Fighting at the fords of the Trident

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Battle of the Ruby Ford
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AC
Place Ruby Ford, Trident, Riverlands
Result Lannister victory
Combatants
House Lannister House Stark
Commanders
Ser Gregor Clegane Lord Roose Bolton
Ser Wylis Manderly
Strength
Unknown 6000
Casualties
Unknown 2000 dead, captive or fled. Mostly Norrey, Locke and Burley men.[1]

The Battle of Ruby Ford was one of the final actions in the War of the Five Kings. Like the Battle of Duskendale, it was a calculated move by Roose Bolton to bleed Stark supporters to prevent them from retaliating once he turns cloak.

The Battle

Roose Bolton marched slowly from Harrenhal towards The Twins. Once he reached the Ruby Ford, torrential rains made walking across impossible. He was forced to use small boats to cross. Bolton had gotten two thirds of his force across by the time Ser Gregor Clegane arrived. Clegane attacked the rearguard led by Ser Wylis Manderly with heavy cavalry. Ser Wylis rallied as best as he could, however the two thousand men who had yet to cross were forced into the river. Many were killed, either drowning in the river or cut down by Clegane's men. Many more were taken captive including Manderly himself.

The Aftermath

Roose Bolton, unable (or unwilling) to aid the men across the ford, continued on to The Twins, leaving behind six hundred men (spearmen from The Rills, the mountains, and the White Knife, a hundred longbow archers from House Hornwood, some freeriders and hedge knights, and some Stout and Cerwyn men) under the command of Ronnel Stout and Ser Kyle Condon to prevent the Mountain from following. This further removed any leftover Stark loyalists from Lord Bolton's army. Remaining with Roose were 500 mounted men and 3000 infantry, mostly from House Bolton with some Karstark presence - at a time when House Karstark had recently lost their Lord to Robb Stark's justice.[1]

References and Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.