A Question About the Dead Marshes
 

Quote: "Who are they? What are they?" asked Sam shuddering, turning to Frodo, who was now behind him.

..."I know not who they are; but I thought I saw there Men and Elves, and Orcs beside them."

"Yes, yes," said Gollum. " All dead, all rotten. The Dead Marshes. There was a great battle long ago, yes, so they told him when Smeagol was young, when I was young before the Precious came. It was a great battle. Tall Men with long swords, and terrible Elves, and Orcses shrieking. They fought on the plain for days and months at the Black Gates."

Just out of curiosity, what battle was Gollum speaking of? At first, I assumed it was the Last Alliance, but now I'm not so sure. If anyone has a clue, please clue me in!null

The Battle of Dagorlad where the Last Alliance fought Sauron.

Yes, it was the Last Alliance, and believe that in later time Gondor fought a battle their against the Easterlings.

greetings,
lathspell

they fought two battles there. one with the harad also. During one of the battles King Ondoher was slain along with his sons. One of his sons had went disguised into battle because it was law that one of the Kings sons must stay incase the King fell. The disguised prince died in the Dead Marshes.

Thank You,TarElendil, That was interesting. I didn't know that.

TarElendil - I thought that battle was fought in Ithilien near the morannon, but I might be wrong.

greetings,
lathspell

The war that TarElendil refers to was actually much later than the Last Alliance (1944 TA), and it was against the Wainriders. However, there were two battles fought in that war, one was at Dagorlad and one was in Ithilien. The Wainriders were driven into the Dead Marshes in their panic stricken flight, and I expect that many of the dead from the earlier battle made it into the Marshes as well, so it was not just bodies from the War of the Last Alliance.

I knew it was the battle of Dagorlad, but one question. this wasn't THE battle, was it? this wasn't the battle that sauron was defeated... was it? that took place in the fleids near mount doom, right?

It was one of them. That was the battle where the Last Alliance drove into Mordor and beseiged Barad-dur. But, you're right that it was not the battle where Sauron came forth and was personally defeated.

Here's another question: what exactly were those reflection things? They couldn't have been the men, elves and orcs themselves because they go to the Halls of Mandos after death. That leads me to another question that is completely off-topic, but oh well. Do orcs go to the Halls of Mandos too or do they get thrown out in the dark with Melkor? After all, it wasn't really their choice to be born ugly and marred, Melkor did that to them.

there were many battles fought in that general area. the Battle of the Camp was fought in ithlien against the harad and easterlinges, after which earnil became king. i wasnt speaking of any exact battle

Boy, you do enjoy opening the cans o' worms don't you!

This is one of the most complex topics that Tolkien fans get in heated arguments about.

There is a thread in the Revised Silmarillion Forum that goes IN DEPTH with this question. I think that it is called Orcish Fear or something like that. I'll have to check.