The Scottish leader resolved to fight the English army at Bannockburn, near Stirling; and at once took measures to prevent his little army from being surrounded by Edward’s great one. He posted his men in such a way that they had a hill to protect them on their right hand, and a morass on their left. In front ran a rivulet; and Bruce had caused his soldiers to dig pits near this brook, and to plant in them sharp stakes, and then cover the whole with turf, so that the English horsemen might ride into these pits when they came to attack the Scots.
It was already evening when the English came up to where the Scotch* army lay encamped. A fight at once took place, in which the Scots had the advantage; and Bruce killed with his battle-axe Sir Henry de Bohun, a valiant English knight.*
On the next day, 24th June, 1314, was fought the celebrated battle of Bannockburn.*
* ‘Scotch’ is now generally out of favour as a term for Scots or their language, and is reserved for their whisky.
* Sir Henry de Bohun was the grandson of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford. The duel took place mounted, jousting style, but whereas Sir Henry had a lance King Robert had only a battle axe. A neat twist at the last moment allowed Robert to strike with a blow so powerful that he cleaved his enemy’s helmet and head, and (much to his own chagrin) broke the haft of his favourite axe.
* Some treat the battle as a two-say affair, lasting from the 23rd to the 24th.