Battle of Saint Albans.
Campaign "White Swans." 1459
So, in the course of the campaign (not indifferent "historians" is known), part of the Lancastrian forces were trapped in London. Lancastrians rushed troops coming to the aid of the besieged for the lifting of the blockade.
Yorkists allocated part of the forces to intercept Lancaster columns, rushing to release their comrades in London. Real took place in the vicinity of the town of St. Albans.
Troops of Lancastrians:
Mainward:
Commander: Henry Percy, Earl Northumberland (1440 men)
2nd company: (The captain is not identified) (1220 men)
3rd company: Thomas Percy, Baron Egremont (960 men)
4th company: (The captain is not identified) (1280 men)
5th company: (The captain is not identified) (480 men)
Vaward:
Commander: Jasper Tudor, Earl Pembroke (1100 men)
2nd company: Owen Tudor (1200 men)
3rd company: Thomas Stanley, Lord Stanley (980 men)
4th company: (The captain is not identified) (1100 men)
5th company: (The captain is not identified) (1200 men)
6th company: (The captain is not identified) (560 men)
Total: 11520 men.
Troops of Yorkists:
Mainward:
Commander: Richard Nevill, Earl Salisbury (960 men)
2nd company: (The captain is not identified) (1160 men)
3rd company: (The captain is not identified) (1280 men)
Vaward:
Commander: (by hearsay) Romuald Errka (960 men)
Total: 4360 men.
The weather was sunny, not strong wind blew from the east. During the battle, he changed to the south, but it did not affect the characteristics of combat fighting.
The battle began the general movement Percy troops. On the right flank of the Lancastrians, Tudor began to obscure maneuvers between the bridges.
But, unexpectedly the spearmen of Salisbury employed in the north undertook the dizzy attack to Henry Percy's Ward!
On the left flank Percy continued fierce slaughter, but the remaining troops, ignoring the battle, continued to move forward and clashed with the abovementioned battle Salisbury’s Ward, situated on the hill opposite.
Tudor continued "cunning" maneuvers on other river bank.
Finally Salisbury spearmen were overthrown and put to flight. By the way, they fought very worthy! On the right bank continued "clever" maneuvers, which, finally, led to the fact that Tudor and spearmen began to cross the bridges, and 2 companies under the Stanley team took up positions at the water's edge. They fired a volley at the left company of militia Yorkist that led to its complete breakdown, and a rout.
Further events developed immediately! Two companies of Salisbury, under personal command of the Earl, rushed in the attack on the opposing them Lancastrian! On the right bank again began mess, but the Tudors on the north bridge and the south bridge on the archers had already crossed to the other side.
Fierce battle began in the center! Soldiers desperately hacked each other with varying degrees of success. In one of the fights of moments, a company of Henry Percy was pushed back, which caused panic among the standing behind the militia, who took this maneuver of retreat. Archers Percy and spearmen Tudor (who stamped a half day on the river bank and, finally, overcame her) together fled from the battlefield!
Massacre at the center looked like a swing, but eventually overturned Thomas Percy Earl of Salisbury. During the flight, the wounded Thomas was captured. But long-time enemy of Percy family, hungry for blood earl ordered to behead Thomas right there, on the field of battle! So Lancastrians lost one of the key figures in the business! Although Henry Percy and knocked his opponent.
Company of Salisbury, by inertia, rushed for running into the woods on the edge of the field. On the way, they came upon a company of militia and drove her back to the forest. Henry wanted revenge for the death of his brother and was ready to fight, but the exhausted remnants of Salisbury, spread out in the woods and under the cover of trees left the battlefield. Pissed blunt maneuvers, Jasper Tudor was running across the field shouting, "Give at least hold out his throat!". But today was not his day, waving his sword and did not work.
Once again, an easy, at first sight, the victory proved to Lancastrian very painful. Losses parties were:
Lancastrians 1580 killed (including Thomas Percy) and 1280 deserted.
Yorkists 1100 killed. There are no data on deserters.
Salisbury did not repeat his actual Blore Heath, but coped with its task - bled deblocking of the Lancastrian forces.
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