Royalist

The royalist infantry was commanded by Colonel Richard Bolles, and was composed of detachments from Bolles’ own regiment and regiments of the Oxford army largely consisting of Welsh soldiers. In total, the foot likely numbered about 900 men. Lord Crawford was in overall command, and his Brigade of Horse numbered around 500 men.

Parliamentarian

The Foot comprised of:

Sir William Waller’s Regiment of Foot – Less than 300 men

Sergeant Major General Christopher Potley’s Regiment of Foot

Colonel Arthur Hazelrig’s Regiment of Foot – 3 companies

Colonel James Carr’s Regiment of Foot – Mostly disbanded by the time of Alton, but a small fragment may have been present.

Colonel Samuel Jones’ Regiment of Foot – 8 companies, possibly numbered over 600 men.

Colonel William Springate’s Regiment of Foot

London Brigade – Commanded by Sir James Harrington, composed of a brigade of 3 regiments (the Green Auxiliaries, Westminster Trained Bands and the Yellow Tower Hamlet Auxiliaries). This brigade had suffered desertions at Basing and by the time of the battle perhaps consisted of only 1,500 men. The brigade escorted prisoners from Alton back to London after refusing to continue their service after the battle.

The horse consisted of much of 16 troops of the cavalry which had escaped with Waller after his defeat at the battle of Roundway Down on the 13 July and Sir Michael Livesey’s regiment, perhaps 1,000 in total.

Waller’s army was also equipped with leather guns, the barrels of which were made of a copper tube with rope, wire or cord wound round it for strength and then cased in leather.

Losses

The royalists lost 50 to 60 men, mainly during the fighting in and around the church at the end of the battle. About 875 royalists were initially taken prisoner, though more were later found by Waller’s cavalry, so the total may have been as high as 1,100. 500 to 600 prisoners would later join the parliamentarians’ side. The parliamentarians lost only 8 or 9 men and others wounded.