Battle of the Pelennor Fields

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The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was a battle for the city of Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring. It was the greatest battle of the War of the Ring, and indeed the largest of the entire Third Age. Many casualties have been also mentioned here including the Men of Southern Gondor, some Riders of Rohan, the King Théoden and the Witch-king of Angmar.

On the morning of March 10, 3019, the Dawnless Day started. Sauron sent forth a large mass of cloud to cover the lands of Gondor and Rohan. Sauron's purpose is to spread fear and uncertainty among his enemies, especially the Gondorians. The forces of Mordor arrived in two fronts: the army of the Lord of the Nazgul that came forth from Minas Morgul, and another one from the river Anduin from Umbar, which is the ships of the Corsairs. On March 13, 3019, the Siege of Gondor began, and on the morning of March 15, the Rohan army arrived with 6,000 riders, turning the tide of the battle. In the end, the West was victorious and preparations for the Final Battle began.

Background
The War of the Ring is declared at June 20, 3018: Sauron sent the Nine Nazgul in search for the One Ring, which is believed to be in the possession of a person named Baggins in the Land of Shire. The city of Osgiliath was attacked by the forces of Mordor, in the hopes of making a diversion for the Ringwraiths. However, the sons of steward Denethor II drove the enemy in the east bank of the river and destroyed the great bridge of the city.

Nine months passed after the little skirmish in Osgiliath, Sauron's fallen ally, Saruman the White, sent a large army to invade all of Rohan. They were, however, defeated by the forces of the Rohirrim in the Battle of Helm's Deep. This made the Dark Lord's anger to increase a hundredfold: he decides it was time to prepare the greatest assault to be ever seen in Middle-earth: an assault against, Mordor's greatest enemy, Gondor.

The Dawnless Day
"This is not the weather of the world. This is the device of of Sauron's making. A broil of fumes he sends ahead of his host. The Orcs of Mordor have no love of daylight. So he covers the face of the sun to ease their passage along the road to war. When the shadow of Mordor reaches this city, it will begin."

- Gandalf the White about the Dawnless Day

There is no dawn between March 9 and 10. This is the day which is called the "Dawnless Day". A large cloud from Mordor silently crept over the lands of Rohan and Gondor, covering the sunlight, preventing it from penetrating the clouds. Sauron's purpose is to spread fear and uncertainty among the Rohirrim and Gondorians. At that same day, an army from the Black Gate emerged and captured the island of Cair Andros. The purpose is two-fold: to prevent the Rohirrim from entering Anorien and at the same time guarding the northern regions of Gondor. The Muster of Rohan, led by King Theoden left the camp of Dunharrow at that same day; while the beacons of Gondor were lighten up one day before.

At the same day, the ring-bearer Frodo Baggins and his friend Samwise Gamgee approached Minas Morgul, with their guide Gollum. An entranced Frodo attempted to cross the bridge at Morgulduin and he alerted the Watchers of the City, causing the city to sent a blue signal that surprised Minas Tirith. Shortly after the signal was released, another red signal from Barad-dur in Mordor responded: that was the go signal of the Dark Lord. The Witch-king of Angmar emerged from the city in his Fell Beast, accompanied by an army of over 200,000 orcs and trolls. In response to the Witch-king's army, another army set forth from Umbar led by Corsairs, in the hopes of attacking Minas Tirith from the river.

Fall of Osgiliath
"They have broken through our defenses. Orcs have broke the eastern shore. Battaluions are now crossing the river."

- Faramir's recap of the early battle

The night of March 12 arrived. Captain Faramir and his men were on the watch for the enemy to approach the city. Earlier, Faramir saw the blue signal of Minas Morgul, alerting them all. Suddenly, they were aware of the sounds of rippling oars. That would be the signal that the orcs are not on foot but on rafts. What Faramir saw shocked them all: they are not coming from the northern part as was originally suspected but from the river Morgulduin. Things began to become tense over the next hours. The great bridge that the men of Gondor cut down was accessed once more by the orcs and has now crossed the river onto the west bank.

Seeing nothing will happen, on the dawn of March 13, Faramir issued an official retreat to Minas Tirith, as four or five Nazgul flew stealthily over the city. The soldiers had nothing to lose but to obey their captain's orders. As they escape the outskirts of the city, the Nazgul forgave no horseman and was searching for their primary target: Faramir. However, Gandalf and Pippin appeared later on Shadowfax and warded of the Nazgul with Gandalf's magic staff. Faramir later narrated what he saw: Frodo and Sam are passing over the Morgul Pass and are now on their way to Cirith Ungol.

"I will not abandon the defenses that your brother held long enough. Osgiliath must be retaken"

- Faramir

Denethor, distraught, at what happened at the city, angrily noted that Boromir would have held the defenses longer than his son Faramir did. He sent his son to Osgiliath to retake it no matter what peril lies ahead. Faramir agreed. Later that day, he and his men attempted to retake the city but Faramir was hit by a poisonous Southron arrow. The forces of Mordor then moved forward and passing through the city.

Siege of Minas Tirith and the Fall of Rammas Echor
What the Gondorians feared came: the army of Mordor approached the city and breached the wall of the city, the Rammas Echor. Gothmog, Sauron's top lieutenant ordered the assault, meanwhile, Faramir, wounded, was taken up to the care of Denethor. More than 200,000 orcs covered the plains of Pelennor. Soon, the orcs launched the heads of Gondorian soldiers, spreading fear in the hearts of the city's defenders.

After the decapitated heads were launched, boulders were hurled in the city destroying its walls and setting the first circle on fire. In response, Denethor passed the defenses of the city to Gandalf, who became the Gondorian army's commander. Rocks were hurled in catapults and a big rock hurling fight began. Then, archers from both sides unleashed great volleys of arrows upon one another. Obviously, the Gondorians had the advantage of height and the stone crenellations of the walls which gave them ideal shielding. Thousands of orcs and maybe hundreds of Gondorians were killed during this prolonged shoot out. As the mighty siege towers rolled onwards to the walls, a standard wooden Mordor battering-ram, along with a full battalion of orcs, assault the Great Gate of Minas Tirith. The defiant bowmanship of the Gondorian Archers at the Gatehouse above the Gate, and the dual-Bastions either side of the Gate, caused horrific casualties upon the forward units of orcs, and within minutes, a huge pile of revolting orc corpses, blocked the Gate itself. The orc captain leading the assault reported to Gothmog, his superior as a Chief, and told him that the Gate is too strong, and that his units are unable to break it. Gothmog is furious, but then calms himself with the thought that there is something that can smash it down; Grond.

On the walls of the city, the Siege Towers have almost all deployed, if not themselves destroyed by Trebuchet fire, allowing hundreds and thousands of orcs to storm the battlements. There are a good many Gondorian Infantry in their path; they proceed to kill them all. Orcish casualties upon the first level are apalling, although they gradually manage to overpower the overstretched defenders. Gandalf battles the Orcs on the first tier on foot, and is briefly aided by Pippin. Later on, Gandalf has no choice but to divert his, and many of the survivors of the 'first wall battle', attentions, to the Courtyard of the Great Gate of Minas Tirith - after he sees the horror that is, Grond, The Hammer of the Underworld, being hauled forth to the Gate.

Gothmog then ordered Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld, to break the great of Gondor. The siege continued on and on until the dawn of March 15, the Gate collapsed. The Witch-King of Angmar himself appeared and confronted Gandalf the White before the broken gates.

"Go back to the abyss! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master!"

Before the Witch-king could respond, the horns of Rohan sounded throughout the land.

Trivia
The Led Zeppelin song, "The Battle of Evermore", may have been about this battle, as it makes references in the lyrics to the Ringwraiths, a walled city, and a battle on a vast plain.