Uglúk led the Uruk-hai of Isengard in the band that fell on the Fellowship at Amon Hen. They killed Boromir and carried off Merry and Pippin. When Aragorn found their dead, the S-rune on their helms and the white hand on their shields told him that Saruman had turned traitor.1,2
His orders from Saruman were to bring the halflings to Isengard alive and unspoiled. The band also held Orcs from Mordor under Grishnákh and Orcs of the north from the Misty Mountains, and they quarrelled over where to take the prisoners. Uglúk settled it with his sword, killing two of the Northerners, and declared what his folk were.2
We are the fighting Uruk-hai!
He drove the band west across Rohan by day as well as by night, for the Uruk-hai could bear the sun, and he forced an Orc-draught on Merry to keep him on his feet. But Éomer's riders overtook them at the eaves of Fangorn and ringed their camp. In the fight at dawn Éomer killed Uglúk, and the band was destroyed.2,3
Sources
Citations name the chapter rather than the page, so they work in any edition. The colour of each note shows what kind of source it is.
- Published story The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as Tolkien published them.
- Published story The Two Towers, Book III, ch. 1, “The Departure of Boromir”
- Published story The Two Towers, Book III, ch. 3, “The Uruk-hai”
- Published story The Two Towers, Book III, ch. 2, “The Riders of Rohan”