Everything about Sir Thomas Morgan 1st Baronet totally explained
Major-General
Sir Thomas Morgan, 1st Baronet (
1604 –
13 April 1679) was a soldier during the
English Civil War, and Commander-in-Chief in Scotland during the Restoration.
The son of a minor Welsh landowner, Morgan gained military experience in the
Netherlands and
Germany during the 1630s. He returned to England on the outbreak of the
First Civil War to serve as a captain of dragoons under the Fairfaxes in
Yorkshire. He was promoted to major after distinguishing himself at the
battle of Nantwich in January 1644 and the following year was made a colonel on the recommendation of
Lord Fairfax. In June 1645, Morgan succeeded
Edward Massey as governor of
Gloucester, an isolated Parliamentarian stronghold in the Royalist
Welsh Marches. Morgan succeeded in gaining the respect and co-operation of Massey's unruly troops and of the citizens of Gloucester. He became active in reducing Royalist strongholds, assisting
Colonel Rainsborough at the
siege of Berkeley Castle in September 1645, capturing
Chepstow and
Monmouth during October, and collaborating with
Colonel Birch in a surprise attack to seize
Hereford in December 1645. When
Lord Astley marched for
Oxford with the last Royalist field army in March 1646, Morgan joined forces with Birch and Sir
William Brereton to intercept and defeat Astley at
Stow-on-the-Wold, the final pitched battle of the First Civil War.
In April 1646, Morgan was appointed commander of Parliament's forces in
Gloucestershire,
Herefordshire and
Monmouthshire with orders to reduce remaining Royalist strongholds in the region. Although he was driven back from
Worcester, Morgan captured
Hartlebury Castle in May and
Raglan Castle in August, after a three-month siege. As the war drew to a close, Morgan's troops became mutinous over Parliament's proposals for disbandment without settling arrears of pay, and Morgan himself seems to have fallen from favour. He was superseded as governor of Gloucester in January 1648 and wasn't given a command in the army sent to
Ireland. He retired to the Yorkshire estate of his wife Delariviere, daughter of
John Cholmondeley, whom he'd married in August 1644.
Morgan returned to military service in
1651 when he joined
Oliver Cromwell's expedition to
Scotland, remaining with General Monck when Cromwell pursued
Charles II's army into England. Morgan was present when Monck captured and sacked
Dundee in September 1651. When Monck returned to England to recover his health early in
1652, Morgan stayed in Scotland. He took over command at the siege of
Dunnottar Castle, defended by Sir
George Ogilvy with just 70 men. Ogilvy surrendered to Morgan in May 1652 but the Scottish royal regalia — the crown, sword and sceptre that had been stored at Dunnottar Castle when Cromwell invaded Scotland — were smuggled out and hidden. Morgan was based at
Inverness during
Glencairn's Uprising (1653-4) commanding all Commonwealth forces north of the
River Tay. He co-operated with Monck, who returned to Scotland in April 1654, to intercept Major-General Middleton's Scots-Royalist army in the
Highlands. Morgan defeated Middleton at
Dalnaspidal near
Loch Garry on
19 July 1654 bringing the insurrection to an end. On Monck's recommendation, Morgan was promoted to major-general in February 1655. Despite his short stature, explosive temper and distinctive high-pitched voice, Morgan was popular with his troops. He was almost illiterate, but was praised as a courageous, loyal and efficient officer by Monck.
In April
1657, Morgan was appointed second-in-command to Sir
John Reynolds in the English force sent to co-operate with the
French army against the
Spaniards in
Flanders. After Reynolds' death in December 1657, Morgan was appointed governor of
Mardyke in his place, but he was considered too blunt and argumentative to take overall command of the English contingent in the Anglo-French army, where diplomacy was often needed in dealing with the French commanders. Sir
William Lockhart, Cromwell's ambassador to France, was appointed commander, which resulted in Morgan bearing a lasting grudge against Lockhart and sometimes attempting to thwart his plans. Morgan led a successful attack on Spanish forts around
Gravelines in April
1658 and effectively commanded the English contingent at the
battle of the Dunes on
4 June. After the capture of
Dunkirk on
25 June, Morgan led the four English regiments that continued to serve with the French army throughout the summer of 1658.
Upon his return to England in November 1658, Morgan was knighted for his services by
Richard Cromwell, who had succeeded Oliver as
Lord-Protector. Morgan returned to Scotland as Monck's deputy in 1659. He supported Monck during the political manoeuvring that brought about the
Restoration in
1660, keeping command of the army in Scotland while Monck marched on London. Morgan was granted a baronetcy by King Charles II in February
1661. He commanded the infantry in an English expeditionary force to assist the
Portuguese against Spain in 1662 and was appointed governor of
Jersey in 1665. He died at
St Helier in April
1679.
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