under Henry of Monmouth, Prince of Wales, in 1405.
Along with other border gentry,
around 4,000 men were thought to have been mustered to meet the English threat- the Scots had long memories.
The Earl of Northumberland it seems clearly believed that the Scots had no army in the area capable of resisting them; indeed he must have thought Dumfries was to be left to its fate once more, as it had been when the Earl of Salisbury ransacked it earlier in the year. So when the English scouts hurried back in to camp crying alarm, crying that the Scots were hurrying upon them from the north, it must have come as great shock to him. Trumpeters sounded the alarm and the English camp swiftly erupted into a hive of activity. Knights hurried into their armour, soldiers donned their quilted „jacks‟ or chain-mail coats and arrows were unloaded from the supply carts and issued to the archers. Three divisions were formed, running from west to east, Sir Pennington commanding the left flank, mostly the Welsh archers, the two Percies the centre division and Redmane, the English champion, who had an implacable hatred of the Scots, commanded the right hand division. With banners unfurled the English stood awaiting the Scots.
More of the English raiding parties soon flooded back to their lines, each no doubt telling of their lucky escape from the fast approaching Scots. But unbeknownst to many was an unseen force, rapidly advancing upon the English from the rear, the Solway tide had turned and was fast making its way to the shoreline just beyond where Northumberland‟s army was stood. The river Sark also began to rise slowly, but surely, as if it too was playing its part in the coming battle. All English eyes were now firmly fixed to the north. Marching steadily closer long columns of Scots spearmen could be seen snaking their way on to the field of battle, clearly visible were the unmistakable Scots banners, Satires, proudly fluttering in the breeze.
Ormond deployment his divisions to mirror that of the invaders. Sir Adam Johnstone and Sir Herbert Maxwell led their division to the right. Ormond himself commanded the centre, whilst Sir John Wallace of Craigie commanded the left hand division. Like the English the Scots did not have a reserve, but perhaps the English saw no need too. For the Scots they could not afford such a luxury, they having to make everyman count, having 2,000 m men less with which to fight the coming battle. It was the English archers, on the right flank, who were the ones to open the battle after Redmane ordered then forward, perhaps in an attempt to goad the Scots into an advance. Having advanced as far as they dared, Redmane ordered his