Sir William Waller has been largely neglected in Civil War history, yet in 1645 when Waller had commanded a Parliamentary army for over two years, Oliver Cromwell was still one of his subordinates. Waller achieved distinction as a Parliamentary General in the early years of the war and his career as a soldier was marked by several quite significant achievements, notably the first major defeat of the King's cavalry at Cheriton in March 1644. John Adair's highly acclaimed and fully revised biography of this important commander concentrates on his military role but also examines his character, his background and family life.