Henry V: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History Paperback by Marcus Cowper Read Free Book Online

force, which would be forced to follow the long loop of
    the Somme along the north bank. On the 18th they reached the village
    of Nesle, and, on the 19th, crossing points were discovered between the
    hamlets of Voyennes and Bethencourt-sur-Somme.
    The French had damaged the approaches to these crossings, but they were
    intact enough to allow the English to cross cautiously, which the vanguard did
    on the morning of the 19th under the command of Sir Gilbert Umfraville and
    Sir John Cornwall. Although the French attempted to interfere with the
    crossing, by the time they had reacted too large a force of English troops had
    already crossed and the main army was over the river by late afternoon,
    marching on to Athies where they made camp.
    Although across the river, they were by no means out of danger and on the
    20th heralds came from the French camp offering battle. Henry replied that he
    intended to march his army to Calais, and that the Princes of France could find
    him in the open fields. From this point on the army marched as if they might
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    encounter battle at any moment,
    with their armour on and coats of
    arms displayed. Setting off on the
    21st, the English passed Peronne
    to the left and, shortly afterwards,
    crossed over the tracks left by a
    large host - this was certainly the
    main French army which, having
    arrived at Amiens, was now
    moving on towards Bapaume.
    From this point on the French
    could cut the English army off at
    any point they wanted, blocking
    the main road to Calais with ease.
    The English pressed on, spending
    Maisoncelle was the
    the night in the Mametz-Fricourt area on the battlefield of the Somme of 1916.
    location of the English
    On the 22nd they reached Acheux, and Doullens on the 23rd. By the evening
    camp the night before the
    of the 24th the English had reached the village of Maisoncelle, where they
    battle, and it was from
    found the combined French force ahead of them camped between the villages
    here that they advanced
    of Agincourt and Rousseauville, blocking the road to Calais and forcing the
    to take up their first
    English to battle the following day.
    position on the morning
    of 25 October 1415.
    The battle of Agincourt
    The view here is from the
    There may well have been a degree of negotiation between the English and
    village itself.
    French the night and morning before the battle, and some French sources
    (Author's collection)
    claim that Henry was willing to accept a considerably reduced portion of his
    original territorial demands. However, no agreement was met and the armies
    were placed in their battle formations.
    The chaplain author of the Gesta Henrici Quinti describes how Henry
    arrayed his army in the morning:
    And meanwhile our king, offering praises to God and hearing masses, made ready
    for the field, which was at no great distance from his quarters, and, in want of
    numbers, he drew up only a single line of battle, placing his vanguard,
    commanded by the Duke of York, as a wing on the right and the rearguard,
    commanded by Lord Camoys, as a wing on the left; and he positioned 'wedges'
    of his archers in between each 'battle' and had them drive their stakes in front of
    them, as previously arranged in case of a cavalry charge.
    This was in effect a change in command, with Sir Gilbert Umfraville and Sir
    John Cornwall being removed from command owing, as the chroniclers state,
    to the Duke of York's fervent desire to lead the vanguard. His place as
    commander of the rearguard was taken by the experienced Lord Camoys.
    The three battles were drawn up in a single line, with the baggage and
    non-combatants behind. This meant there was no reserve at all; Henry had
    committed all of his men to the line of battle. The role of the English archers
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    in the battle has caused some
    controversy over the years. The
    chronicle written by the chaplain
    quoted above states that they were
    deployed as wedges between the
    three divisions of men-at-arms.
    However, some