On 24th November 1542, The Battle of Solway Moss, was fought. It was a disaster for the Scots against a much smaller English force.

An army of 15,000–18,000 Scots advanced into England. Lord Maxwell, though never officially designated commander of the force, declared he would lead the attack in person. A report of George Douglas of Pittendreich, who was not present, and some later chronicle accounts, say that in the absence of Maxwell, Oliver Sinclair, the King of Scots James V’s favourite, declared himself to be James’s chosen commander.

According to this account of the battle, the other commanders refused to accept his command and the command structure disintegrated. The English commanders Lord Wharton and Sir William Musgrave made reports of the battle. William Musgrave reported that Maxwell was still in charge and fought with the rest of the Scottish nobles, who were forced to dismount on the bank of the River Esk.

The Scots’ advance into England was met near Solway Moss by Lord Wharton and his 3,000 men. The battle was uncoordinated and may be described as a rout.

It is said that very few were killed, however, many Scots were taken prisoner. For James V it was a humiliating defeat for his army by the forces of his uncle King Henry VIII. James was ill with a fever in Falkland Palace where he died two weeks later aged only 30. Whilst he was there news reached him that his wife had given birth to a daughter. She was to become Mary Queen of Scots.