Saturday 10 February 2018

Colonel Hampden


John Hampden was a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire- one of the five who fled when the King raided the House and trued to capture them. A prominent and respected Parliamentarian politician, he also served in the field as a colonel of the famous greencoated regiment of foot which he raised from his Buckinghamshire estates. He guarded the baggage at Edgehill, commanded a brigade at Turnham Green and participated in the siege of Reading.

In 1643, whilst away from his regiment, he volunteered as a common trooper to join a force of cavalry that were engaged in the pursuit of a raiding Royalist force led by Prince Rupert. At Chalgrove Field, on 17th June he was severely wounded in the shouder, possibly as a result of his own pistol exploding. He died of his wounds six days later, and was sorely missed as a moderate politician who nonetheless managed to remain on good terms with the more militant Parliamentarians.

I have based him as a colonel for King and Parliament where he will lead a brigade of three or four regiments. The Bicorne mini was painted by David Imrie, I believe, and I've placed them on one of my new circular batbases. Now I need to get his regiment based up...

8 comments:

  1. Nice historical background and great looking vignette Simon...

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  2. Merci Phil. He sounds like a good man; a shame he perished so early in the war since he was a moderate.

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  3. Terrific vignette! He doth, upon closer examination, appear to display a lack enthusiasm for the preacher's remonstrances.

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  4. Yes - long suffering disdain. :-)

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  5. Nice figure and basing, so does each brigade have a separate command?
    Best Iain

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    1. Hi Iain, yes most do, although not all. Including generals, there will be roughly one command stand per three or four units.

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  6. Autograph hunters follow you everywhere, don't they?
    ; )
    Lovely vignette, Simon, and those Batbases certainly look the business alright!

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