Battle of Fleurus (1690)
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| War of the Grand Alliance |
|---|
| Walcourt – Beachy Head – Fleurus – Staffarda – Quebec – Leuze – Barfleur—La Hougue – Steenkirk – Landen – Marsaglia – Toroella – Hudson's Bay |
French commanders included Luxembourg, the Duc de Boufflers, and the Prince of Conti.
The battle was fought between 35,000 French under Luxembourg and 38,000 allied Dutch, Spaniards and Imperialists under Prince of Waldeck. The allied army had formed up between Heppignies and St. Amand in what was then considered an ideal position; a double barrier of marshy brooks was in front, each flank rested on a village, and the space between, open upland, fitted his army exactly. But Luxembourg decided, after a cursory survey of the ground, to attack the front and both flanks of the Allies position at once—-a decision which few, if any, generals of his time would have dared to make.
The left wing of the French cavalry was to move under cover of woods, houses and hollows to gain Wangenies, where it was to connect with the frontal attack of the French, centre from Fleurus and to envelop Waldeck's right. Luxembourg himself with the right wing of cavalry and some infantry and artillery made a wide sweep round the enemies left by way of Ligny and Les Trois Burettes, concealed by the high-standing grain. At 8 o'clock the frontal attack began with a vigorous artillery engagement, in which the French, though greatly outnumbered in guns, held their own, and three hours later Waldeck found a long line of the enemy already formed up in his rear. He at once brought his second line back to oppose them, but while he was doing so the French leader filled up the gap between himself and the frontal assailants by posting infantry around Wageneies, amid guns on the neighboring hill. The artillery fire thereby enfiladed both halves of the enemy's army up to the limit of their ranging power.
At 1 p.m., Luxembourg ordered a general attack of his whole line. He scattered the cavalry opposed to him and hustled the Dutch infantry into St. Amand, where they were promptly surrounded. The left and centre of the French army were less fortunate, and in their first charge lost their leader, Lieutenant-General Jean Christophe, comte de Gournay, one of the best cavalry officers in French service. But Waldeck, hoping to profit by this momentary success, sent a portion of his right wing towards St. Amand, where it merely shared the fate of his left, and the day was decided.
Only a quarter of the cavalry and fourteen battalions of infantry (English and Dutch) remained intact, and Waldeck could do no more. A great square was formed of the infantry, and a handful of cavalry joined them. The French cavalry, eager to avenge Gournay, swept away the rest. Then slowly and in perfect order, they retired into the broken ground above Mellet, where they were safe. The French slept on the battlefield, and then returned to camp with their trophies and 8000 prisoners. They had lost some 250 killed, amongst them Gournay and Berbier du Metz, the chief of artillery. The Allies lost twice as many, as well as 48 guns, and Luxembourg was able to send 150 colours and standards to decorate Notre Dame.
The victory was not followed up, for Louis XIV ordered Luxembourg to fall in line with other French armies that were carrying on more or less desultory wars of manoeuvre along the Meuse and Moselle.
Trivia
Two French regiments accidentally attacking each other during this battle led to the habit of attaching a white scarf to the flags of the regiments from 1690 - white being the colour of the kings of France.
References
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