Battle of the Camp

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Battle of the Camp
Conflict: Battle of the Camp
Date: T.A. 1944
Place: Northern Ithilien
Outcome: Decisive Gondorian victory
Combatants

Gondor

Easterlings and Haradrim

Commanders

Unknown Easterling commanders

Strength

Most of the southern army (20,000) and a remnant of the northern army (5000)[source?]

At least 30,000 Wainriders[source?]

Casualties

Probably no more than 3000 Gondorian soldiers[source?]

At least 20,000 soldiers, enough to cause the Wainriders to withdraw and never bother Gondor again for hundreds of years[source?]

The Battle of the Camp was a battle fought in Dagorlad between Eärnil of Gondor and the northern coalition of Wainriders after the Disaster of the Morannon.

Events Prior to the Battle

In T.A. 1944, Wainriders from Rhûn made an alliance with the Haradrim, and a dual attack on Ithilien was launched. While the Wainriders assaulted Ithilien from the north, the armies of the Haradrim crossed the Poros and invaded South Ithilien.

The northern assault of the Wainriders was met by the King of Gondor himself, Ondoher, with his two sons Artamir and Faramir. The Easterlings swept through Gondor's defence, cutting down the King and his heirs and routing his army. Their victory complete, and Gondor defenseless before them, the Wainriders paused in North Ithilien to celebrate their conquest.

Their allies in the south had met with much less success. The Gondorian Captain Eärnil had led Gondor's inferior Southern Army to victory over the Haradrim, destroying their army in South Ithilien, to the north of the Poros. After his victory, Eärnil turned north.

The Battle

The feasting Wainriders suddenly found their success reversed, as Eärnil appeared with his Southern Army, reinforced by fleeing members of Ondoher's defeated northern troops. Eärnil's army descended on the unprepared Wainriders, driving many of them into the swamplands of the Dead Marshes. The Easterlings, for so long a dreaded enemy of Gondor, did not march against Gondor for hundreds of years afterwards. The battle was named after where it had taken place: the Battle of the Camp.

Aftermath

Because there was no heir apparent to the throne, Ondoher and his sons having been killed in the battle, Eärnil was crowned by Pelendur, the current Steward of Gondor(even though Arvedui of Arthedain had already claimed it. He was a distant relative of Ondoher, and could trace his lineage back to Elendil and Anárion of old.