First Battle of the Fords of Isen

There were two battles at the Fords of Isen. The first battle took place on 23 February TA 3019. The second was on 2 March TA 3019. The battles were between Saruman's Uruk-hai and the Rohirrim of Rohan.

First Battle
Theodred, son of King Theoden of Rohan, was alerted by his scouts to the mustering taking place in Isengard. He manned both sides of the ford and went forward leaving three companies of riders to guard the eastern side. Early in the morning, he crossed over to the western side with a force mainly consisting of archers and cavalry. He planned to take the forces of Uruk-hai by surprise. However, Saruman had tricked the scouts; his army was already marching out to attack the ford. Twenty miles to the north of the ford, Theodred encountered the vanguard of the Uruk-hai and quickly cut through their lines. He then charged at the main force, who were prepared for the attack and were stationed behind trenches planted with pikes. Reinforcements came out of Isengard and outflanked the cavalry, nearly surrounding them. Hastily Theodred ordered a retreat, but the Uruk-hai could not be shaken off that easily. Grimbold, who was in command of the Rohirrim rearguard, had to cut down their pursuers many times. Saruman's eastern force was much smaller but more dangerous. It contained mounted Dunlendings, Warg Riders and uruk-hai berserkers. The Rohirrim guard on the eastern side of the ford had been driven into retreat, and their attackers recrossed the ford to attack Theodred on both sides. Theodred and his men had dismounted on an small islet to cover Grimbold's retreat. At the same time Grimbold's force was being attacked from the western side, and as Grimbold looked east, he saw Theodred's force being driven from the islet to a hill. Grimbold and a few men raced toward Theodred's posistion. Theodred was cutting his way through the Uruk-hai lines. But by the time Grimbold reached him, Theodred had fallen, cut down by a giant orc. Grimbold slew the orc and then found himself defending Theodred's body from orcs. He himself would have been cut down had it not been for Elfhelm.

Elfhelm had been leading four companies towards Helm's Deep, when it was reported to him that two Warg Riders had been spotted. He rode at full speed to the ford and, seeing the situation, ordered his men to charge. Before long his men held the western side of the ford. They then charged on the islet. From this surprise attack most of the Uruk-hai retreated toward Isengard. When they reached the islet they found Grimbold defending Theodred's body against two huge orcs. Elfhelm rushed to his aid and felled one orc while Grimbold slew the other.

When they lifted Theodred's body, they found he was still alive. He lived long enough to say, "Let me lie here - to keep the ford until Éomer comes." The enemy attack ended by nightfall. The Rohirrim had held the ford but suffered heavy losses and were now leaderless.