Colonel John Ponsonby’s Regiment of Horse

Northern Association Regiment of Horse serving in Ireland

• Ponsonby serving as a Colonel of horse in the Northern Association

• June: Authorised to raise 700 horse for service in Ireland
• July: Still serving in the Northern Association, the regiment elect agitators
• October: Arrive in Ireland

• Capt Woodward’s Lieutenant and most of his troop desert to the Irish
• May: Garrison of Athboy

• August: Battle of Rathmines?
• August: Garrison of Dublin
• August: Reduced into Colonel Chidley Coote’s Regiment of Horse.

A history of the regiment is given in The Regimental History of Cromwell's Army by Sir Charles Firth and Godfrey Davies, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1940

In 1645 Ponsonby was a Colonel of Horse in Poyntz’s Northern Association and was ordered to take his regiment to serve in Ireland. Based at and around Athboy the regiment failed to distinguish itself, having two officers captured and a lieutenant and most of a troop deserting to the enemy. In August 1649 Cromwell reduced it into Colonel Chidley Coote’s Regiment of Horse.

John Ponsonby (1608-1678) was originally from Cumbria. He had served as a captain in Ormond’s forces and in 1645 planned to seize Drogheda for the Parliament. Returning to England he served in Poyntz’s Northern Association before leading his regiment to Ireland. After they were reduced, he was made governor of Dundalk.

November 1647¹⁾

• Col John Ponsonby
• Capt Henry Ponsonby
• Capt Richard Johnson
• Capt Richard Woodward
• Capt Hans Hamilton
• Capt William Hamilton
• Capt John Mitchell
• Capt Robert Johnson

Other Officers

• Captain Francis Briscoe²⁾

• 1647: Authorised to be 700 strong
• Nov 1647: 64 officers and 579 troopers
• May 1648: 80 officers and 329 troopers