Stirling Bridge and Falkirk 1297-98 by Peter Armstrong

Author:Peter Armstrong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297–98: William Wallace’s Rebellion
ISBN: 9781782004202
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

The old bridge across the Forth at Drip replaced the ford here and has in its turn been rendered obsolete by road development. (author’s photo)

Deliberations of the Scots

The Scottish leaders must have realised that, as the English troops began to form up on the north side of the river for the third time that morning, this crossing was in earnest. The time scale that morning hardly allows for the previous crossings to have been on a large scale and it is probable that the enemy troops were withdrawn before enough had passed over the bridge to invite an attack. The comings and goings would have had the effect of alerting the Scots leaders to what might be the English course of action and gave them time to discuss a riposte. A council of war was probably called to allow the most experienced Scottish officers to discuss the situation, much as Warenne had done on the other side of the river. In this case, however, sound sense and judgement clearly prevailed. The Scots decided that, rather than stand on the defensive and allow the whole English army to cross the river and attack them, they would take the initiative and attack first, aiming to destroy the enemy vanguard that was so obligingly taking ground in so precarious a situation.

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