Siege of Gloucester 1643
Aug 3 A Council of War took place in Bristol, led by the King where the decision to take Gloucester was made - they thought it would be easy. Rupert wanted a quick attack but the King decided on a siege as the losses at Bristol had been so heavy. Rupert decided not to take command of the siege and returned to Oxford with the King.

The people of Gloucester realised the Royalist army was coming and hurriedly fortified the walls.

 The parliamentary governor of Gloucester was Colonel Edward Massey.

 

In fact, Rupert could not resist turning up at the siege on a number of occasions.
Aug 5 Messengers were sent to Parliament asking for assistance.
Aug 8 Royalist forces reach Berkeley.
Aug 10 The summoning of Gloucester to surrender. Massey refused.
The Royalists dug in mainly to the south and east of the city setting up artillery positions on Gaudy Green. Water pipes were severed or diverted. The defenders burned many of the houses outside the walls which might offer cover for advancing Royalist soldiers. King Charles was quartered at Matson House.
The following days saw many sallies by the parliamentarian soldiers from the gates to attack the Royalist positions and capture prisoners and tools.

Breaches in the walls were quickly filled with wool-sacks and cannon-baskets.

The Royalists made an attempt to drain the city moat.

The defenders started to block up the south gate of the town with earth and plaster the walls with clay.

Aug 16 A troop of 150 musketeers went out of the north gate and fell on the Royalist trenches killing more than 100 of them before returning to the city.
Aug 18 A party of 400 musketeers raided the Royalist lines, killed many of them and nailed a number of their cannon. Nailing a cannon involves driving a nail into the touch-hole and snapping it off - thus rendering the cannon useless.
Aug 19 The constant battering of the cannon against the walls of the city had little effect - one pig was killed which the soldiers ate and 'afterwards well jeered the enemy therewith'.
Aug 21 More successful raids from the city to nail the Royalist cannon.
Aug 23 Royalists received provisions and ammunition from Bristol, sailed up the Severn river.
Aug 25 Royalists shot 'fiery melting hot iron bullets' into the city which were seen 'flying in the ayre like a starre shooting'.
Aug 26 The Royalists started filling in the moat at the point where they were breeching the wall.

Essex marched out of London with 15,000 freshly recruited men to relieve the siege.
Aug 28 Tunnelling at the east gate was carried out to lay a mine under the walls despite emerging springs of water.
Sep 4 The defenders had been digging a 'counter-mine' and discovered they were above the mine of the royalists - so they had to bore vertically down and then attempt to flood it.
Sep 5 Essex arrived with his army and the Royalists retreated. The city was down to its last three barrels of gunpowder.
It is estimated that the defenders lost about 50 men and the Royalists lost about 1000 during this siege. The cannon had little effect on the walls of the town, and the resolution of the defenders of the town inspired parliamentary supporters across the land.

The Royalist forces were said to number about 35,000 men and the defenders of Gloucester only 1500.