Battle of Nesbit Moor (1355) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Nesbit Moor |
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| Part of Second War of Scottish Independence | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of Scotland |
.svg){kind=small} Kingdom of England |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
.png){kind=small} Earl of March Lord of Douglas |
Sir Thomas Grey (POW).svg){kind=small} Baron Dacre (POW) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Low | High | ||||||
The Battle of Nesbit Moor was a fight between the armies of Scotland and England in August 1355. It was part of a larger conflict known as the Second War of Scottish Independence. This battle took place near Nesbit Moor and ended with a Scottish victory.
Why the Battle Happened
End of a Truce
Fighting started again in early 1355. Before this, Scotland and England had a temporary peace agreement called a truce. This truce ended, and talks to free the Scottish King, David II, from English capture also failed.
English Raid
Right after the truce ended, English soldiers attacked Scotland. They burned the lands belonging to Patrick V, Earl of March. This made the Scottish leaders very angry and ready to fight back.
The Plan to Trap the English
Scottish Revenge
To get revenge, the Earl of March teamed up with William, Lord of Douglas. They gathered their own soldiers and were joined by sixty French knights. They marched towards an area called the Merse in August.
Luring Sir Thomas Grey
Lord Douglas came up with a clever plan. He sent Sir William Ramsay of Dalhousie and some men to raid the area around Norham Castle. The castle was guarded by Sir Thomas Grey. Douglas hoped this raid would make Grey leave the castle and fall into a trap.
The Raid on Norham
Ramsay's men shouted at Grey and his soldiers to come out and fight. Grey was careful because he suspected other Scottish forces might be hiding nearby. He sent scouts to look for them but stayed safe inside the strong castle walls.
Ramsay's men then burned the village and took away all the animals and goods. The scouts returned, saying they saw nothing. Sir Thomas Grey was furious about the damage Ramsay had caused. He and Lord Dacre led their soldiers to chase the Scots and get back what was stolen.
The Battle Begins
The Ambush Site
Meanwhile, the Earl of March and Lord Douglas had hidden their main army. They were waiting in the woods south of Duns. Ramsay, who had been raiding, left the stolen animals behind. He rode north to lead Grey and his men right into the trap.
English Walk into the Trap
Grey ignored the animals, wanting to catch Ramsay. He chased Ramsay directly into the hidden Scottish army. Douglas and March then moved their forces to block any escape route for Grey's men. They cut off the English from the border.
The Fight at Nesbit Moor
As soon as Grey saw the battle flags of March and Douglas, he knew he was in trouble. The English soldiers bravely charged at the Scots. However, the Scottish army had more soldiers, and their greater numbers quickly began to win the fight.
The Scots won the battle easily. They captured many English soldiers, including Lord Dacre, Sir Thomas Grey, and his son, also named Sir Thomas Grey. The Scots lost very few of their own men, though John Haliburton of Dirleton was killed.
What Happened Next
Prisoners and Revenge
The important English prisoners were taken away. Most of the regular English soldiers were bought by one of the French knights. This knight had them killed to get revenge for his father, who had been killed by the English earlier. This sad event gave a nearby place the name "Slaughter Hill."
Attack on Berwick
When the soldiers guarding Berwick heard about the battle, they marched towards Norham. They thought Norham Castle might be under attack. But the Earl of March, Lord Douglas, and Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus, along with the French knights, launched a surprise attack on Berwick instead.
They captured the town of Berwick. However, they could not take the castle. So, March ordered the town of Berwick to be set on fire.
The Burnt Candlemas
The Scots then retreated. They had heard that a very large English army, led by Edward III of England, was coming. King Edward III then marched into Scotland. He destroyed the area of Lothian, burning and killing as he went. This terrible event was later remembered as the Burnt Candlemas.
