The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-07-22
TWENTY SECOND OF JULY.

great battle OF Salamanca, oil whlcn we 'haoo
a sketch last year. This day was celebrated
long before that period, as that on which Ed
ward l., of England, in 1898, defeated 'ne
Scottish forces at Falkirk. As this event Is
intimately connected with the fate ofScotands
great champion, Sir William Wallace whose
noble struggle for the liberty OF his native
land. has long been the favorite theme of poets
and romance writers, it must be familiar to
most of our readers. II will, however. bear
repettion, especially as if is the design of these
sketches to fix dates in the memories of our
Young readers, and to call their attention to
the histories in which they will find the events
which hey record more amply delineated.
The system of deliberate treachery by which
Edward l. succeeded in fixing his yoke upon
the neck of the Scottish people, and the tyran-
ny which his minions afterwards exercised
over them, are subjects too well understood to
require more than a notice. Having, as ne
supposed, succeeded in crushing the spirit OF
the people whom he had cheated OF their free
dom, the tyrant felt himself at liberty to cross
over into Flanders where affairs OF pressing
importance demanded his presence. But God
had raised up champion, in the person OF a
private gentleman, when all the great mobiles
ofthe land had basey deserted the cause of
their country. This champion was Sir VIM.
Wallace, man of undaunted courage, of high
character, of great talents, of becoming patr-
otism, and of proves so formidable, that no
two men, of that iron age, were capable Of
contending with him in personal combat. 1t
happened that while he resided in Lanack, he
was insuted by some English soldiers, in the
market place. and fight ensuing, he killed
one of them. This created violent commo.
ton among the soldiers, who, led on by their
commander, Hazelrigg, attacked his house.
Wallace having escaped by back way, the
soldiers entered, and not being able to find him,
revenged themselves by numbering his wife OIL
the spot. This great outrage kindled to the
highest pitch the hatred which he had always
entertained against the oppressors Of his coun-
try. Proclaimed an outlaw, he soon collected
a band of men, as desperate as himself, and
set the English at defiance. He planned an
expedition against Hazelrigg, whom he sur
prised and slew, with the greater part of his
men. He continually defeated small bands of
soldiers who were sent against him, and by
that means gained so much renown that parti-
Fans hocked to him in great numbers. Find
ing himself strong enough, at length, to at
tempt things Of more importance, he attacked
and stormed numerous stronghods of the enc
my, and gained SO high reputation by his
great courage and immense prowess, that he
became an object of terror 10 all the English in
Scotland. Many ofthe Scottish mobiles focked
to his standard, and among them were Sir
William Douglas and Sir John the Crane.
heads of the great houses of Douglas and Gra-
ham, and men of approved valor. To quell
the rising spirit Of patriotism, the English Go
vernon of Scotland, the Earl of Warren, inva-
ded that country with an immense English
army. v allace did not shrink from the con-
fict, but meeting the Earl at Stirling, defeated
him with immense slaughter, and pursued the
wrecks of his army into England, the Northern
part OF which his troops, much, it is said
against his will, subjected to all the horrors
of FIRE and sword.
Edward, informed of these events, returned
hastily to England. Hecollected an enormous
army, and marched rapidly into Scotland WIFI
ther Wallace had retired. The mobiles, Jealous
OF that great man, withheld their support in a
great degree, but the common people who
adored him clung to him to the last. He march
ed to meet the king of England, with an army
composed mostly of foot, because in those DAYS
the mobiles only served on horseback, and OF
those he had few in his army. The armies
were anything but equal. Besides that the
English were superior in numbers, they had
an immense body of men at arms who fought
on horseback, and were clicked in complete
steel, and formidable body of English archers
at that time the most celebrated in the world
The two armies met at Falkrk. Wallace
whose men we've, for the most part, foot sol.
diers, armed with long spears, drew them IN
in exceedingly close order, so that the project,
ing points of their weapons presented barrier
of steel to the enemy. He had also some ar.
cheers from lockwood forest, which he designed
to use against the Eng lish troops of the same
description, and which were commanded bv
Sir John Stuart. The English king, on the
22d OF July, commenced the attack with his
heavy Norman and English horse against the
Scottish foot, hoping to break their ranks by
the weight of his charge. But those brave
men, standing shoulder to shoulder, protruded
their long spears over each other, and resisted
all his attempts. Fooled in every charge, and
finding the ground covered with the slain of hi,
horsemen, Edward ordered his archers 10 ad.
vance, to shake the solid phalanx. They i'm.
medlately advanced, and let fly storm of ar.
rows, each directed with such deadly aim tina,
il took the life Of victim. The slaughter was
terrible, and about that time Sir John stpar,
who was bringing up the lockwood arcbers 10
contest the ground WITH the English, was kill
ed, and his men were slaughtered in grea,
numbers. The spearmen were thrown into
great disorder by the archers OF the enemy and
El.a.I saL.,r al