Monmouth’s rebellion is a fiasco, as the local gentry refuses to sanction civil war.

After failing to take Bristol and falling back on Bridgwater, Monmouth’s path is now blocked by the royal army encamped on Sedgemoor.

Monmouth attacks the King's forces at night, in a hazardous attempt at surprise, but and very nearly succeeds; but his small force of cavalry flees and his foot soldiers fail to cross the ditch separating them from the royalist front.

The element of surprise lost, Monmouth's untrained and unofficered followers are cut down by troops under the French-born Louis de Durfort, 2nd earl of Feversham, newly made commander of the royal forces in the west, and John Churchill, who on James’s accession had been made a lieutenant general and effective commander in chief, in addition to a peer of the realm.