In The Book of Tales Vol. II, we are treated to the original version of The fall of Gondolin in all its valiant glory, unabridged, and not a one paragraph description as in the Silmarillion. After reading this version of the battle I must say that the last stand of the elves of Gondolin against the might of Melkor and Morgoth astounded me, especially when concerning the eleven captains of Gondolin and their individual feats throughout the battle. I will now narrate for those of you who are ignorant of this story of these captains and their deeds in the order of most powerful (IMO) to least:
Ecthelion of the Fountain: During the battle Ecthelion and his host were held in reserve until the foe breached the great walls, and then he and his shining blade issued forth, and it is said that when Ecthelion and his host came upon the orcs in that battle, they did more hurt to that vile race than at any other time in all of Middle Earth. After Ecthelion was become weary Tuor came up to fight alongside him, and there Ecthelion killed three balrogs in mortal combat before being greviously wounded and taken to the fountain, where came Gothmog, lord of balrogs, and struck down Tuor, only to be drowned in the fountain by Ecthelion's valiant struggle.
Result: Ecthelion was himself killed in the final struggle when he took the life of Gothmog.
Glorfindel of the Golden Hair: Glorfindel and his host achieved much during the Fall of Gondolin, but it was not until after the battle, when Tuor and his host were making their escape through the pass of Tumladin, when Glorfindel had his finest hour. A host of orcs ambushed and attacked that last contigent of elves on the steep and rocky slopes, and with them they had a balrog who tore through the elves until Glorfindel met him blow for blow upon the rocks and precipices, covering the retreat of his people.
Result: Glorfindel wounded that balrog and in its rage the beast flung itself and Glorfindel over the cliff, claiming that noble lord's life.
Turgon, King of Gondolin: Turgon, of course, was the king of Gondolin, the brother to the former king, Fingon, and the son of Fingolfin. During the Fall of Gondolin, Turgon and his royal guard fought to the last at the close of the battle, taking on many a dragon, balrog, and orc. Turgon issued to stay in that battle till the bitter end and would not be swayed from this decision, and in his sacrifice did he buy time for Tuor and the refugees to escape.
Result: The king of Gondolin was burned to the ground with his house by the flames of the dragons.
Tuor: The only human in the battle leading to the Fall of Gondolin, Tuor was greater in strength and ferocity than most of the men in that battle, and it was he who broke Meiglin's body upon the cliffs and sent the men of his house to running. Tuor took the lives of five balrogs in that struggle and lead the remnance of that people to safety.
Result: Tuor was one of the three captains to survive that battle, leading his adopted people to salvation.
Galdor of the Tree: It is said that Galdor was the greatest in might of the captains of Gondolin, and he proved this in his unwavering resolve throughout the battle. Not much is made cleer of Galdor's achievements during the battle, save for that he saved Tuor and Egalmoth when they had little hope left, and it was he and his contigent who lead the way through the pass of Tumladin.
Result: Galdor was one of the three captains to survive that great siege.
Rog of the Hammer of Wrath: Rog, an elf of the House of the Hammer of Wrath, weilded a mighty hammer in battle and was said to be second in physical might only to Galdor. During the Fall of Gondolin, Rog and his host were seperated from the rest of the captains in the initial assault, and instead of retreating, Rog and his house plowed forward, driving the hosts of Melkor outside the gates and out onto the fields of the valley. There he and his folk made a last stand, and it is said that not one of that folk survived the battle.
Result: Rog, in his anger, was one of the first casulties among the captains.
Egalmoth of the Heavenly Arch: Egalmoth was a steadfast and valiant warrior, and he lead one of the largest houses in that final defence of Gondolin. He alone of the host of the Gondolthlim weilded a mighty curved sword in battle, and he and his folk were among the first to encounter the foe in battle. Egalmoth fought a retreating battle at the side of Tuor and Ecthelion at the fountain, and there he was greviously wounded, though he carried onward to the pass of Tumladin.
Result: Though wounded, Egalmoth survived that great conflict, though his life was taken fighting for Dior's kingdom against the Sons of Feanor some years later.
Duilin of the Swallow: Duilin and his house were the very first to encounter the enemy on the outter walls, and he and his group repelled the dragons and balrogs for a while ere the gates fell broken. It was said that Duilin was the swiftest and surest of foot among the Gondothlim, and the surest with a bow, though he was slain by a whip of a balrog firing from the walls.
Result: Duilin was the very first of the captains to fall in battle, inciting the rage in Rog's heart.
Penlod the Tall: Penlod and his host were mighty sword weilders, and they fought at the front of the city alongide Duilin and his group. Penlod lasted long into the battle but was eventually overcome and died fighting with his folk.
Result: Penlod was one of the first great casulties of the battle.
Meiglin and Stalgant: These were two disgraces of captains and should not even be counted among them, as Meiglin was the betrayer of Gondolin and attempted to kill Earendel and succeeded in burning the house of Tuor. Stalgant was no less disgracful and none in that battle saw him, save for some who claimed he had lain in his bed and wept throughout the melee.
Result: Meiglin was broken and cast from the walls by the hands of Tuor, and it is believed that Stalgant burned with his home.
Ecthelion of the Fountain: During the battle Ecthelion and his host were held in reserve until the foe breached the great walls, and then he and his shining blade issued forth, and it is said that when Ecthelion and his host came upon the orcs in that battle, they did more hurt to that vile race than at any other time in all of Middle Earth. After Ecthelion was become weary Tuor came up to fight alongside him, and there Ecthelion killed three balrogs in mortal combat before being greviously wounded and taken to the fountain, where came Gothmog, lord of balrogs, and struck down Tuor, only to be drowned in the fountain by Ecthelion's valiant struggle.
Result: Ecthelion was himself killed in the final struggle when he took the life of Gothmog.
Glorfindel of the Golden Hair: Glorfindel and his host achieved much during the Fall of Gondolin, but it was not until after the battle, when Tuor and his host were making their escape through the pass of Tumladin, when Glorfindel had his finest hour. A host of orcs ambushed and attacked that last contigent of elves on the steep and rocky slopes, and with them they had a balrog who tore through the elves until Glorfindel met him blow for blow upon the rocks and precipices, covering the retreat of his people.
Result: Glorfindel wounded that balrog and in its rage the beast flung itself and Glorfindel over the cliff, claiming that noble lord's life.
Turgon, King of Gondolin: Turgon, of course, was the king of Gondolin, the brother to the former king, Fingon, and the son of Fingolfin. During the Fall of Gondolin, Turgon and his royal guard fought to the last at the close of the battle, taking on many a dragon, balrog, and orc. Turgon issued to stay in that battle till the bitter end and would not be swayed from this decision, and in his sacrifice did he buy time for Tuor and the refugees to escape.
Result: The king of Gondolin was burned to the ground with his house by the flames of the dragons.
Tuor: The only human in the battle leading to the Fall of Gondolin, Tuor was greater in strength and ferocity than most of the men in that battle, and it was he who broke Meiglin's body upon the cliffs and sent the men of his house to running. Tuor took the lives of five balrogs in that struggle and lead the remnance of that people to safety.
Result: Tuor was one of the three captains to survive that battle, leading his adopted people to salvation.
Galdor of the Tree: It is said that Galdor was the greatest in might of the captains of Gondolin, and he proved this in his unwavering resolve throughout the battle. Not much is made cleer of Galdor's achievements during the battle, save for that he saved Tuor and Egalmoth when they had little hope left, and it was he and his contigent who lead the way through the pass of Tumladin.
Result: Galdor was one of the three captains to survive that great siege.
Rog of the Hammer of Wrath: Rog, an elf of the House of the Hammer of Wrath, weilded a mighty hammer in battle and was said to be second in physical might only to Galdor. During the Fall of Gondolin, Rog and his host were seperated from the rest of the captains in the initial assault, and instead of retreating, Rog and his house plowed forward, driving the hosts of Melkor outside the gates and out onto the fields of the valley. There he and his folk made a last stand, and it is said that not one of that folk survived the battle.
Result: Rog, in his anger, was one of the first casulties among the captains.
Egalmoth of the Heavenly Arch: Egalmoth was a steadfast and valiant warrior, and he lead one of the largest houses in that final defence of Gondolin. He alone of the host of the Gondolthlim weilded a mighty curved sword in battle, and he and his folk were among the first to encounter the foe in battle. Egalmoth fought a retreating battle at the side of Tuor and Ecthelion at the fountain, and there he was greviously wounded, though he carried onward to the pass of Tumladin.
Result: Though wounded, Egalmoth survived that great conflict, though his life was taken fighting for Dior's kingdom against the Sons of Feanor some years later.
Duilin of the Swallow: Duilin and his house were the very first to encounter the enemy on the outter walls, and he and his group repelled the dragons and balrogs for a while ere the gates fell broken. It was said that Duilin was the swiftest and surest of foot among the Gondothlim, and the surest with a bow, though he was slain by a whip of a balrog firing from the walls.
Result: Duilin was the very first of the captains to fall in battle, inciting the rage in Rog's heart.
Penlod the Tall: Penlod and his host were mighty sword weilders, and they fought at the front of the city alongide Duilin and his group. Penlod lasted long into the battle but was eventually overcome and died fighting with his folk.
Result: Penlod was one of the first great casulties of the battle.
Meiglin and Stalgant: These were two disgraces of captains and should not even be counted among them, as Meiglin was the betrayer of Gondolin and attempted to kill Earendel and succeeded in burning the house of Tuor. Stalgant was no less disgracful and none in that battle saw him, save for some who claimed he had lain in his bed and wept throughout the melee.
Result: Meiglin was broken and cast from the walls by the hands of Tuor, and it is believed that Stalgant burned with his home.
Also, hm. I shall have to reread what I have about that Stalgant dude. If he was never accounted for, I could always bring him back as some superly cool as well as weaselly character in an R. P. G. or something. 
