1) That is okay for me.
2)
RSO-SL-27.1: I am okay with removal in the first foot note.
RSO-SL-27.8: But I am more reluctant in the second instance: ‘As the narrative suggests’ can as well mean the text at hand. So I think it is ambiguous enough to be keept.
3)
RSO-SL-27.7: First the intended meaning: Gandalf is not active in the Battle of the Fords of Isen. He is only mentioned as the one who got a full report of the events. Therefore it is Erkenbrand who was defeated, but nonetheless drove away southwards part of Sarumans forces. That is way I am as well not in full support of the added ‘the’ in the next sentence. As the battle was a defeat for the forces of the Westfold led by Erkenbrand, the ‘remnants of Saruman’s force’ can only be a fraction of that force and all that isleft of it, as the ‘the’ does suggest.
Lets see how we can reconstruct what we know about that last part of the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen: Elfhelm and his riders were driven away eastward in the Second Battle. Grimbold and his man were scatter and moved south on the eastside of the road to Helm’s Deep. Erkenbrand was on the road hastening to the Ford. Saruman’s Eastern force had already passed south cross country, while Saruman’s Western force was on the Road from the Ford to Helm’s Deep.
From that picture we can assume that the last part of the Second Battle was fought only between Erkenbrand and the western forces of Saruman. In the end Erkenbrand was defeated fast, but he drove of part of Saruman’s forces to the south (meaning clearly the Land between Isen and Ered Nimrais, so that it is rather southwest and anyhow west of the road) and his own trops remained intact.
We are farther told that Gandalf meet Elfhelm and Grimbold on his way to and for Isengard, which must mean that Elfhelm drifted back westward when the Eastern forces of Saruman had passed to the south and that Grimbold did not find Erkenbrand before that last part of the Battle was joined. In the end we see Gandalf, Erkenbrand and Grimbold coming together to the rescue of Helm’s Deep, while Elfhelm guarded the Fords of Isen. I asume that Gandalf found an united the forces of Grimbold and Erkenbrand on his return from Isengard.
So what about this editing:
Quote:
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What followed is less clear, since only Gandalf had full knowledge of it. He received news of the disaster only in the late afternoon of March the {3rd}third. RSO-SL-27.5<based on LotR, Appendix B By this time was Erkenbrand defeated{.}> RSO-SL-27.7<based on UT; The Drúedain; Note 13 , even so he <moved from below had{ been} driven away southwards parts<moved from below of Saruman’s forces>{A marginal jotting states that after}. After the Battle of the Fords of Isen it was found that many Drúedain did indeed survive in the Drúwaith Iaur, for they came forth from the caves where they dwelt to attack remnants of Saruman's forces that had been driven away southwards.> ...
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4) Thanks for pointing us to it.
Respectfully
Findegil