Battle of the Camp

The second assault of the Wainriders upon Gondor

Third age 1944

After their defeat in the year 1899 of the Third age, the Wainriders they licked their wounds and plotted their revenge, and behind the Sea of Rhûn they made a secret alliance with an old enemy of Gondor, the people of Khand in the South. The attack planned upon Gondor should come simultaneously from both North and South.

Forthwini, the son of Marhwini, warned King Ondoher in Gondor. Ondoher was the son of Calimethar, he who routed the Wainriders in the Battle of the Plains. After this battle, the Wainriders in Rhovanion were recovering from their weakness and fear. Ondoher now suspected that they were receiving new strength from the East, and thus encouraged to raid into the South of his land.
Ondoher knew his Southern enemies were preparing for war and he wisely divided his army into two units, the Southern and the Northern units. The smaller Southern Army was under the command of Eärnil and had its base at Pelargir. While the main and larger army was under the command of Ondoher himself. He had his oldest son, Artamir, with him and left Faramir ( 3 years younger ) in Gondor.

In July 1944, the enemy reached Pelargir. Eärnil, however, was prepared and had already crossed the Anduin with half of his force and camped forty Miles North in Ithilien, leaving the Crossing of Poros undefended.

Ondoher lead his host North through Ithilien, and he purposed to deploy it on Dagorlad. The enemy though, had advanced further than expected and was already drawing near, while the vanguard of Gondor had not yet reached the gates of Mordor, Morannon. The Left Wing lead by Adrahil of Dol Amroth and Right Wing lead by Captain Minothar of the army had not yet had time to reach up and place themselves on each side of the main force lead by the King and his guard.

Furthermore, the attack was expected to come from the North or North-East, but the Wainriders had mustered a great host by the South-shores of Rhûn. Their new allies of Khand came to the battle from the East.

Too late Ondoher realized the strength and direction from where the main-assault came. A force of war-chariots, but also cavalry greater than any that had been expected, crashed into the disordered lines. Ondoher had just enough time to turn and face the assault with his left left flank close to Morannon and to send word to Minothar to reach up and cover his right flank. Ondoher had hastily taken position on a low knoll with his guard, but the main charge was hurled against him and his guard was nearly annihilated. Both Artamir and Ondohir were slain. The second son Faramir, unwilling to stay in Gondor, had disguised himself and joined the Éothéod, which had followed the King and his guard. This had disastrous effect. Most of this Éothéod was driven into the Dead Marshes and slain and Faramir was one of them. But that first onslaught was just the forefront of the Wainriders, and soon the main-host of the Wainriders approached.

Minohtar took command, rallied the remaining men under his banner and sent messengers to Adrahil, commanding him to withdraw and take up the defensive position between Cair Andros and Ephel Dúath, where the land was at its narrowest.He also commanded him to send messengers to Eärnil and inform him of the disaster.
Minothar had time to withdraw his line to the head of the great North Road of Ithilien before the main-host of the Wainriders attacked . The Wainriders had launched their first onslaught before the greater part of the Gondorian army had come out of Ithilien, and thus did not realize that their overwhelming success was mainly due to the disorganization of the army, and their main attack was then too delayed. They were unable to use their normal tactic, accustomed to open land as they were, for the land they trod through was wood-laden hills. They may have thought that their own main army had little more to do. They came on in little order and sang songs of victory, but they found the road into Ithilien strongly defended. But the resistance did not hold long, and the Gondorian army had to give way as the wainriders poured relentlessly into Ithilien. They overwhelmed Minothar, while he was defending the retreat with the rearguard, and he was was slain by an arrow.

The chief-commander of the Wainriders, now sure of the final victory, called a halt and held a feast instead of advancing further. This may have saved Gondor from utterly destruction. Eärnil, who had routed the army coming from the South, had received the news and hastened to the North. On his way he gathered what he could of the retreating North Army and came up against the Wainriders, while they were feasting, believing that Gondor was overthrown and nothing could stop them now. Eärnil stormed the camp and set fire to the wains and drove the enemy in a great rout out of Ithilien into Dagorlad and the Dead Marshes, where a great part of the Wainriders perished.

Related Links.: Battles : Battle of the Plains.