Battle of Denain

The battles of Denain , which took place the July 24th 1712, is a decisive episode of the War of succession of Spain. It shows a victory of the French Armies ordered by the marshal of Villars over the Austro - Dutch of the Prince Eugene. It makes it possible after several French defeats to negotiate a favorable peace.

Be a prelude to

The War of succession of Spain makes rage since 1701, France is during one black time as well well with the national plan as in the military plan. The victories of the marshal of Villars to the Battle of Friedlingen (1702) and to the battles of Höchstadt, at the beginning of war, were followed defeats without precedent: the allies have at their head the prince Eugene and the duke of Marlborough. Moreover Villars, which must go in the the Cevennes to subdue the revolt of Camisards, is replaced by Tallard.

In 1708, after the rout of Audenarde, almost the totality of the fortified towns of the North of France are under the control of the united Austro-English. To that is added an economic crisis, the winter 1709 is one of most rigorous of this beginning of century, involving famine and surmortality. The cases of the State are practically empty and the population is subjected to the heavy burden of the enemy occupation.

The command of the army of North is returned to the marshal of Villars. This one does not waste time and works with its reorganization. United, pressed of in découdre, take again the offensive the September 11th 1709, it is the Bataille of Malplaquet. Villars is wounded, but the battle finishes on a status quo , none of two camps really not taking the advantage. In 1710 the situation is stabilized, the British policy seems to inflect: under the pressure of pacifist, Marlborough is relieved.

In May 1712, in this context calms but fragile Villars decides to take again the offensive. The allies, hollando-anglo-Saxon are installed along the Scarpe between Douai and Marchiennes, where the deposit of supply is located. They occupy Denain and Landrecies. The French gather an army of 200 000 men on the border of North, stretching Arras with Cambric. Villars wants to thus control any enemy offensive on the places of Cop-on-the Scheldt, Valencian and Quesnoy. In June, Eugene of Savoy takes the initiative and seizes the Quesnoy. The bell-tower of Avesnes-the-Dryness is burnt the July 17th 1712. During this time Eugene of Savoy reinforces the camp of Denain by a belt of fortifications. In front of the impatience of Versailles, Villars must try something to take again the initiative.

The mill of Avesnes-the-Dryness, on July 23rd, 1712

The French troops are in the south of Cateau with Mazinghien. After a meticulous examination of the enemy force, Villars decides in the greatest secrecy to carry its attack to Denain. Riders are sent all along the Selle, to take possession of the bridges. Thus a detachment arrives at Haspres and gives an opinion in the evening of the course of the mill, thus blocking the crossing of the river. In the night the troops are started, they take the direction of Landrecies or is prince Eugene. This operation of diversion with for goal to oblige the allies to be reinforced on this point and thus to reduce their right wing with Denain. The enemy bites with the soft food.

At dawn, Villars makes swivel along the Saddle its army and directs it in 3 columns towards Denain. At five o'clock in the morning (seven hours currently, with the summer time), Villars and its principal lieutenants establish their plan of attack to Avesnes-the-Dryness; they choose the mill like point of observation of the surrounding plain. With 7:00 the French infantrymen are with the Neuville-on-Scheldt. At once the order to cross the spanning bridges the the Scheldt is given. With 8:00 the allies are astonished by the French presence in the sector. Albermarle makes warn Eugene. This one does not worry about the situation. To 13:00 the attack of the palisade of Denain is given. The sappers, the hâche with the hand, involve the infantry which street on enemy the bayonet with the gun. The allies taken of panic flee and encumber the bridge of the mill, which collapses under their weight, thus involving with the drowning of the thousands of infantrymen. Eugene, left too late, tries to cross the the Scheldt with Prouvy. Under the action of prince de Tingry the bridge is destroyed. It is the victory.

Conclusion

This victory is a decisive stage in the payment of the War of succession of Spain where the grandson of Louis XIV, Philippe V of Spain and the emperor Charles VI of the Holy roman Empire disputes the throne of Spain.

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