WIGAN, BATTLE OF.—In the civil war of England, fought between the King’s troops and the Parliamentary forces. The former were defeated, 1643. Another battle, between the same parties, was fought here, 1651.
WITEPSK, BATTLE OF.—Between the French and Russians. The former commanded by Marshal Victor, and the latter by General Wittgenstein. The French were defeated, after a desperate engagement, having lost 3000 men. Fought, November 14th, 1812.
WORCESTER, BATTLE OF.—In the civil war fought between the Royalist army and the forces of the Parliament, the latter commanded by Cromwell, a large body of Scots having marched into England to reinstate Charles II, Cromwell signally defeated them, and it afforded to him what he called his crowning mercy; more than 2000 of the Royalists were slain, and of 8000 prisoners, nearly all were sold as slaves to the American Colonies. Fought, September 3rd, 1651. The following is an account of the flight of the young King, after the disastrous day of battle:—
“Charles, in his progress towards Bristol, was pursued by a party of the enemy to the new ferry over the Severn. He rode through Shire Newton, and crossed the Severn at Chiswell Pit, on the Gloucestershire side. The boat had scarcely returned, before a body of the republicans, amounting to 60 men, followed him to the Black Rock, and threatening them with instant death if they refused, compelled the ferrymen to take them across. The boatmen were royalists, and left them on a reef called English Stones, which is separated from the Gloucestershire side by a lake, fordable at low water; but the tide, which had just turned, flowed in with great rapidity, and they were all drowned in attempting to cross. Cromwell, when informed of this disaster, abolished the ferry, and it was not renewed until the year 1748. The renewal occasioned a law-suit between the family of St. Pierre and the guardians of the Duke of Beaufort. In the course of the suit, documents were produced which tended to confirm this anecdote.”
WRECKS.—The most remarkable shipwrecks of British men of war or transports, or of ships, connected with military events, are the following which have happened within the last 85 years:
A tremendous storm occurred in October, 1780, in the West Indies, and the following vessels of war were all lost.
Thunderer, of 74 guns; Stirling Castle, of 64 guns; Phœnix, of 44 guns; La Blanche, of 42 guns; Laurel, of 28 guns; Andromeda, of 28 guns; Deal Castle, of 24 guns; Scarborough, of 20 guns; Barbadoes, of 14 guns; Cameleon, of 14 guns; Endeavour, of 14 guns; and the Victor, of 10 guns.
The Royal George—June 28th, 1782,—1000 persons and brave Admiral Kenpenfeldt perished by the sinking, or rather oversetting of this 100 gun man-of-war. The guns on one side all rolled over to the other, and with the extra weight immediately overset the ship riding at anchor at Spithead.
Ramilies, of 74 guns, off Newfoundland, September 21st, 1782. 100 souls perished.