King 1685

Objectives of the War

Rather than two separate events, the Monmouth Rebellion and Argyll’s Uprising of 1685 was a coordinated attempt by the Whigs to topple the Government of King James II & VII, the Duke of York, through a military campaign. On one side are the Whigs, on the other the Government. To stand any chance of winning the Whigs needed to transport weapons, equipment and raise two new armies. They then had to defeat the Government armies of Britain and Ireland. Finally, they needed to force the usurper King to abdicate and be replaced by the true King James, the Duke of Monmouth.

For the Whigs this is life or death. There is only room for one King of the Three Kingdoms, one King James, one victor. Will you play it safe as the Government or chance all playing as the Whigs?

The Government Players

After the death of King Charles II on 6 February 1685, the new Government of King James II had expected an immediate uprising in support of his nephew, James Duke of Monmouth. So they initially closed all the ports and called a general election to win a landslide victory with 90 percent behind the new King. But it did not stop there and the new King began moves to get the Whig exiles in Holland removed, especially Monmouth. Going so far as to authorise his forced extradition. However, by the time of the coronation of King James fears in Whitehall had subsided. With no uprising in sight, the Tory government relaxed.

Then in the middle of May these fears were rekindled as spies’ reports started to arrive from Holland. They detailed plans for a massive invasion and uprising. King James took notice. Ordering the arrest of every known Whig in the country, he then watched the continental ferries, with every passenger listed and checked. In early May, Mr Craggs and Mr Ireton came to the attention of the officials and were both arrested. The customs officials’ search of their papers uncovered encrypted letters from Monmouth. After interrogation both men disclosed enough to point to an invasion in England, but neither knew the critical dates or locations.

James, Duke of York, the Tory King.

King James had all military forces in England, Scotland and Ireland at his disposal and these were put on standby. The King’s forces were composed of the Royal Navy and the regional army establishments, plus volunteers and the loyal Highland clans. Finally, there were two brigades of British infantry in the pay of Holland. The Royal Navy was substantial, with over 100 warships of all types, from yachts to frigates and larger ships of the line. The major naval bases were Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, with a fleet held at readiness off the Sussex coast, called the Downs. From late April, Royal Navy ships took an active part in the campaign against Whigs by patrolling the English Channel and the North Sea, stopping and searching Dutch merchantmen.

In Scotland there were several Highland Watch companies in strongholds dotted across the Whig territories of Western Scotland and the Isles. As these soldiers had been recruited from the enemies of the Whigs, they made the residents of Argyllshire suffer by gathering plunder, settling old feuds, or by creating new ones. During the long, dark winter months, the Watch had been joined by detachments from the Earl of Mar’s Regiment and troops from the Scottish Dragoons. In early 1685, a new commission was issued to the Marquis of Atholl to raise 500 more men for the Highland Watch in Inveraray and other key towns.

King James now upped the pressure on his son-in-law William of Orange to stop the Whig fleets sailing. But, if diplomacy was unsuccessful, HMS Saudadoes was ordered to Amsterdam to intercept the enemy ships. This small sixth-rate frigate, commanded by Captain Trevanion was seen cruising off the Dutch coast in the early hours of 1 May 1685.

These ships and soldiers were all that stood between the Whigs and the crowning of a new King James. To win the Government need to stop the landings or destroy the Whigs, but if the Whigs secured strongholds, then the Government would fall, officials would switch sides and the London mob would come looking for the usurper’s blood.

Great Britain & Ireland c.1683.

The Whig Players

The Whigs were a loose alliance that included Presbyterians, Republicans, Puritans, Exclusionists, Scottish Covenanters and those that simply believed James, Duke of Monmouth should be king. What they had in common was opposition to the succession of James, Duke of York, the Catholic brother of King Charles II. The Whigs had been planning to restore the power of parliament and remove the Duke of York from the line of succession since 1683. The original plan was to invade Scotland and England in September 1684, supported by local insurrections in the key Whig strongholds. However, this was postponed until the spring of 1685 due to a government crackdown and a lack of leadership amongst the English Whigs.

Then fate intervened on 6 February 1685 with the death of King Charles II. Once the Whigs had stopped partying, rumours spread that Charles had been murdered and the clamour for the Duke of York to be removed grew. However, the first thing needed was a rekindling of the Whig alliance and a reconciliation of the differences between the English Whig leader, the Duke of Monmouth and Scots leader Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyll. By early March, the Whigs finally came together to fight for the greater good and reclaim England and Scotland for the people.

James, Duke of Monmouth, The Whig King.

Both leaders knew their enemy’s strengths and weaknesses and it was this knowledge that shaped the plans and preparations they made in Holland. They also understood the risks that they were undertaking and it was for this reason that they sought to legitimise the project. This was done by formally declaring a ‘just’ war and publishing a proclamation that detailed the causes and objectives of the conflict. Without this, they feared that their opponent, the new King James would refer to and treat their soldiers as rebels.

The plan devised in the back room of Thomas Dare’s house in Amsterdam was an extension of the one from 1684. This would be a two-pronged assault, with landings in Scotland and the west of England. These invasions would be supported by uprisings in Cheshire and London. Argyll’s objective was to stop the Government’s Scottish army from marching south. To do this Argyll was to establish a strong base and sit tight until Monmouth’s force had taken London or dislodged the usurper, King James. At the same time, Cheshire would rise pulling Government troops away from the capital reducing the Government forces facing Monmouth when he landed in the west of England. Finally, once the whole royal army was in the field, the Whig mob in London would take to the street, seizing the Tower of London and Parliament. This would force the usurper King to flee, allowing the Whigs to win the war. All they needed to do now was buy all the arms and equipment needed to land, sustain and raise two armies on campaign.

The date for the attack was initially set for the King’s coronation day, 23 April. However, this was pushed back to early May to give the English Whigs time to buy enough equipment and recruit more officers. After the first army council meeting on 17 April, Argyll was formally elected as General of the Scottish forces. The plan was ratified and a sub-committee headed by Dr Robert Ferguson was established to write the declaration of war. These plans became more pressing when news from Argyll’s homeland arrived that the Highland Watch was arresting supporters, taking livestock and burning crofts. Therefore, when Monmouth told Argyll that the needed another fortnight to prepare his army, the Scottish commander made it clear he would leave at the end of the month. On 28 April, the Scots started loading the transports and the frigate Anna with arms, men and equipment. At the final meeting between members of the Scots council and Monmouth, it was agreed that the England-bound fleet would follow a fortnight later. With this, the Scots fleet presented passports to the Dutch officials and crossed the Vlie into the North Sea on the evening of 2 May 1685.

The Whig invasion plan of April 1685.

Warfare in 1685

Conduct of War on Land c.1690.

Before launching the Whig fleets or marching militia to the coast, it is important to understand that warfare had evolved since the 1640s. To truly recreate this campaign of 1685 the wargamer must forget the British Civil Wars. Instead, they must learn the Science of Arms from the generals who fought the battles and marched through those muddy lanes. The conduct of war in 1685 followed tried and tested principles devised by the French generals, Henri, Vicomte du Turenne and Louis of Bourbon, Prince de Condé.

All the military commanders who fought in the campaigns had learnt their profession from service in the army of France. They would have observed French military discipline, read French texts and followed the same science of arms. This section details the structure, training and methods of conflict that both sides applied during the campaign, directly from the various French military manuals available in 1685.

Arms of Service

All major armies of the late seventeenth century were composed of units of lifeguards, cavalry, footguards and infantry, dragoons, artillery and a baggage train.

The Gendarmerie or Lifeguards were the personal ordnance companies of the King or the head of state. In times of war the officers from these troops became the senior officers of the army and the colonels of new regiments of infantry or cavalry. However, the bulk would remain on duty with their troops and while on campaign these household troops would act as normal heavy cavalry.

Bookplate from the Functions of the Cavalry and Infantry Officer, 1692.

French Lifeguard & Officer of the Royal Horse c.1676.

The cavalry was composed of regiments of cavaliers or troopers. Each regiment was broken down into companies or troops, with a troop normally having 50 troopers, commanded by a captain. However, it was also common to have independent troops of horse. The cavalry was used to attack the flanks of the enemy and exploit any weakness in the opposing line of battle. While on campaign, the cavalry was used to surprise the enemy, raid their quarters, destroy the countryside, disrupt convoys, cut the enemy off from supplies, interrupt their march, seize outposts, gather intelligence and locate the enemy army. The cavalry usually made up around a third of an army’s strength.

The infantry was the main strength of an army. It was the infantrymen who took and held places during a campaign. Although they were slower than the cavalry, they moved with more security and purpose. Importantly, the infantry was cheaper to maintain than cavalry, in both pay and supplies. In garrison, the infantry would be formed into regiments with up to 24 companies, but normally only10 for regular units.

When on campaign a regiment was split into battalions of five or six companies, each with 100 or more privates under a captain. Typically, two-thirds of a company were armed with muskets, while the other third had pikes, 16 to 18 feet long. By 1685, most regiments had a separate company of grenadiers. These were the tallest and strongest soldiers, who were armed with muskets, bayonets and grenades. They normally marched in front of the battalion and were used to capture strongholds and hold the most important places.

Dragoons were mounted soldiers and formed into troops like the cavalry, but armed like the infantry with muskets, swords and bayonets. They fought both on foot and from horseback and were used to seize bridges or fords and cover the front of the army. They acted as the eyes and ears of the general.

The artillery train was the army’s magazine, holding all the arms and tools needed to wage war. This included the pieces of ordnance or cannons and the gun crews who served these weapons. The pieces of ordnance and their gun crews would be formed into brigades, while the train of artillery contained all the equipment and ammunition for the army.

French Infantry Pikeman & Musketeers c.1667.

The artillery was supported by specialist infantry companies who assisted the gunners, acted as labourers and guarded the train while on the move, or in the artillery park overnight. These soldiers were armed with fusils or firelock muskets.

Supplies covered the provision of bread, meat, beer or wine and the other provisions intended for the sustenance of the troops. The commissioner of supplies was responsible for gathering these provisions. He required large convoys of wagons to collect and distribute the supplies. In turn, these convoys were guarded by detachments of both infantry and cavalry.

French Dragoon c.1690.

French Artillery c.1672.

Command & Control

The General

The general was at the centre of the army and therefore nothing moved without his orders. He was supported by lieutenant generals, a master of ordnance, an adjutant general, the major general, brigadiers and other officers. The general needed to be a man of bravery, experience and integrity. However, it was his social rank that gave him authority and ensured that he was respected by his officers and men. It was his duty to preserve the strength of the army and still make them victorious. To do this the general needed to be prudent rather than demonstrate courage. For all his bravery, it was the general’s integrity that ensured the loyalty of his officers and soldiers.

The general was not solely concerned with fighting battles but had to consider winning the whole campaign. Therefore, before taking one step against the enemy, he started by taking all the measures needed to secure his victory. This took cunning and intelligence. Every campaign started by examining the country and not committing his troops until the best positions – the defiles, roads and rivers – had been identified. The general would then establish the locations where stores and supplies could be gathered for the army. Finally, the general would tell his principal officers of his strategy and what he needed from them.

French General Officers c.1694.

Once the campaign had started, the general would carefully consider each opportunity he had to give battle, weighing up the risks and benefits. However, the general would always try to defeat his enemy by cunning, rather than simply by force of arms. This could be done by surprising them while they were on the march, attacking them while they crossed an obstruction or by stopping their flow of supplies. However, a general of poor integrity would keep the soldiers on prolonged watches or marches, not providing regular supplies or not spending money on agents and spies. To win a campaign the general had to learn the enemy’s intentions, know their strengths and weaknesses and be informed of their movements.

There was one thing that separated the great general from the ordinary commander and that was his ability to gain the love of his soldiers and especially his officers. This was achieved by his integrity by praising and rewarding honourable deeds, but also punishing bad actions. If the general attracted the distaste of his army, he ended up with two enemies. He had to ensure that his orders were observed, otherwise the military discipline would collapse. He had to maintain control by prohibiting his soldiers from pillaging friendly lands or even the enemy’s without his permission. Any soldiers who contravened these instructions had to be severely punished.

While in the field, the general would regulate the march of his army, approve the nightly encampments, visit the guards and continuously send parties out to gather news about the enemy. Every evening he would be expected to hold a council of war, inviting his lieutenant generals, the quartermaster general, the adjutant general and the major general. In this meeting, the general would issue instructions for the guards and sentries, detail his intentions for the following days and listen carefully to their advice. However, once he had decided on a course of action, he had to stick to his plan.

To support the general in these tasks, he had clerks to write down his orders and then aides-de-camp who carried these orders to the army. The general would be accompanied by a troop of mounted guards and an infantry guard for his headquarters. This was composed of a captain, a lieutenant, a second lieutenant or an ensign, two sergeants and 50 soldiers.

The Lieutenant General

The lieutenant general would ideally need to be an officer of extraordinary bravery and merit. They had to be loyal to the state and to have distinguished themselves in all the tasks that had been entrusted to them. In the army, they were second only to the commanding general and their main function was to command cavalry or infantry detachments, convoys or a flying column. On the day of battle, the lieutenant generals would lead the wings of the army. However, in the absence of a general, the senior lieutenant general would command the army, taking on all the roles and duties of the general. The lieutenant general had his own clerk and aides-de-camp who carried messages to the general or his brigade commanders. He too would have an infantry guard, composed of a lieutenant, a sergeant and 30 soldiers.

Master of Ordnance

The Artillery Train and the Magazines came under the command of the Master of Ordnance and it was his duty to procure and transport everything needed for war. This included all the arms and other tools necessary for warfare, such as pieces of ordnance, balls, mortars, shells, utensils, and gunpowder. For the soldiers there needed to be a magazine with grenades, barrels of powder, ball, links of match, cartridges plus all kinds of small arms, muskets and pikes. While for the artillery there needed to be felling axes, rope ladders, chevaux de frize, planks, boards, barrels, ropes, and pontoons or stitch boats. All this required a substantial number of carts, wagons, caisson, horses and people to drive them.

In the absence of the Master of Ordnance, a Comptroller or Captain of Artillery was put in charge of the Artillery Train. This officer must have the capacity to instruct the General in how to carry out a design, besiege a place,