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Rating: 
Summary: Good Insight on 15th Century Warfare
Review: In Osprey Campaign #120, Towton 1461, English museum curator Christopher Gravett describes the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. While the battle itself is interesting, the campaign is set in the midst of the Wars of the Roses - a period of history that is confusing, complicated and murky. In large part, Gravett succeeds in bringing a tough subject to light and his summary is professional throughout. Towton 1461 has a rather lengthy 9-page introduction, followed by somewhat brief sections on opposing commanders and forces. The campaign and battle narratives are adequately covered in 34 pages, supported by three 3-D "Birds Eye View" maps (all of the Battle of Towton in various phases) and five 2-D maps (England in 1460-1, the march to Towton, skirmish at Ferrybridge, final positions before battle and England after Towton). The volume also has four battle scenes by the talented artist, Graham Turner: the fight at Ferrybridge, the melee at Towton, the rout and the opening barrage. The final section, on the battle's aftermath in overly long at ten pages and includes and unusual discussion of modern examination of a gravesite on the battlefield. The section on the Battlefield Today and bibliography are decent. Although any work on the Wars of the Roses is hindered by a paucity of detailed information, the author works through this deficiency rather well. He is somewhat less effective in explaining the complicated politics behind the campaign, and this subject virtually demands an appendix with capsule biographies on the major participants. The author's background as an authority on medieval arms and armor enables him to add considerable insight into his discussion of what 15th Century close combat was like at Towton. Furthermore, the Battle of Towton was rather unique in being a large-scale engagement fought amidst snow squalls. In terms of military history, a study of Towton has relatively little to offer, since it was essentially a straight-up infantry on infantry fight until one side cracked. The leadership example of the young King Edward IV, who raced to join his troops in bucking up a crumbling flank, is interesting. Neither side made any egregious errors or did anything overly innovative, although each side employed a ruse or deceptive effort. Unlike many other battles of this period, cavalry only played a role in the pursuit phase, but the main battle was a pure infantry fight. While exact numbers are contentious, the author argues that about 45,000 troops from both sides fought in the battle and about 13,000 were killed in the space of a 6-hour battle, making Towton a very bloody day indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Good Insight on 15th Century Warfare
Review: In Osprey Campaign #120, Towton 1461, English museum curator Christopher Gravett describes the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. While the battle itself is interesting, the campaign is set in the midst of the Wars of the Roses - a period of history that is confusing, complicated and murky. In large part, Gravett succeeds in bringing a tough subject to light and his summary is professional throughout. Towton 1461 has a rather lengthy 9-page introduction, followed by somewhat brief sections on opposing commanders and forces. The campaign and battle narratives are adequately covered in 34 pages, supported by three 3-D "Birds Eye View" maps (all of the Battle of Towton in various phases) and five 2-D maps (England in 1460-1, the march to Towton, skirmish at Ferrybridge, final positions before battle and England after Towton). The volume also has four battle scenes by the talented artist, Graham Turner: the fight at Ferrybridge, the melee at Towton, the rout and the opening barrage. The final section, on the battle's aftermath in overly long at ten pages and includes and unusual discussion of modern examination of a gravesite on the battlefield. The section on the Battlefield Today and bibliography are decent. Although any work on the Wars of the Roses is hindered by a paucity of detailed information, the author works through this deficiency rather well. He is somewhat less effective in explaining the complicated politics behind the campaign, and this subject virtually demands an appendix with capsule biographies on the major participants. The author's background as an authority on medieval arms and armor enables him to add considerable insight into his discussion of what 15th Century close combat was like at Towton. Furthermore, the Battle of Towton was rather unique in being a large-scale engagement fought amidst snow squalls. In terms of military history, a study of Towton has relatively little to offer, since it was essentially a straight-up infantry on infantry fight until one side cracked. The leadership example of the young King Edward IV, who raced to join his troops in bucking up a crumbling flank, is interesting. Neither side made any egregious errors or did anything overly innovative, although each side employed a ruse or deceptive effort. Unlike many other battles of this period, cavalry only played a role in the pursuit phase, but the main battle was a pure infantry fight. While exact numbers are contentious, the author argues that about 45,000 troops from both sides fought in the battle and about 13,000 were killed in the space of a 6-hour battle, making Towton a very bloody day indeed.
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