Timeline Event
Théoden leads reinforcements west against Saruman
Event Type: Military/Strategic
Age: 3rd Age - Ring War
Dates: March 2, 3019 ~ March 3, 3019
Description:
An event in the prelude to the Battle of the Hornburg; see that entry for an overview:
'Now, Gandalf.... What is your counsel?'...
'To put your trust in Éomer.... Every man that can ride should be sent west at once, as Éomer counselled you: we must first destroy the threat of Saruman, while we have time. If we fail, we fall.'...
'This counsel seems good to me now,' said Théoden. 'Let all my folk get ready!'...
'But Isengard is strong. And other perils draw ever nearer. Do not delay, Théoden, when we are gone. Lead your people swiftly to the Hold of Dunharrow....!'
'Nay, Gandalf!' said the king. 'You do not know your own skill in healing. It shall not be so. I myself will go to war, to fall in the front of the battle, if it must be.'...
The armed men that stood near clashed their weapons, crying: 'The Lord of the Mark will ride! Forth Eorlingas!'...
'The host rides today. Send the heralds forth! Let them summon all who dwell nigh! Every man and strong lad able to bear arms, all who have horses, let them be ready in the saddle at the gate ere the second hour from noon!'
The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 6, The King of the Golden Hall
At the gate they found a great host of men, old and young, all ready in the saddle. More than a thousand were there mustered. Their spears were like a springing wood. Loudly and joyously they shouted as Théoden came forth. Some held in readiness the king's horse, Snowmane, and others held the horses of Aragorn and Legolas....
The trumpets sounded. The horses reared and neighed. Spear clashed on shield. Then the king raised his hand, and with a rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West.
The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 6, The King of the Golden Hall
The sun was already westering as they rode from Edoras.... There was a beaten way, north-westward along the foot-hills of the White Mountains, and this they followed....
The host rode on. Need drove them. Fearing to come too late, they rode with all the speed they could... Forty leagues 1 and more it was, as a bird flies, from Edoras to the fords of the Isen, where they hoped to find the king's men that held back the hosts of Saruman.
Night closed about them. At last they halted.... They had ridden for some five hours and were far out upon the western plain, yet more than half their journey lay still before them.... At dawn the horns sounded, and within an hour they took the road again....
In the afternoon the dark clouds began to overtake them.... The sun went down.... The spears of the Riders were tipped with fire as the last shafts of light kindled the steep faces of the peaks of Thrihyrne: now very near they stood on the northernmost arm of the White Mountains, three jagged horns staring at the sunset. In the last red glow men in the vanguard saw a black speck, a horseman riding back towards them. They halted awaiting him.
The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 7, Helm's Deep
Notes
1 A league is approximately three of our miles.
Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 1, The Disaster of the Gladden Fields: Appendix, Númenórean Linear Measures
Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 13Jan05, 18Jan05, 1Mar10
