The battle of Edgehill was the first major clash of the English Civil Wars, and the general belief in 1642 was that the developing tension between King and Parliament would be resolved in a single battle. On 23 October 1642 the Royalist and Parliamentary Armies met at Edgehill. Much of the Parliamentary cavalry was driven off, but units under Sir William Balfour's command remained behind and, protected by the infantry, slammed into the Royalist infantry. The battle did not prove as decisive as anticipated, setting the stage was set for a prolonged and bloody civil war.