My father drew all the forces he could spare out of the garrisons hither.
But seeing it impossible to defend the town but by strength of men; and not [having] above ten or twelve days' provisions for so many as were necessary to keep it: we resolved [on 29th June 1643] the next morning, very early, with a party of 3,000 men, to attempt his whole Army, as they lay in their Quarters, three miles off; hoping thereby, to put him into some distraction; which could not, by reason of the unequal numbers, be done any other way.
For this end, my father appointed four of the clock next morning [30th June 1643] to begin the march. But Major General [John] Gifford, who had the ordering of the business, so delayed the execution of it that it was seven or eight before we began to move: and not without much suspicion of treachery in it; for when we came near the place we intended, the Enemy's whole Army was drawn up in Battalia.
We were to go up a hill to them, which our Forlorn Hope [or Advanced Guard] gained by beating theirs into their Main Body; which was drawn up half a mile further, upon a plain called Adderton [the correct spelling is Adwalton] Moor. [It is also spelt Atherston and Atherton.]
We, being all up the hill, drew into Battalia also. I commanded the Right Wing, which was about 1,000 Foot and 5 Troops of Horse; Major General [John] Gifford, the Left Wing, which was about the same number. My father commanded all in chief.
We advanced through the enclosed grounds till we came to the Moor; beating the Foot that lay in them to their Main Body.
10 or 12 Troops of Horse charge us in the Right Wing [which was at the head of Warren's Lane]. We kept [to] the enclosures, placing our Musketeers in the hedges next the Moor; which was a good advantage to us, that had so few Horse.
There was a gate, or open place, to the Moor: where five or six might enter abreast. Here they strove to enter: we, to defend. But, after some dispute, those that entered the pass found sharp entertainment; and those that were not yet entered, as hot welcome from the Musketeers, that flanked them in the hedges. All, in the end, were forced to retreat; with the loss of Colonel Howard, who commanded them.
The Left Wing, at the same time, was engaged with the Enemy's Foot. Ours gained ground of them.