Battle of Pinkie Cleugh

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Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
The Esk at Musselburgh
The Esk at Musselburgh
date September 10, 1547
place Musselburgh , Lothian , Scotland
output decisive English victory
Parties to the conflict

Royal Arms of the Kingdom of Scotland, svg Kingdom of Scotland

Royal Arms of England (1399-1603) .svg Kingdom of England

Commander

Arms of Hamilton, Duke of Abercorn, svg Earl of Arran
Earl of Angus

Coat of Arms of the Duke of Somerset, svg Duke of Somerset

Troop strength
22,000-36,000 16,800+
30 warships
losses

6,000–15,000 killed
2000 prisoners

200–600 fallen

The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh on the banks of the Esk near Musselburgh , Scotland on September 10, 1547 was part of the conflict known as The Rough Wooing . It was the last open field battle between Scottish and English armies and is seen as the first modern battle in the British Isles . The day brought a catastrophic defeat for Scotland and went down in history as Black Saturday .

background

In the last years of his reign, King Henry VIII of England attempted an alliance with Scotland through an alliance with the Scottish Queen Maria Stuart , who was four when he died in January 1547, and his son, later Edward VI. to secure. When diplomacy failed in this matter, he started a war against Scotland, as the Rough Wooing ( ) referencing the rough (Bride ) was known. The war also had a religious aspect: the Scots opposed a reformation imposed by England . During the battle, the Scots mocked the English soldiers as loons, tykes and heretics (idiots, mutt and heretics). A thousand monks from different orders were part of the division of the Earl of Angus . Many died in battle. The Reformation came to Scotland on a larger scale twelve years later.

When Heinrich died in 1547, Edward Seymour , Edward VI's maternal uncle, Lord Protector and Duke of Somerset , became with (initially) undisputed power. He continued the policy of a forcibly enforced alliance with Scotland through an Anglican Reformation of the Scottish Church. At the beginning of September 1547 he led a well-equipped army to Scotland, supported by a huge fleet. The Earl of Arran , Scottish regent at the time , had been warned beforehand by letters from Adam Otterburn , his deputy in London, who had been observing the British preparations for war.

The campaign

Protector Somerset
Inchmahome Priory on an island in the Lake of Menteith was the safe haven of four-year-old Queen Mary during the invasion

Somerset's army was drawn in part from traditional county dues, convened by the Commissions of Array, and armed with longbows and hips , as they did at the Battle of Flodden Field thirty years earlier . However, Somerset also had a few hundred German arquebusiers , a powerful artillery and a 6,000-strong cavalry , with a contingent of Italian mounted riflemen under Don Pedro de Gamboa. The cavalry was under the command of Lord Gray of Wilton , high marshal of the army; the infantry was personally commanded by the Earl of Warwick , Lord Dacre of Gillesland , and Somerset. William Patten , an officer in the English army, put their size at 16,800 soldiers and 1,400 pioneers.

Somerset advanced along the east coast of Scotland to establish contact with his fleet and thus ensure supplies. Scottish Border Reivers harassed his troops but could not really stop him. Far to the west, a diversionary invasion of 5000 men was carried out under Thomas Wharton and the dissident Earl of Lennox on September 8, 1547. They took Castlemilk in Annandale and burned Annan down after a fierce battle over the city's fortified church.

To oppose the English in south Edinburgh , the Earl of Arran raised a large army, mainly composed of pikiners with contingents of Highland archers . Arran also carried large numbers of cannons, but these were apparently not immediately mobile or operated like the Somersets. His cavalry consisted of only 2,000 light riders under Lord Home , most of whom were unreliable border guards. Its infantry and pikemen were commanded by the Earl of Angus, the Earl of Huntly and Arran himself. According to Huntly, the Scottish army was 22,000 or 23,000 strong, while an English source claims it was 36,000.

Arran conquered the slopes on the west bank of the Esk to stop Somerset's advance. The Firth of Forth was on its left flank, and a large moor protected its right section. Some of the fortifications with cannons and rifles were directed against the Forth to keep the English warships at a distance.

Prelude

Fa'side Castle

On September 9, part of Somerset's army captured Falside Hill, three miles east of Arran's main position. In an outdated knightly gesture, the Earl of Home led 1,500 horsemen close to the English camp and challenged an equally strong section of the English cavalry. With Somerset's disapproving approval, Lord Gray accepted the challenge and attacked the Scots with 1,000 heavily armored men-at-arms and 500 light half-lancers . The Scottish horsemen were worn out and driven three miles west. This action cost Arran almost all of his cavalry.

A stone that marks the English encampment at Inveresk .

Later in the day Somerset sent a detachment with cannons to capture the Inveresk Slopes, which overlooked the Scottish position. During the night, Somerset received two more anachronistic challenges from Arran. One challenge was to settle the fight through a duel between Arran and Somerset. The other, that twenty of the best on each side should decide the battle. Somerset rejected both proposals.

The battle

The Roman bridge over the Esk

On the morning of Saturday, September 10th, Somerset marched on to catch up with the department at Inveresk . He noted that Arran had brought his army across the Esk Roman bridge and that these troops will soon come towards him. Arran knew his artillery was inferior, so he tried to force the fight as quickly as possible before the artillery could show its superiority.

Battle of Pinkie , woodcut illustration by (1548)

Arran's left wing was already under fire from the English fleet from the sea. Their intervention meant that the cover from their own cannons on this wing was no longer sufficient. The troops in this section were disordered and pushed back to Arran's own center.

On the other flank, Somerset had his cavalry attacked effectively to delay the Scottish advance. The Scottish pikemen, however, drove out the cavalry and inflicted heavy losses on the English horsemen. Lord Gray was wounded in the process by a pike stab that ran from the neck through the mouth.

However, the Scottish army came to a standstill and quickly came under fire from three sides, starting with the ship's cannons, the arquebus artillery and archers, which they could not effectively counter. When their ranks broke apart, the English horsemen began the attack again with an advance guard of 300 experienced soldiers under the command of Sir John Luttrell . Many of the fleeing Scots were massacred or drowned trying to escape over the fast flowing Esk or the moors.

The English eyewitness William Patten described the slaughter of the Scots,

“ Soon after this notable strewing of their footmen's weapons, began a pitiful sight of the dead corpses lying dispersed abroad, some their legs off, some but houghed, and left lying half-dead, some thrust quite through the body, others the arms cut off, various their necks half asunder, many their heads cloven, of sundry the brains pasht out, some others again their heads quite off, with other many kinds of killing. After that and further in chase, all for the most part killed either in the head or in the neck, for our horsemen could not well reach the lower with their swords. And thus with blood and slaughter of the enemy, this chase was continued five miles in length westward from the place of their standing, which was in the fallow fields of Inveresk until Edinburgh Park and well nigh to the gates of the town itself and unto Leith , and in breadth nigh 4 miles, from the Firth sands up toward Dalkeith southward. In all which space, the dead bodies lay as thick as a man may note cattle grazing in a full replenished pasture. The river ran all red with blood, so that in the same chase were counted, as well by some of our men that somewhat diligently did mark it as by some of them taken prisoners, that very much did lament it, to have been slain about 14 thousand. In all this compass of ground what with weapons, arms, hands, legs, heads, blood and dead bodies, their flight might have been easily tracked to every of their three refuges. And for the smallness of our number and the shortness of the time (which was scant five hours, from one to well nigh six) the mortality was so great, as it was thought, the like aforetime not to have been seen. ”

The imperial ambassador reports on the battle

The imperial ambassador François van der Delft went to the court of Edward VI. at Oatlands Palace for news of the Battle of William Paget . Van der Delft reported on this to Maria of Hungary on September 19, 1547 . He had heard of the cavalry skirmish the day before. The next day, when the English army had located the Scottish formation, the Scottish scouts dismounted, crossed the lances, and formed a close formation. Van der Delft had also heard that the Earl of Warwick tried to attack the Scots from behind. When they attacked the Scottish rearguard, the Scots fled across the field.

Van der Delft wrote another short description for Prince Philip on October 21, 1547. In this description he emphasized the Scottish Rochieren. He said the Scots crossed the creek to occupy two hills that flanked both armies. Another letter of news of the battle was sent from John Hooper in Switzerland to the reformer Heinrich Bullinger . Hooper mentioned that the Scots had to leave their artillery behind for the archers under the Earl of Warwick, and when the Scots changed their position the sun blinded them. He was told there were 15,000 Scottish casualties and 2,000 prisoners. There were 17,000 English and 30,000 Scots in the field. Hooper's letter is undated, but it contains the false report that Mary of Guise surrendered in person to Somerset after the battle.

aftermath

Although they suffered a crushing defeat, the Scottish government refused to come to terms with the English. The four-year-old Queen Maria was smuggled out of the country to France to be betrothed to the young Dauphin Franz . Somerset conquered some Scottish fortresses and much of the Lowlands and Borders, but without peace these garrisons became a useless burden on the Treasury of England.

analysis

Although the Scots blamed the defeat on the traitors within their own ranks, it is true that a Renaissance army ( England) defeated a medieval army (Scotland). Henry VIII had taken steps to create standing naval and land forces, which formed the core of the fleet and army. However, military historian Gervase Phillips has defended Scottish tactics, suggesting that Arran's movement from his position over the Esk was a perfectly rational response to English maneuvers on land and sea. In his description of the battle from 1877, Major Sadleir Stoney commented: “ every tyro knows that changing front in the presence of an enemy is a perilous operation. “Early commentators such as John Knox had focused on this maneuver as the cause of the defeat, attributing the order to the influence of local landowners George Durie , Abbot of Dunfermline and Hugh Rig of Carberry . Marcus Merriman considers the initial Scottish encampment to be the most demanding that Scotland has ever set up, especially in view of the large number of cavalry.

The longbow continued to play a key role in England's battles and Pinkie Cleugh was no exception. Although the hip and longbow combination was outdated in England, it could still hold its own against the pike and rifle tactics used in continental armies during the firearms development phase.

Today's battlefield

Somerset's Mound, Inveresk Kirkyard

The battlefield is now part of East Lothian . The battle most likely took place in the field half a mile southeast of Inveresk Church, south of the main east coast railway line . There are two viewpoints of the battlefield. Fa'side Castle above the village of Wallyford was behind the English position and with the help of binoculars the visitor can get a good view of the battlefield, although the Scottish position is now obscured by buildings. The best impression of their position can be obtained from the golf course west of the Esk River outside the B6415. Inveresk hill, an important tactical point at the time of the battle, is now built on. The battlefield is listed in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and is under the protection of Historic Scotland .

The Scottish Artillery

Forewarned of the arrival of the English army, the Scottish artillery was deployed at Edinburgh Castle . Additional gunners were recruited and 140 "pioneers", i.e. H. Workers were hired by Duncan Dundas to move the cannons. On September 2, wagons were confiscated to carry the cannons and bring the Scottish tents and pavilions to Musselburgh. Horses and oxen were delivered by the Laird of Elphinstone . John Drummond of Milnab, master carpenter for the Scottish Logistic Force , led the wagon train. A new banner was carried and in front a boy was playing on the swasche , a drum that was used as a warning.

William Patten described the English supply officers who on Sunday, September 11th, after the battle, seized 30 of the Scottish cannons from various places. They found: a brass field snake ; 3 Saker brass; 9 smaller brass cannons; and 17 other iron cannons on wagons. Some of the brass guns were listed in the inventory of the Tower of London in 1548 .

The report of the General Treasurer of the English Army

Ralph Sadler was treasurer for Somerset's expedition in Scotland from August 1st to November 20th, 1547. The cost of the trip north was £ 7468-12s-10d, for the return £ 6065-14s-4d. The soldiers were paid a total of £ 26,299-7s-1d. Sadler quoted £ 211-14s-8d for his own expenses and £ 258-14s-9d for his equipment and bookkeeping expenses. A number of special sons were paid to spies, Scottish leaders and others who served well, as well as the Spanish mercenaries. The Scottish herald on the battlefield was paid 100 shillings. When Sadler's report was examined in December 1547, it was found that Sadler was Edward VI. Owed £ 546-13s-11d, which he duly repaid.

losses

As David H. Caldwell writes, English reports put Scottish casualties at 15,000 dead and 2,000 prisoners, but the Earl of Huntly's estimate of 6,000 dead may be closer to the truth. Many of the Scottish prisoners were of nobility. It was alleged that most of them were dressed like common soldiers and were therefore not considered worth buying. Caldwell explains that the British casualties were officially given as 200, but rumors at the English court, fed by private letters from members of the army, make an actual number of 500 or 600 seem more realistic.

William Patten names a number of high profile losses. The English he mentions were horsemen pushed by the Scottish pikemen into a field east of the English position after they had passed a swamp towards the Scottish position on Falside Bray.

England

Scotland

The names of some other Scottish losses are known from legal records or the Scottish Chronicle and include the following:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b MacDougall, p. 73
  2. ↑ a b MacDougall, p. 68
  3. ↑ a b c MacDougall, p. 86
  4. ↑ a b MacDougall, p. 87
  5. ↑ a b Phillips, p. 193
  6. ↑ Phillips, pp. 178-183
  7. ↑ Annie Cameron: Scottish Correspondence of Mary of Lorraine , SHS (1927), 192–194.
  8. ↑ a b Phillips, p. 186
  9. ^ Phillips, p. 183
  10. ↑ Patrick Fraser Tytler: History of Scotland , Volume 3, (1879), 63: Calendar State Papers Scotland , Volume 1, (1898), p. 19 No. 42, Lennox & Wharton to Somerset, September 16, 1547.
  11. ↑ Phillips, pp. 181-182
  12. ↑ Phillips, pp. 191-192
  13. ↑ Phillips, p. 196.
  14. ↑ Phillips, pp. 197-199
  15. ^ Patten, The Expedicion into Scotlande , reprinted in JG Dalyell: Fragments of Scottish History , Edinburgh 1798
  16. ↑ Calendar State Papers Spanish 1547–1549, Volume 9, London, (1912), pp. 150–153, pp. 181–182, (English translation)
  17. ^ Hastings Robinson: Original Letters Relative to the Reformation , Parker Society (1846) pp. 43–44, Letter XXIV
  18. ↑ Phillips, p. 252
  19. ^ F. Sadlier Stoney, Life and Times of Ralph Sadleir , Longman (1877), p. 109.
  20. ^ David Laing (Ed.): Works of John Knox: History of the Reformation in Scotland , Wodrow Society, Volume 1 (1846), 211
  21. ^ Marcus Merriman: The Rough Wooings , Tuckwell, (2000), p. 236.
  22. ^ William Seymour: Battles in Britain Vol. 1, 1066-1547 , p. 208. Sidgewick & Jackson (1979)
  23. ^ Battlefield entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  24. ↑ Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland , Volume 9 (1911), pp. 112-120.
  25. ^ William Patten: The Expedition into Scotland, 1547 , London (1548), unfoliated: reprinted in, Tudor Tracts , (1903), p. 136.
  26. ↑ David Starkey (Ed.): The Inventory of Henry VIII , Volume 1, Society of Antiquaries (1998), p. 102, No. 3707-3712.
  27. ^ Arthur Clifford (Ed.): Sadler State Papers , Volume 1, Edinburgh (1809), pp. 353-364.
  28. ^ George Macdonald Fraser: The Steel Bonnets . Harper Collins, London 1995, ISBN 0-00-272746-3 . , P. 86
  29. ↑ Patten, (1548), unfoliated, (other English names not immediately recognizable)
  30. ↑ John Strype: Ecclesiastical Memorials , Volume 3, Part 2, (1822), pp. 67-69, pp. 86-87
  31. ↑ z. B. Lindsay of Pitscottie, History of Scotland , Edinburgh (1728), p. 195.

literature

  • Joseph Bain (Ed.): Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots, 1547-1603. Volume 1, HM General Register House, Edinburgh 1898.
  • David H. Caldwell: The Battle of Pinkie. In: Norman MacDougall (ed.): Scotland and War, AD 79-1918. John Donald Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh 1991, ISBN 0-85976-248-3 , pp. 61-94.
  • David Constable (ed.): Récit de l'expédition en Ecosse l'an MDXLVI et de la battayle de Muscleburgh. , Bannatyne Club, Edinburgh 1825 (eyewitness account of the French mercenary Jean Sieur de Berteville, who had participated on the English side, to King Edward VI) ( online here ).
  • Philip de Malpas Gray Egerton (ed.): A commentary of the services and charges of William Lord Gray of Wilton. Camden Society, London 1847, ( online here ).
  • Marcus Merriman: The Rough Wooings. Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-1551. Tuckwell Press, East Linton 2000, ISBN 1-86232-090-X .
  • William Patten: The Expedition into Scotland in 1547. Richard Grafton, London 1548; Reprinted in: Edward Arber: Tudor Tracts, 1532–1588. To English Garner. Forgotten Books, London 2010, ISBN 1-4510-0554-7 , pp. 53-157.
  • Gervase Phillips: The Anglo-Scots Wars 1513-1550. A Military History. Boydell Press, Woodbridge 1999, ISBN 0-85115-746-7 .
  • Gervase Phillips: The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh. In: Military History. Volume 17, No. 6, February 2001. ( Online at history.net )
  • Gervase Phillips: In the Shadow of Flodden. Tactics, Technology and Scottish Military Effectiveness, 1513-1550. In: Scottish Historical Review. Volume 77, No. 204, Part 2, Edinburgh University Press 1998, pp. 162-182.
  • William Stephen: The Story of Inverkeithing & Rosyth. The Moray Press, Edinburgh 1938.
  • Ralph Sadler, Arthur Clifford (Eds.): The State Papers and Letters. Volume 1, Constable, Edinburgh 1809, pp. 353-364. (Expenditure statement of the Duke of Somerset's expedition to Scotland)
  • Francis Sadleir Stoney: A Memoir of the Life and Times of Sir Ralph Sadleir . Longman, London 1877, pp. 107–114 ( online here )
  • Alexandre Teulet (ed.): Relations politiques de la France et de l'Espagne avec l'Écosse au XVIe siècle. Société de l'Histoire de France, Paris 1862, Volume 1, pp. 124–158 ( online here ).
  • Philip Warner: Famous Scottish Battles. Leo Cooper, London 1995, ISBN 0-85052-487-3 .

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