The Yorkist cause seemed finished after the previous disaster at Ludford Bridge. Some of the Yorkist commanders, the Earls of Warwick, Salisbury and March (Edward) reached Calais on 2 November 1459, where Warwick found his Uncle Lord Fauconberg. Meanwhile York and Edmund, Earl of Rutland retired to the relative safety of Ireland.

On the English mainland, the Lancastrians were quick to exploit the Yorkist flight; Sir James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire was appointed Lieutenant of Ireland and Sir Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset became Captain of Calais. Neither however succeeded in occupying their new posts as the Irish refused to dislodge York and the gates of Calais remained firmly closed to their new 'Captain'. The Lancastrians gave Somerset an army to storm Calais with, but first they had to cross the channel, so the construction of a fleet was started at Sandwich in Kent. No sooner had the ships been finished, than Warwick made a raid on Sandwich and stole them. In May Warwick crossed the channel again and destroyed the new fleet under construction there. Warwick left his uncle at Sandwich with a small force of Yorkists to act as a bridgehead for his planned invasion of England. Then, on the 26th of June Warwick, Salisbury and Edward landed there again with two thousand men at arms. At this moment in time, both the King and Queen were stationed at Coventry with their small army. The Yorkists entered London on 2nd July with an army of supporters numbering between twenty and thirty thousand. Soon afterwards the King's forces took up a defensive position at Northampton, with their backs to the River Nene, and in front of them a water-filled ditch topped with stakes. The defending army was ten to fifteen thousand strong, consisting mainly of men-at-arms. The Lancastrians also had a quantity of field artillery.

While approaching Northampton, Warwick sent a delegate to negotiate with the King on his behalf. The Lancastrian commander, the Duke of Buckingham, however replied "The Earl of Warwick shall not come to the King's presence and if he comes he shall die." During Warwick's advance to Northampton he was twice more denied access to the King's person. Once in position he sent a message that read "At 2 o'clock I will speak with the King or I will die."

At two o'clock on 10 July 1460, the Yorkists advanced. The men were in column, but the hard rain blowing in their faces somewhat hindered them. As they closed with the Lancastrians, Warwick was met by a fierce barrage of arrows, luckily though, the rain rendered Henry VI’s collection of cannon quite useless. When Warwick reached the Lancastrian right flank, commanded by Lord Grey treachery ensued; Grey had his men lay down their weapons and let the Yorkist have access to the camp beyond. It was a fatal blow to the loyal Lancastrians: after this, the battle lasted a mere thirty minutes more. The defenders, unable to manoeuvre inside the fortifications, fled the field as their line was 'rolled up' by attacking Yorkists.

The Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Shrewbury and Lords Egremont and Beaumont all died trying to save Henry from the Yorkists closing on his tent. Three hundred Lancastrians were slain in the battle, the King was captured and once more became a puppet in the hands of the Yorkists.

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