Battle
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The battle actually took place near the village of Branxton, in the county of Northumberland, rather than at Flodden — hence the alternative name is Battle of Branxton. The Scots had previously been stationed at Flodden Edge, to the south of Branxton. The Earl of Surrey, writing at Wooler Haugh on Wednesday 7 September, compared this position to a fortress in his challenge sent to James IV by Thomas Hawley, the Rouge Croix Pursuivant. He complained that James had sent his Islay Herald agreeing that they would join in battle on Friday between 12.00 and 3.00 pm, and asked that James would face him on the plain at Milfield as appointed.
Next, Surrey moved to block off the Scots' route north and so James was forced to move his army and artillery 2 miles to Branxton Hill. The Scottish artillery included 5 great curtals, 2 great culverins, 4 sakers, and 6 great serpentines. When the armies were within 3 miles of each other Surrey sent the Rouge Croix pursuivant to James who answered that he would wait till noon. At 11 o'clock, Thomas, Lord Howard's vanguard and artillery crossed the Twissell Bridge. (Pitscottie says the king would not allow the Scots artillery to fire on the vulnerable English during this manouevre.) The Scots army was in good order in 5 formations, after the Almain (German) manner. On Friday afternoon the Scots host descended without speaking any word to meet the English.
The English army had formed two "battles" each with two wings. Lord Howard combined his "vanguard" with the soldiers of his father's "rearward" to meet the Scots. According to English report, the groups commanded by the Earls of Huntly and Crawford and Erroll totalling 6000 men engaged Lord Howard and were repulsed and mostly slain.
Then James IV himself leading a great force came on to Surrey and Lord Darcy's son who "bore all the brunt of the battle." Lennox and Argyll's commands were met by Sir Edward Stanley.
After the artillery fire ended, according to the English chronicler Edward Hall, "the battle was cruel, none spared other, and the King himself fought valiantly." James was killed within a spear length from Surrey and his body taken to Berwick upon Tweed. Hall says the King was fatally wounded by an arrow and a bill. Meanwhile, Lord Howard's brother, Edmund Howard, commanding men from Cheshire and Lancashire, fought with the section of the Scottish army commanded by the Chamberlain of Scotland, Alexander, Lord Home, and Thomas, Lord Dacre's force, who had been fighting Huntley, came to assist him.
The Earl of Surrey captured the Scottish guns, including a group of culverins made in Edinburgh by Robert Borthwick called the 'seven sisters,' which were dragged to Etal Castle. The Bishop of Durham thought them the finest ever seen.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Flodden
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