page_title: James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas
section_title: Battle of Otterburn
hierarchical_section_title: James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas / Otterburn and death / Battle of Otterburn
caption_attribution_description: English: Scotland's story&#160;: a history of Scotland for boys and girls by Marshall, H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth), b. 1876 Published 1907 SHOW MORE List of Kings from Duncan I.: p. 419-421 Publisher London&#160;: T.C. &amp; E.C. Jack Pages 496 Possible copyright status NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language English Digitizing sponsor MSN Book contributor New York Public Library Collection newyorkpubliclibrary; americana Full catalog record MARCXML [Open Library icon]This book has an editable web page on Open Library.
context_page_description: Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.
context_section_description: The following day the Scots struck camp and marched to Ponteland where they destroyed its castle, and then on to Otterburn just 30 miles from Newcastle, Douglas appeared to be tarrying to see whether Hotspur would react.
  Douglas chose his encampment in a wood with an eye to protect his force from English archery. But on the evening of the 5 August, the Percies surprised the Scots and a bloody moonlit battle ensued. Douglas was mortally wounded during the fight, but because of the confusion of fighting in darkness this fact was not transmitted to his men who carried on the battle. Froissart gives account in detail of the various individuals wounded, captured or killed, but what is known is that the Scots won the encounter taking Hotspur and many others prisoner. Douglas' body was found on the field the following day. The Scots, albeit saddened by the loss of their leader, were heartened enough by the victory, to frighten off English reinforcements led by Walter Skirlaw, the Bishop of Durham the following day.
  Douglas' body was then removed back across the Border and he was interred at Melrose Abbey.
  The battle, as narrated by Jean Froissart, forms the basis of the English and Scottish ballads The Ballad of Chevy Chase and The Battle of Otterburn.
caption: Wounded Douglass in the battle field
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