The Battle of Hastings
The Saxons- Senlac Hill
26th of September 1066
I am so exhausted from the battle we had
yesterday, it was very challenging but I am happy we won the battle. This
morning I woke up and had some bread for breakfast and it was very nice. My
friends and I went out and gathered all our supplies from the battle that were
still useable and went back to our place and relaxed. Today I am having a rest
day I will read some books and have conversations with my friends about some
prodigious moments of the battle. Yesterday evening I was very tired so I went
to bed early to get some good night sleep.
10th of October 1066
T0day we had to practise for our
battle. We had to practise for the whole day and we had to
use such heavy shields and arrows. It was very weary and it was also very early
in the morning, we had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. in the morning. We are now more
prepared for our battle that will take place sometime soon at Senlac Hill. I am
really looking forward towards this battle and we will win this easily because
William does not have very good tactics. Harold is going to be the new king of
England!
14th of October 1066
At around 9:00 a.m. the trumpets sounded and the
battle began. The first person who attacked was William. The archers fired waves
of arrows towards us, we held our long shields close together to form a shield
wall. Many arrows fell short, others came stuck in our shields. The arrow
attack lasted just a few minutes, and then it faded away as the Norman archers
ran out of ammunition. Our troop stood firm on the bridge. By midday the Norman
army was very tired. Suddenly, the cavalry and foot soldiers fled back down the
hill and got chased by our (the Saxons) soldiers. Then a wild rumour spread
among the troops that William had been killed. It was a dangerous moment for
the invaders, when panic could easily have set in. Instead what happened,
William raised his helmet and showed his face to his troops. When his army saw
he was alive his army rallied again. By the early afternoon our and Williams
army had both lost many men but I was still alive (luckily)! William realised
to win the battle he had to find a way to break into our shield-wall.
Remembering how we earlier had broken rank to chase his men down the hill, he
ordered his cavalry to charge, then turn and flee. It was a very clever tactic,
and it worked. We thought that the Normans were retreating, so we chased after
them but we got tricked. Norman arches then showered arrows on to the ridge,
breaking holes in our line. The battle was turning into Williams favour. At some point Harold was killed, he got an
arrow in his eye. As he fell back, a Norman warrior on horseback hacked at him
with his sword. I looked behind when Harold got a arrow in his eye and at the point
I looked back I saw the arrow coming towards me.........................
(Rosanne)
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