Battle of Sampford Courtenay

[1] Russell was under the impression that the rebels from Devon and Cornwall had been defeated already and the news interrupted his plans to send 1,000 men into the South West by ship to cut off his enemy’s retreat.

[1] With the 1,000 men from Winchester failing to materialise, the main force of the rebel army had dug in on high ground just outside Sampford Courtenay, while a detachment led by Humphrey Arundell waited in the village itself.

Heavy divisions led by Lord Grey and Sir William Herbert stormed the rebel encampment, while Russell himself would follow behind.

A vicious gun battle, lasting roughly an hour, gave time for Russell’s two other divisions to make their move.

Russell planned another attack but in the morning, he received news from the informer, Kessell, that the Cornish forces had been decimated and that the remaining Cornishmen were now back across the River Tamar.