A deeply disappointed Edward ordered his weary troops to make camp for the night. Making camp on the waterlogged bog of the Carse, they spent an uncomfortable night, sleeping fitfully on the marshy ground, expecting a night attack at any moment. During the night, the English cavalry crossed the burn, using barn doors taken from a nearby village which was completed shortly before dawn. The bulk of the infantry, however, remained on the far side of the burn, splitting the force.

Edward assumed the Scots would stay on the defensive when faced by his superior numbers. He planned to move his army onto the level and solid ground of the plain where he could deplete the Scots with his archers before outflanking and crushing them with his cavalry.

Robert, on the other hand, was under no illusions at to what he would face the following day. Despite the high spirits flowing from the day’s victories, the English army was still intact and greatly outnumbered him. His victories that day would allow him to withdraw with honor which is what he planned to do until an English knight, Sir Alexander de Seton, made his way to the Scottish camp. Brought before Robert, he told of the weak and dispirited condition of their army and pledged on his own life that if Robert was to fight the following day, he would win. Robert, therefore, has two choices if he chose to fight. He could remain with his back to the wood in a defensive position and risk being outflanked or to attack before the English could properly deploy, forcing them to fight on unfavorable ground – he chose the latter.

The Scot army rose at dawn on the 24th and by 3:45am it was light enough to see clearly. As they celebrated mass, those who had shown great courage were knighted, including Randolph and Douglas. Full of confidence from the previous day, they formed their divisions and received the order to advance.

Advancing in echelon, Douglas to the left, Randolph at the centre and Edward Bruce to the right, they poured from the wood with a cry. Robert remained with the cavalry and his own division to the flank of Edward Bruce out of sight of the English.

Day 2 of Battle
Day 2 – July 24, 1314

The English, with their split force, were temporarily stunned at the Scottish advance believing they would fight defensively and allowed them to within 100 yards before the order for them to form was given. Suddenly, the Scots halted and dropped to their knees in prayer. Seeing this, Edward sneered, “They kneel to ask for mercy.” Sir Ingram de Umfraille, a Scot in English employ replied, “You say sooth now, they ask for mercy, but not of you. Those men will win or die.” The king simply replied, “Be it so” and ordered the English advance.

The potent English archers scattered the few Scottish archers before being jostled out of the way and to the rear where they were unable to fire for fear of hitting their own advancing cavalry. The van, formed in good order on the English left, was closest to Edward Bruce’s division while the other nine cavalry divisions jostled together into one large mass, lumbering over the boggy churned up ground.

Glouchester, stung by accusations of disloyalty for suggesting they rest a day before battle after their long march, spurred ahead and unsupported at the Scots. His glorious charge ended as he was unhorsed by a spear and killed. The other cavalry followed in a piecemeal fashion without any real cohesion.

As they attacked over the boggy ground, the English were able to make no headway on the Scots. The two divisions of Randolph and Douglas moved up to strengthen the line and present a single continuous line.

A body of several hundred archers was formed on the English left flank by a quick thinking English commander and began to pour their deadly fire onto the tightly packed Scots. Seeing this, and that the archers had been left unsupported by cavalry, Sir Robert Keith, the commander of the Scottish cavalry, ordered the charge. As the cavalry charged the unprotected flank, the archers routed and scattered. As they were slashed down without mercy, the remaining Scot archers once again began to fire on the English.

As the three Scott divisions steadily pushed back the English onto ever more constricted ground, Robert ordered his division onto the English flank. With the entire Scottish army now engaged in the brutal and bloody melee, the English found themselves on unsteady ground without room to maneuver or fight. As the routed archers, and then the shattered van were driven back into the main body, the situation was made worse. Edward ordered countercharges which were ineffective and continued to be pushed relentlessly back. Seeing this, the Scots pressed forward with cries of “On them, on them, they fail!”

As Edward was about to order yet another counterattack, another even larger Scottish division burst from the woods and streamed down the slope to join the fight. Seeing another army approach, banners flying, the English broke. This new army was in fact the Small Folk who had been ordered by Robert to remain in the forest. Robert, always a clever commander, may have ordered them to advance at that moment in an effort to break the English morale. With this, the Bruce also flung himself into the din.

Edward, wile having exerted little effective command and having failed to delegate it to one of his veteran commanders, had, nonetheless fought with unusual bravery. Unwilling to leave the battle, he was forced to do so by others. Led by the Earl of Pembroke and Sir Giles d’Argentau, they escaped through the gaps between the Scottish divisions. As the Scots attempted to grab the reigns of his horse to unseat him, Edward smashed down on them with his mace.

Once Edward was clear of the battle, Sir Giles, seen as the third greatest knight in all of Christendom, declared his honor prevented him from fleeing. With that, he lowered his visor and plunged headlong into the thicket of Scottish spears and was killed. Pembroke, feeling responsible for “his men,” the1000s of levies he had brought with him, returned to where they were stationed. He led them from the field and managed to bring most of them safely to Carlisle which was still in English hands. Edward’s flight signaled the end for the English who scattered and fled in panic.

Edward fled to Stirling Castle where he was refused admittance by Mowbray who claimed he could no longer hold the castle and would be forced to surrender him. Fleeing south with 500 cavalry, he was relentlessly pursued by Douglas and 60 cavalry all the way to Berwick. Lacking the numbers to press home an attack, they picked off stragglers wherever they could. Coming across Sir Laurende de Abernethy and his 80 men going to assist the English, he persuaded him to change sides.

The infantry fled in panic. Those who had crossed the Burn threw away their weapons and armor before plunging into the water to escape where many were drowned, trampled or cut down by the vengeful Scots. Of those already on the other side, most fled to Stirling Castle where they sheltered in the rocks beneath the walls. Their large numbers had prevented a stronger pursuit of Edward until they were taken prisoner the following day when Mowbray changed sides and surrendered the castle. After the surrender, it was torn down by the Scots as a symbol of hated English oppression

Losses for either side are unknown. Of the English, around 200 knights and nobles were killed on the field and up to another 500 captured. Losses of the infantry and archers is unknown but was large, both on the field and in their flight back to England. The Scottish army and also the local population sought revenge on the English for their occupation and relentlessly hunted the fugitive bands of fleeing soldiers. Few are said to have made it to safety. The Scottish losses are also unknown but are thought to have been relatively light.

Ransoms gained from the captured nobles and the captured English baggage train were said to have made Scotland rich. Likewise, a number of Scottish prisoners held in England were released as part of the ransom negotiations. Yet, despite such a crushing victory, Scotland was not to realize it’s independence for another 13 years.

Neither Edward II nor the Pope was to recognize Scottish independence or the kingship of Robert the Bruce. Raids continued over the border into England and Edward Bruce led campaigns into Ireland who were also seeking independence from England where he was eventually killed.

In 1320, The Declaration of Arbroath, a Declaration of Independence, which documented Scottish grievances against the English and their desire for independence was signed by numerous Scottish nobles and sent to Pope John XXII. The Pope intervened in the dispute and encouraged a short lived peace treaty to be signed. Edward II was later deposed and allegedly killed by his wife Isabella of France and her lover Roger Mortimer before being succeeded by his young son Edward III in 1327. Finally, the Treaty of Edinburgh was signed by Edward III in 1328 which formally sealed Scottish Independence. Edward was to renounce sovereignty over Scotland and the old borders under Alexander III were recognized. Robert the Bruce, finally the undisputed king of Scotland, died a year later.