Battle site of Solway Moss (1542) -
Description:
After the battle at Hadden Rigg in August 1542, an army of 10.000 (some say 18.000!) under the command of Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns, was to push as far into England as they could.
Although James V thought highly of Sinclair, it emerged that the nobles he was to command simply couldn't stand the 'upstart'. There was some vicious in-fighting and before the battle there were even nobles who simply returned home.
Also among the foot soldiers, the Borderers seriously reviewed their loyalty to a King who had persecuted them throughout his reign and many regarded capture by the English favourable to death for a tyrant.
Considering the numbers, one might have expected Sir Thomas Wharton, a highly experienced and competent commander, to retreat behind the relative safety of the defences of Carlisle. Wharton chose to do open battle instead.
The armies met between the Rivers Lyne and Esk in the Parish of Arthuret, five and a half miles north of Carlisle.
When the Scots sighted the English army on top of a hill in front of them, they hesitated, thinking this could be a trick. The English seized their chance and the cavalry charged. The Scottish ranks broke and tried to retreat.
They found themselves however trapped at the ford on the south bank of the River Esk. Some made a rearguard stand before finally surrendering. Many of them drowned trying to cross the ford and others hid in the boggy heathland.
This was a disastrous and humiliating defeat for James V. Direct losses as a consequence of battle were relatively few, but several hundred Scots drowned and over 1,000, including Sinclair, were taken prisoner.
James had not accompanied the army. He remained instead at Lochmaben on the Scottish side of the Border and awaited news of the invasion. When the news came he retreated to Falkland Palace, ill with fever and humiliated. He died a few weeks later, aged just 30, succeeded by his six day old daughter, Mary (Mary, Queen of Scots).