See JEWS: THE ROUTE OF THE EXODUS.
HERRINGS, The Battle of the (1429).
In February, 1429, while the English still held their ground
in France, and while the Duke of Bedford was besieging Orleans
[see FRANCE: A. D. 1429-1431], a large convoy of Lenten
provisions, salted herring in the main, was sent away from
Paris for the English army. It was under the escort of Sir
John Fastolfe, with 1,500 men. At Rouvray en Beausse the
convoy was attacked by 5,000 French cavalry, including the
best knights and warriors of the kingdom. The English
entrenched themselves behind their wagons and repelled the
attack, with great slaughter and humiliation of the French
chivalry; but in the mêlée the red-herrings were scattered
thickly over the field. This caused the encounter to be named
the Battle of the Herrings.
_C. M. Yonge,
Cameos from English History,
2d series, chapter 35._