Raid of the Redeswire

Raid of the Redeswire
Part of Anglo-Scottish Wars
Date 7 July 1575 Location Carter Bar, by the Cheviot Hills, near Redesdale Result Scottish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Sir John Carmichael	Sir John Forster (POW)
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown, but comparatively light[citation needed]	Unknown, but comparatively high[citation needed]

The Raid of the Redeswire was a border skirmish between England and Scotland on July 7, 1575 which took place at the Cheviot pass which enters Redesdale, between the English Warden of the Middle Marches; Sir John Forster, Sir George Heron, Keeper of Redesdale and the Keeper of Liddesdale as well as the Scottish Warden; Sir John Carmichael with George Douglas of Bonjedworth. It was the last major battle between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland.

Opposing Forces

After the Scottish defeat at Pinkie, no Anglo-Scottish battle had occurred until this. Sir John Carmichael assembled a small band of pikemen and gunmen in Liddesdale. He was preparing to meet with Sir John Forster at Carter Bar for truce, being the Lord Warden of the Marches. Sir John Forster gathered an army as well. Forster was known for double-dealing, and Carmichael knew it could turn into a battle.

The battle

The Scots met with the English under Forster, and it started with insults from both sides. The truce was not going so well, and in time it turned into a battle. It started with cannon and bow shots from the English. The English were getting the better of the infantry match. But a timely arrival of Scottish reinforcements from Jedburgh gave the Scots an advantage. They began to break the English lines. In time, the English were routed. The Scots proved victorious, and drove the English off. Forster was captured, and George Heron, along with his brother; John Heron, and many other notable English Nobles were killed. The English prisoners, however, were treated humanely and then released.

Legacy

The story of the skirmish was turned into a Border ballad. As well, on Cheviot Hills, near the place were the battle was fought a monument was made in memory of the battle. It read "On this ridge, June 7th, 1575 was fought, one of the last border raids, known as The Raid of the Redeswire". This is why it is known as such, even though it wasn't really a raid and did not take place in the Redeswire.

References

• Ridpath, G. The border-history of England and Scotland : deduced from the earliest times to the union of the two crowns (1776) pp 650-652
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wood, James, ed (1907). "^{article name needed}". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne. 

External links

• http://www.oldandsold.com/articles32n/northumbria-25.shtml