Conflict:
The Battle of Otterburn occurred during the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the late 14th century.
Date:
According to Scottish sources, the battle was fought on August 5, 1388. English sources frequently claim that it occurred on August 19.
Armies & Commanders:
Scotland
- James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
- around 6,000 men
England
- Henry "Hotspur" Percy
- around 8,000 men
Battle of Otterburn Summary:
Following the end of a truce with England, Scottish forces began raiding south in the summer of 1388. Moving through the eastern marches with 6,000 men, James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas, advanced on Newcastle. Arriving at the city, his men boldly attacked its western defenses and skirmished with the garrison. Stunned by the audacity of the Scottish attack, Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy initially believed Douglas' men to be the vanguard of the main Scottish army. Lacking siege equipment and sufficient supplies, Douglas elected to slip away from the city on the night of August 3/4.
Realizing that Douglas was operating independently, Percy quickly mustered around 8,000 men and set off in pursuit. He elected to depart immediately, rather than wait for the Bishop of Durham who was marching north with reinforcements. Moving northwest towards the River Rede, Douglas' men moved slowly due the large amount of livestock and plunder which had been captured during the raid. Arriving at Ponteland, they paused to reduce a tower. This minor attack alerted Percy to the direction of the Scottish retreat and he adjusted his course accordingly.
By evening, the Scots reached the Rebe near the village of Otterburn. Placing his men astride the road with his flanks anchored on the river and high ground, Douglas decided to attack nearby Otterburn Tower the next day. After several hours of unsuccessful fighting on August 5, Douglas elected to remain encamped along the Rebe. Believing that he was not being pursued, he did not post sentries along the road. Marching hard, Percy and the lead elements of his force reached the Rebe Valley around sunset on August 5.
Initially concerned with finding a campsite as his men were tired and stretched out back to Ponteland, Percy was surprised to find the Scots a short distance ahead. Rather than pausing for the night, he elected to immediately form for battle and attack. To hold the Scots in place, he detached a force to march around their left flank and block their line of retreat. Surprised by the arrival of the English, the Scots scrambled to prepare for battle as the English began to charge forward. Rallying his men, Douglas led the Scots in a desperate counterattack.
Moving along a wooded hillside, Douglas was able to use a ravine to cover their approach before falling upon the English right. With the sun set, the battle became a confused affair and was fought by moonlight. Due to the darkness, Percy was unable to deploy his archers and the fighting remained hand-to-hand. The battle continued for several hours, pausing only when clouds obscured the moon throwing the combatants into darkness. During the fighting, Douglas was wounded in the neck and killed. As dawn broke the English ranks began to waver.
As his army began to disintegrate, Percy was captured by Sir John Montgomery. With the battle lost, the English fled the field and retreated towards Ponteland. Recovering the body of their slain commander, the Scots resumed their march home.
Aftermath:
In addition to James Douglas, the Battle of Otterburn cost the Scots around 500 dead and wounded as well as 200 captured. English losses numbered between 1,000 and 1,500. In addition, 21 knights were captured. The body of James Douglas was taken back to Scotland and interred at Melrose Abbey after a state funeral. A prisoner in Scotland, Percy was ultimately ransomed with King Richard II and Parliament both contributing funds. Blame for the defeat at Otterburn was place upon the Bishop of Durham who was accused of moving too slowly to aid Percy.
Selected Sources
