Editing Battle of Towton (section)

== Fighting ==
[[File:Fauconbridge's tactics at Towton.jpg|thumb|300px|Yorkist leader [[William Neville, Earl of Kent|William Neville]] (on horse) and his archers took advantage of the wind to inflict early damage on the Lancastrians – 19th century drawing]]

As Somerset was content to stand and let his foes come to him, the opening move of the battle was made by the Yorkists.{{Sfn|Gravett|2003|pp=52–53}} Noticing the direction and strength of the wind, Fauconberg ordered all Yorkist archers to step forward and unleash a volley of their arrows from what would be the standard maximum range of their longbows. With the wind behind them, the Yorkist missiles travelled farther than usual, plunging deep into the masses of soldiers on the hill slope.

The response from the Lancastrian [[archers]] was ineffective as the heavy wind blew snow in their faces. They found it difficult to judge the range and pick out their targets and their arrows fell short of the Yorkist ranks; Fauconberg had ordered his men to retreat after loosing one volley, thus avoiding any casualties. Unable to observe their results, the Lancastrians loosed their arrows until most had been used, leaving a thick, prickly carpet in the ground in front of the Yorkists.{{Sfn|Ross|1997|p=37}}{{Sfn|Gravett|2003|pp=53–56}}

[[File:Bodkin1.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A wooden shaft is tipped with a narrow metal piece sharpened to a point.|[[Bodkin point|Bodkin arrows]] were among the missiles that killed many in the battle.]]

After the Lancastrians had ceased loosing their arrows, Fauconberg ordered his archers to step forward again to shoot. When they had exhausted their ammunition, the Yorkists plucked arrows off the ground in front of them — arrows loosed by their foes — and continued shooting. Coming under attack without any effective response of its own, the Lancastrian army moved from its position to engage the Yorkists in close combat. Seeing the advancing mass of men, the Yorkist archers shot a few more volleys before retreating behind their ranks of men-at-arms, leaving thousands of arrows in the ground to hinder the Lancastrian attack.{{Sfn|Ross|1997|p=37}}{{Sfn|Gravett|2003|pp=56–57}}

As the Yorkists reformed their ranks to receive the Lancastrian charge, their left flank came under attack by the horsemen from Castle Hill Wood mentioned by Waurin. The Yorkist left wing fell into disarray and several men started to flee. Edward had to take command of the left wing to save the situation. By engaging in the fight and encouraging his followers, his example inspired many to stand their ground. The armies clashed and archers shot into the mass of men at short range. The Lancastrians continuously threw fresher men into the fray and gradually the numerically inferior Yorkist army was forced to give ground and retreat up the southern ridge. Gravett thought that the Lancastrian left had less momentum than the rest of its formation, skewing the line of battle such that its western end tilted towards Saxton.{{Sfn|Gravett|2003|pp=60–61, 65}}{{Sfn|English Heritage|1995|p=6}}

The fighting continued for three hours, according to research by [[English Heritage]], a government body in charge of conservation of historic sites.{{Sfn|Ross|1997|p=37}}{{Sfn|English Heritage|1995|p=6}} It was indecisive until the arrival of Norfolk's men. Marching up the Old London Road, Norfolk's contingent was hidden from view until they crested the ridge and attacked the Lancastrian left flank.{{Sfn|English Heritage|1995|p=6}}{{Sfn|Harriss|2005|p=644}} The Lancastrians continued to give fight but the advantage had shifted to the Yorkists. By the end of the day, the Lancastrian line had broken up, as small groups of men began fleeing for their lives.{{Sfn|Ross|1997|p=37}} [[Polydore Vergil]], chronicler for [[Henry VII of England]], said combat lasted for a total of 10&nbsp;hours.{{Sfn|Gravett|2003|p=68}}