[MR] Battle of Bannockburn

[Garth Groff]

Noble Friends and Fellow Scots,

Tomorrow and Sunday mark the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, 
the Scot's greatest triumph over the English, and the battle which won 
them their independence for the next 400 years.

Bannockburn was the climax, though not the end of the First Scottish War 
of Independence, which began in 1296. Edward I, "The Hammer of the 
Scots" harried the Scots for over 10 years until his death. Now his 
incompetent son Edward II faced the wily King of the Scots, Robert the 
Bruce. The focal point was Sterling Castle, besieged, but still in 
English hands. The garrison commander promised that if he was not 
relieved by mid-summer, he would surrender the castle to Bruce. Edward 
II assembled an army of about 20,000 to relieve Sterling and crush the 
Scots.

The two armies clashed below Sterling on 23 and 24 June, 1314. 
Outnumbered 2:1, The Bruce had carefully chosen his ground. To attack 
the Scots, the English would have to move on a narrow front between 
streams and fens. Bruce closed off other routes by having his men dig 
pits covered with branches and leaves and sew the ground with caltrops 
to catch any horsemen. The Scottish army was protected on the flanks and 
rear by thick woods. Thus the English were forced into a killing zone 
where they faced the Scottish infantry organized in tight pike blocks 
known as schiltrons. Bruce kept a small reserve of his own cavalry to 
deal with English archers when they were brought forward.

In two days of fighting, the English were unable to break the Scottish 
pike formations. Then Bruce gave the order for the his men to advance in 
formation, something Edward II never expected, but for which the Scots 
had trained. An unexpected charge by the Scottish camp followers and 
other "small folk" eager for plunder looked to the English like 
additional divisions were upon them. The English paniced and were pushed 
back into the streams and marshes, where many drowned. The Edward's army 
was completely routed, leaving as many as 11,000 dead. Bruce had 
employed a scorched earth tactic ahead of the English advance, and now 
with their supplies and fodder lost, Edward's army began a desperate 
retreat through this bleak countryside, the Scots nipping at their heels 
all the way back into England.

Robert the Bruce's victory assured the Scots of their freedom, sealed by 
a treaty in 1328. This gave the Scots a brief period of relative peace 
until Edward III repudiated the treaty and renewed his grandfather's 
attempts to conquer Scotland.

You can read more about Bannockburn here: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn .

Weather permitting, I will proudly fly my Saltire flag this weekend.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Very Proud Scot