Money and arms were sent to Scotland from France to help build up a large army. The French sent Count D Aussi and a small contingent of French troops with the porpose of training the scots to use the European pikes (as apposed to the traditional long spears).
On the 22nd august King James crossed the River Tweed at Coldstream with an army of between 50,000 - 100,000 troops ( estimates vary wildly). The army consisted of Borderers, lowlanders and highlanders as well as up to 23 massive guns (which required upto 400 oxen to move them ) and where far superior to the english guns.
Henry VIII had left the Earl of Surrey as his Lord Lieutenant of the North ( who was 70 years old). The Earl had raised his forces marched North to intercept King James. (The english had some 10-20 thousand men less than the scots) The English army consisted of large amounts of Billmen mixed with some longbowmen, men at arms and sergeants. As well as 15 - 20 serpentine cannons.The English also had 1500 Border Lancers under the command of Lord Dacre.
The Earl of Surrey had other ideas and rather than assault this fortified hill decieded to outflank it and began to march around it.
James ordered his men to burn the camp, and under cover of smoke moved his massive army and guns to counter the outflanking by the English.
Unable to with stand the bombardment any longer Hume and Huntlys borderers charged towards Edmund Howards men. The borderers began making great in roads into Howards men. At this point Surrey sent Dacres Lances to help E.Howard , Dacres Lances drove the Borderers back and saved Edmund Howard. Hume and Huntlys men fell back and began looting and played no further part in the battle.
Seeing Hume and Huntlys men having success on the left King James ordered his centre forward. This turned out to be a mistake , as the scottish advanced over what was virtually a bog with there heavy armour and pikes they were cut to pieces by the English cannons and Longbows .
