Death John Hampden

hampden s monument, chalgrove. monument john hampden, mortally wounded 550 yards north of here in 1643 whilst fighting in english civil war on chalgrove field.

on night of 17 june 1643, prince rupert sortied on raid out of oxford capture parliamentarian army s paymaster, while failed, did succeed next morning in overwhelming 2 of essex s small garrison outposts @ postcombe , chinnor. hampden rode volunteer 1,100 cavalry , dragoons commanded sir philip stapleton in pursuit of rupert, intention of delaying him long enough larger force essex s main army cut off retreat. rupert halted own cavalry @ chalgrove ambush pursuit , allow 800 less mobile troops escape via ford of river thame @ chiselhampton. during ensuing battle of chalgrove field, hampden mortally wounded (some sources claim in shoulder 2 carbine balls, others fragments own pistol exploding) shattered bone , forced him leave field. reached thame, , headquarters @ greyhound inn. survived 6 days, , died on 24 june.

in latest biography of hampden written prof. john adair , concludes hampden died exploding pistol. frederick george lee in book history, description , antiquities of prebendal church of blessed virgin mary of thame in county , diocese of oxford (and available view @ uk s national archives or in royal collection) lays out version of story.

this account of death given sir robert pye son-in-law... in action of chalgrove field, pistol burst , shattered hand in terrible manner. he, however, rode off , got quarters finding wound mortal sent sir robert pye colonel in parliamentary army - , had married eldest daughter - , told him looked on him in degree accessory death pistols present him. sir robert assured him bought them in paris eminent maker , proved them himself. appeared on examining other pistol loaded muzzle several supernumerary charges, owning carelessness of servant. ordered see pistols loaded every morning did without drawing former charge. exhumation of hampden s body in 1828 showed there no damage shoulder right hand shattered bursting of pistol, , death ensued lockjaw arising out of extensive injury nervous system

hampden s death in war severe blow parliamentarians. during preceding winter, hampden had associated himself john pym s middle group in parliament, opposed peace moves king except on favorable terms. @ same time had worked moderate militancy of parliamentary war party . although hampden privately critical of essex not aggressively attacking after avoiding defeat @ edgehill , standoff @ turnham green, remained publicly loyal , helped essex resist criticisms of war party. death took key link between factions. hearing of death, member of parliament anthony nichol pronounced: never kingdom received greater loss in 1 subject, never man truer , faithful friend.