Are these two sentences correctly worded?

With the comma, you need a subject for "departed". It's ok without the comma, though.

Thanks a lot for your help, which option do you prefer?
1. Derek gathered together the one thousand footmen of the garrison and the cavalry brigade of one hundred Rose and Sword Knights, and they departed the fortress to take the field against the Blue Dragonarmy.
2. Derek gathered together the one thousand footmen of the garrison and the cavalry brigade of one hundred Rose and Sword Knigh

Either. Did I miss this before(?): I think we normally depart from a place, as opposed to just leave a place.

Thanks, no you didn't. So should I say "departed from the fortress" or "left the fortress"?

cboutin3Thanks, no you didn't. So should I say "departed from the fortress" or "left the fortress"?

They mean the same, and they both read smoothly.

So for future reference, so should I always say "departed from the city/fortress/town, etc."?

To my aging ear, depart w/out from sounds odd. Unless, of course, it's 'they departed at 5:00",
depart in peace" or something like that. If you say where you are leaving from, you need the preposition. Someone else may chime in here and disagree with me.

Okay thanks for the clarification. So I should add "from" in all these examples?
1. As Ariakan departed 'from' the High Clerist’s Tower and rode out onto the Solamnic Plains, he lost his Solamnic escort and made his way to Neraka.
2.After departing 'from' the fortress,

They all sound better to me with from. [ Are these things I missed in previous posts? ]

No I just don't think the subject has come up before. Thanks a lot for your advice and helping me improve my writing.