Battle of Babylon Hill

Battle of Babylon Hill.
The Battle of Babylon Hill was a skirmish between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces in South West England, on 7 September 1642, during the early stages of the First English Civil War. After a failed Parliamentarian siege of Sherborne, about 350 Royalists were sent to reconnoitre near Yeovil. Under the command of Sir Ralph Hopton (pictured), the detachment established itself on Babylon Hill, on the outskirts of the town. When they were withdrawing late in the day a force of Parliamentarians approached. A chaotic battle ensued, mostly due to the inexperience of the soldiers involved. The Parliamentarian force made a cavalry attack, which the Royalists were able to repel, though sections of both forces were routed. In the confusion, the Royalists were eventually able to pull back under the cover of darkness. Both sides claimed they had killed sixty or more; a modern estimate suggests that the Royalists lost around twenty, and the Parliamentarians five.