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Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin
And the force Frodo saw ambushed in Ithilien was one of Haradrim, complete with Oliphaunts- but this was north of the Morgul road, so presumably they were bound for the Morannon.
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Yes. But it doesn't make much strategic sense - why send the Haradrim to Morannon bypassing Minas Morgul, from where the main attack was to be launched? Perhaps Sauron wanted them in his bigger army?
Quote:
Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin
On the other hand, in Tolkien's unpublished Chronology the army from the Morannon comprised Orcs and Easterlings, not Haradrim, and was the force which crossed at Cair Andros and held the North Road to block the Rohirrim (which Theoden bypassed via the Stonewain Valley, and Elfhelm destroyed some days later)..
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Exactly, and the troops that came from the Morannon via Cair Andros are also listed in the LOTR text: no Haradrim, only Easterlings:
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The new host that we had tidings of has come first, from over the River by way of Andros, it is said. They are strong: battalions of Orcs of the Eye, and countless companies of Men of a new sort that we have not met before. Not tall, but broad and grim, bearded like dwarves, wielding great axes. Out of some savage land in the wide East they come, we deem. They hold the northward road; and many have passed on into Anórien.-LOTR
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Actually they seem to be the same ones that Gothmog later held in reserve.
Quote:
Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin
It's worth observing that the Morgul-host took hours to pass, Frodo wasn't watching it most of that time, and it's never mentioned exactly who was in it- save that it was led by "a great cavalry of horsemen." These last couldn't have been Orcs.
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I have reread the passage: I am not sure that the Morgul-host took
that long to pass . Maybe it
felt like hours, but in fact Frodo only had time to think of Faramir, of his errand and weep.
They could have been Men of Mordor - maybe some were Black Numenoreans, or half-bloods, maybe others were Haradrim in origin but living and serving in Mordor, not fresh from Harad like the scarlet-clad ones. After all, it is not like all Mordor was populated exclusively by orcs.
Interesting that the infantry of Minas Morgul is said to be armed with swords and spears: I am not sure: do orcs carry spears?