MONMOUTH AT SEDGEMOOR
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—In his review of Miss D'Oyley's excellent book, James, Duke of Monmouth, Professor Dobree says that " the Sedge- moor operations were declared faultless.' It is difficult to hold this opinion. The "night raid" was a last move, only undertaken through desperation. The plan of attack was thoroughly bad. The decision to cross the Moor and storm the Royal Camp in darkness was based on false information, care- lessly obtained, that the Royal army was not entrenched, al- though it was foolishly persisted in after the truth was known. It was in any case beyond the capacity of Monmouth's raw troops, and, but for the accident that Oglethorpe neglected to watch the Causeway, they could not have advanced a mile with- out discovery and defeat. At the critical moment at Langmoor, the Duke lost his head and abandoned his plan, rushing his men up in such confusion, that a halt had to be called in front of the Royal foot, lined up behind the trench, Defeat was then inevitable.
There is moreover no evidence of Grey's cowardice in the battle, unless the flight from the field when all was lost could be so described. If so, Monmouth himself was equally East Gate, Bridgwater.
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