Chapter 14

Northumberland, England

August 20, 1385

On the third day after rapidly breaking camp, the English Army under the command of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and King of Mann, fell upon the fleeing French army. The bulk of the army escaped, but the English managed to capture the French Wagon train, denying them of their loot and supplies. The French only had the things they wore or carried with them.

Just before dawn the next morning, Sir Luc de Vienne summoned his commanders.

“We cannot outrun Percy’s army. We will stand our ground here. Form up defenses, and prepare you men to meet the English face-to-face. There is no hiding the facts. We are outnumbered, starved, and exhausted, while the English are fresh and well supplied. We will all die here today. I am sorry to have brought you all here to this end, but I would rather die fighting our enemy than being chased down and slaughtered as we run away like cowards.”

A couple of his men shouted encouragement. Jean studied the map. “Sir Jean, there may be another way. We may not all need to die.”

“You would counsel surrender?” Sir Luc asked angrily.

“No, Sir, but I see something on the map that may be a way out of this trap.”

“What do you see, Jean?”

“Look here,” Jean said, pointing to a spot on the map. “We came from Edinburgh on the east side of the hills, where the way was open. There were fields to forage and villages to plunder. But, we burned those fields and destroyed all the villages, so there is no food left that way.”

“Your point being?”

“If we go that way, his army will catch us by nightfall around here,” he said, indicating a ruined castle on the map. “The land here is poor to mount a strong defense. We would be caught out in the open. So, I agree. If we plan to fight, it is better to defend here, with the loch on one side and the hills on the other. But, what if that wasn’t our plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“See here along the edge of the loch?” Jean asked, running his finger across the map. “Once you reach this point, the river flows east through this valley.”

“We considered that course months ago, but the river flooded that valley,” one of the commanders spat dismissively.

“Yes,” Jean agreed, “Months ago, the river was high, and the canyon was flooded. But, this time of year the water level is down, the valley is passable. Narrow, but passable.”

“A narrow death trap if Percy catches us in there!” another shouted.

“Only if we try to fight a formal, pitched battle,” Jean countered, “but not if we skirmish and use the terrain to our advantage.”

“You think we should take to the hills and valleys, like the Scots?” Sir Luc asked, “instead of marching in the open?”

“We’ve lost our wagon train,” Jean explained. “We don’t need open roads and fields anymore. This route is more difficult, but for foot and horse, it is achievable. However, that alone is not enough. You are right that the English would still catch us. What we need is a way to delay them, to slow them down, so the army can make it through the valley. Once you come out here, you’re in Scotland and a free run to Edinburgh.”