Battle of Otterburn

The council that planned the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 met in Aberdeen and rendezvoused at the set time near the English Borders. They brought with them a vast army (according to Burton some 50,000 troops), which was difficult to move without locals questioning their purpose. An Englishman was sent to infiltrate the Scottish council, returned and disclosed to the English what he had learned. During this episode, the spy's true identity was discovered, as was the fact that the English planned to invade Scotland, because the English troops were outnumbered. With this information, the council changed their strategies, deciding to divide forces and invade England on both sides.

The Earl of Douglas ('The Black Douglas'), leading the Scottish troops, passed through Durham, taking what booty he could carry. He and his troops advanced to Newcastle, where he managed to take the pennon from the English commander, Sir Henry Percy of Northumbria. Honor demanded that Percy retake the pennon, so Douglas sent a message to Percy telling him that the pennon would be in his tent that night, and he could take it, if he dared. Percy responded that the pennon would never leave Northumbria. The English attacked in the moonlight, and when Douglas was wounded, he told his son to drag him out of sight from his troops and to shout the Douglas cry, 'A Douglas! A Douglas!' When the Scottish army heard the cry, they charged forward and after a difficult battle defeated Percy. The Battle of Otterburn is known in Scottish history as the 'battle won by a dead man.'