Battle of Fontenoy

Countryside preceding the battle

Within the framework of the War of succession of Austria (1740-1748), the army of the king Louis XV, carried out by the marshal Adrien Maurice de Noailles, invades in May 1744 the Austrian Netherlands and seized quickly the places of Menin, Ypres, Knokke and Furnes.

Placed under the command of the marshal Maurice of Saxony, the French Army started the following year the seat of the town of Tournai, important military place locking the valley of the the Scheldt. Under cover of a diversion launched towards Mons, the marshal of Saxony folded back the large one of his army towards Tournai which was completely invested the April 26th 1745. Deluded by the French diversion, the allied generals gathered in precipitation their manpower close to Brussels and are reflected initially on the way the April 30th 1745 towards Mons before finally obliquing their walk towards Tournai.

Unfolding

The battle between the two armies proceeded Tuesday May 11th 1745 on the plain of Fontenoy, to 7 kilometers in the south-east of Turned. Envisaging the arrival of the allied army, the marshal of Saxony had ordered to build cuttings off on Right Bank of the Scheldt. As of the May 8th, the village of Fontenoy was strengthened and two solids fears S built close to the horn of the wood of Barry; the May 10th, three news fear were set up between Fontenoy and Antoing.

The battle began on Tuesday, May 11 as of 5 a.m. from the morning by violent one shootings from Artillerie. Following many delays in the deployment of the allied troops, the first attacks began only around 9 a.m. from the morning. By twice, the attacks conducted by the Dutch regiments against Fontenoy and Antoing were pushed back by powerful French artillery and the French defenders. Wanting to force the destiny, the duke of Cumberland, ordering the whole of the allied forces (United Provinces, Great Britain, Hanover and Austria) consequently ordered towards 10:30 with its battalions anglo-hanovriens to attack between the horn of the wood of Barry and the village of Fontenoy. In spite of a fatal cannonade, the British regiments arrived at the contact around 11 a.m. with the first French line.

Advancing with the head of the battalion of the British Guards, an officer, Charles Hay, wanted to encourage his men while making fun of the French. Leaving a small flask alcohol, he drank with their health while making fun of them. Seeing this insolate Britannique, a French officer, the count d' Anterroches, believed that it was a question of an invitation to be drawn. He would have answered him of the words, probably close to those which Voltaire wrote thereafter: " Dear Sir, we will not do anything of it! Draw yourselves! " The unconscious popular one was to retain of all that only one quotation: " Sirs the English, draw the first! " The French were however the first to be drawn.

Opening in their turn terrible fires, the British troops were not long collapsing the first enemy ranks, opening a breach and in advancing in the French camp. Fearing that the French Army is not cut into two, the marshal of Saxony undertook at once throw of bloody counter-attacks which, finally, blocked the advance of the British. Forced to reorganize defensively, the regiments anglo-hanovriens of Cumberland consequently adopted a position of rectangle at three closed sides.

Indicator to appear towards 13:00 the first French reinforcements, carried out by Lowendal, the duke of Cumberland finally ordered with his troops to fold up himself on Vezon. During this fold, the Irish regiment of Bulkeley managed to seize the flag of the second battalion of the British Guards.

The battle ended towards 14:00; one hour later, the last Dutch elements left the battle field. The allied forces were folded up during the night towards the place of Ath.

Assessment

After the victory of Fontenoy, the troops of king de France seized the city easily Turned and, in the two years space hardly, conquered the whole of the Austrian Netherlands.

At the end of three great battles (Fontenoy, Rocourt and Lauffeld) and of 24 seats of places in the Netherlands (Austrian Netherlands and United Provinces), peace was signed the October 18th 1748, with Aachen. Wanting to treat as a king and not as a merchant, Louis XV reassigned however all his Austrian conquests without the least counterpart. Contrary to Frederic II, their ally, which had kept the Silesia, the French soldiers, fallen to Fontenoy, Rocourt or Lauffeld, had finally fought only " for king de Prusse" .

External bonds

Account
Article of Alain Tripnaux (the tricorn).
the battle of Fontenoy (in English)

Bibliographical sources

Tripnaux Alain, Fontenoy-The-Battles, Tomes I-II-III, 1200 pages, Asbl the Tricorn, Tournai, 1994-2005

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