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The Tale of Years entry for this date neatly catches all the threads of the day’s events:
- Frodo captured by the Orcs of Cirith Ungol. The Pelennor is over-run. Faramir is wounded. Aragorn reaches Pelargir and captures the fleet. Théoden in Drúadan Forest.
Our first event after midnight follows hard upon the events of the previous evening.
After following the Orcs up the tunnel nearly to their fortress, Sam is amazed to overhear an Orc explain that Frodo is still alive! The Orcs close the fortress door before Sam can reach it. Locked outside in the dark tunnel, he takes off the Ring and collapses from exhaustion.
The narrative says that Gandalf returns from the front lines with ‘a handful of horsemen … in the middle morning’.
Gandalf reaches Minas Tirith in the mid-morning darkness, escorting wains filled with wounded men from the Causeway Forts. He reports Faramir’s retreat towards the City and recommends a mounted sortie in support. Denethor replies that he is already preparing one.
Aragorn reaches Pelargir, on the fifth day since setting out from the Stone of Erech. Fifty ships of Umbar lie at anchor.
Aragorn orders the army of the Dead to attack. They run directly across the water to the ships. The Haradrim start jumping overboard in terror.
With the fleet of Umbar captured and the Haradrim all drowned or fleeing Gondor, Aragorn dismisses the Dead: ‘Your oath is fulfilled… Depart and be at rest!’ They disappear.
The Dúnedain board each ship and release the slaves chained to the ships’ oars.
As Faramir’s company approaches Minas Tirith, they waver, under attack by both horsemen and several Nazgûl. Denethor orders forth the sortie: a charge by all of the mounted men still in the City, with the Prince of Dol Amroth at their head and Gandalf on Shadowfax beside them.
The sortie not only rescues Faramir’s company but succeeds in killing many of the men and Orcs who were assailing them. The force is soon called back into the City. The Prince of Dol Amroth is the last to ride back in through the Gates, carrying Faramir limp in his arms.
Denethor leaves Faramir’s side and climbs to the chamber where he keeps the palantír of the White Tower. Though it belonged to Kings, not Stewards, he looks in. Sauron—wielding the palantír of Minas Ithil, which he holds—hides from Denethor all hope of Minas Tirith’s rescue.
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