Bannockburn

 

 

The English army would head for Stirling bridge which was the most
strategic point in all of Scotland. Bruce positioned the Scots army
south of the castle in order to protect both routes to the bridge
. Bruce set about turning both these aproaches into a series
of traps by digging deep trenches with spikes at the bottom and covering
these with turf so that to the naked eye all would look normal.
He also sent scouts to find out the composition of the advancing
English army. He was to discover that it was strong in heavy cavalry
and archers, two areas in which the scots were weakest, which
were the main weapons in a set battle.

So on the 22nd June 1314 (Vigil of St John th Baptist) the English
advanced guard appeared from the south. In an attempt to draw
the cavalry into the trap at the "Entry" Bruce and a portion of the
Scots cavalry went south from their base position in order coax
them forward. However he found himself in single combat with
the english commander Sir Henry de Bohun. Bruce was armed
with only his battle axe against his opponents lance. Avoiding the lance
Bruce brought his axe down on de Bohun's head splitting it to the
breastbone. The advanced guard advanced no further.

Later when the main army arrived the english army poured down
into the marsh of the Carse to sleep for the night deeming it safe
from attack. Bruce could not believe his luck. He decided that he would
fight the next days battle in the marshes thus rendering the english
cavalry useless. Early in the morning the scots awoke and formed into
four divisions under Edward Bruce, James Douglas and Walter the
Steward, the Earl of Moray and The king with Malcolm of Lennox and
Angus Og McDonald Lord of the Isles. The Scots awoke early
and Bruce addressed his army. The following is the account of this
address by Bernard de Linton.

Then very early in the morning masses were celebrated in due fashion
as their king advised them, saying from the kindness of his heart:

My lords, my people, who lay great weight on freedom,
for whichthe kings of Scotland have suffered many trials,
dying for the Lord,
now all of you take note of the many hardships we have undergone while
struggling now certainly for eight years for our right to the kingdom,
for honour and liberty. We have lost brothers and kinsmen.
Your relatives and friends are captives,
and now prelates are shut up in prison with clergy,
and no order of Mother Church remains safe;
the nobles of the land have passed away in the bloodshed of war.
The armed magnates whom you all see before you have already
had the impudence to order the destruction of us,
our kingdom and our people;
and they do not believe that we can offer resistance.
They glory in their waggons and horses;
for us the name of the Lord and victory in war is our hope.
Happy is this day! John the Baptist was born on it;
and Saint Andrew and Thomas who shed his blood along with the
saints of the Scottish fatherland will fight today for the honour of the people,
with Christ the Lord in the van.
Under this leader you will conquer and make an end to war.
If you weep from the heart for your sins,
our royal power pronounces that all offences committed against
us are remitted for those who now defend their ancestral kingdom well.

So he spoke, and the people, stirred up by the king's words,
promised to go into battle readily and wholeheartedly.

As the Scots charged the enemy they sank to their knees to recite
the lords prayer. Edward II was so amazed that infantry would attack
them that he said "Look yon folk are asking for mercy.". He was soon
rebuffed by an aide who said " they ask for mercy but not from you. They
ask god for mercy for their sins. I'll tell you this for a fact yon folk will
win all or die.......... none will flee for fear of death."

The plan was for the Edward Bruce to take and hold the bridge at the
Milton of Bannock by forming his men into Schitroms (hedgehog
formations with a frieze of outward thrusting pikes). The rest would
form their men into Schiltroms and pen the english against the
Pelstream and the Bannock burn where there was no escape except
by jumping into the water(few in those times could swim so it
would result in drowning for most) The scots cavalry were sent to
disperse the english archers who if not dealt with would slaughter
the scots in their thousands. Sir Robert Keith the Marischal and his men
sent the archers fleeing allowing the scots army to fight the english
without being showered with arrows. As the day drew on and
the scots becoming exhausted the demorilised english fled when
they saw the scots being reinforced. They did not know the fresh
army was infact the servitors, clergy and camp followers armed
with meat cleavers and other simple weapons.

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