BattlefieldsScottish Covenanting Army — Tweed Crossing at Cornhill 1640
English Civil War

Scottish Covenanting Army — Tweed Crossing at Cornhill 1640

1640
Scottish Borders, Scotland
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scottish Borders, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
English advance forces unable to contest the crossing
VS
Victor
Scottish Covenanting Army
Forces
Scottish Covenanting army of approximately 22,000 under General Alexander Leslie
Outcome
Scots crossed into England unopposed; English forces at Newburn Ford defeated days later; Charles forced to negotiate
The Battle

History & Significance

When the Scottish Covenanting army under General Leslie crossed the River Tweed into England at Cornhill in August 1640 during the Second Bishops War, it constituted an invasion of English sovereign territory. The Tweed crossing at Cornhill-on-Tweed bypassed Berwick and allowed the Scots to advance rapidly toward Newcastle. The ease of the crossing demonstrated English military unreadiness and forced Charles I to summon the Long Parliament.

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