Battle of the Ridge of a Thousand

Occurs In: The Long Patrol

Mentioned In: The Taggerung




This large final battle occurs at the Ridge of a Thousand - a huge ridge located west of Redwall - between the Rapscallions army and woodlanders (comprised of the GUOSIM, Long Patrol, and Redwallers). It is originally supposed to take place at the Abbey but a superstitious Damug decides to attack at the ridge thanks to being convinced by a disguised Midge; this is actually a planned move by the Long Patrol because Redwall's south wall is collapsing and the ridge will work in the woodlanders' favour. The battle starts when Damug attempts to gain an advantage but is spotted, so he orders five hundred of his soldiers to attack. The Redwallers fight back with arrows and slings, then charge with spears. Multiples waves of assaults are launched and, that night, the goodbeasts set a fallen tree ablaze before pushing it over the ridge towards the enemy. Most of the vermin soldiers are slain but they still vastly outnumber the woodlanders, though Cregga's hares spot the burning tree from afar and they make their way to the area. After this incident Damug uses the fire to his advantage by ambushing his foe who are temporarily blinded by the blaze, catching them between the summit and a large rock in the middle of the ridge. Perigord is captured and, due to him hurling insults at Damug, prepared for execution. Before this can happen Cregga suddenly appears alongside her hares, and she throws herself at the Firstblade. They fall off the ridge and while Damug is killed by the Badger Lady, he manages to permanently blind her with slashes from his sword. Although the Rapscallions are exterminated, a score and a half Long Patrol hares perish in the bloody battle as well as some Redwallers and their allies. In The Taggerung Drogg refers to it as "some ancient battle" that results in Cregga's blindness.