We learn from the old historical accounts, that the Lancastrians mustered for this dreadful conflict about 60,000 men, and the Yorkists about 48,660. The battle is stated to have commenced at nine in the morning, in the midst of a storm of snow and sleet, and to have lasted until seven in the evening. {101b} It was a battle of extermination: the dreadful order not to give any quarter, nor to take any prisoners, having been issued before its commencement by Edward IV., and responded to by a similar order, on the part of the Lancastrians. When the Lancastrians began to give way, they at first retired in the direction of Tadcaster, in some order, and made several stands to keep their pursuers at bay; but they could not long continue retreating without disorder; and in attempting to cross the river Cock in haste, a dreadful scene of destruction took place there, and such numbers of them were drowned, or otherwise lost their lives in the bed of the stream, as to fill it, so that the survivors passed it on the dead bodies of the sufferers. The number of the slain is given by the chroniclers, as 36,776, but which probably includes not only all who fell on both sides in the battle, but all who were slain in the pursuit, or were drowned in the river Cock, and also all who fell in the engagements at Ferrybridge and Dintingdale on the previous day. The principal leaders of the two parties, at the battle of Towton, were, on the Yorkists’ side, the new King, Edward IV.; the Duke of Norfolk (who was intended to have been the principal commander at the battle, but was prevented by illness from taking an active part in it; his forces, however, were there, and fought for Edward); the Earl of Warwick; his uncle, Lord Falconberg; Sir John Wenlock; Sir John Denham; and a number of the nobles and gentry of the midland and southern districts of England: on the Lancastrian side, the Earl of Northumberland; the Duke of Exeter; {103a} the Duke of Somerset; {103b} the Earl of Devonshire; {103c} Lord Dacre; Sir Andrew Trollop; and Sir John Heron. {103d} The partisans on the Lancastrian side, comprised most of the noblemen and gentry of the northern, and part of the western, districts of England.