Battle of Denain
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Denain was fought on 24 July 1712, as part of the War of the Spanish Succession
, and resulted in a French victory under Marshal Villars
against Austrian and Dutch
forces under Prince Eugene of Savoy
.
with 105,000 men intending to force a battle with Villars' 120,000 troops. He quickly marched to the town of Denain
and occupied it, receiving high ground and the Denain as his supply base. However, the sudden withdrawal (on secret orders from London) of British troops, recently placed under the Duke of Ormonde
, led to the allied army being halted.
at Mazinghien
. After a detailed examination of the enemy dispositions, Villars decided in the greatest secrecy to attack Denain
. Cavalry were sent to seize the various bridges crossing the river Selle which ran through le Cateau in a generally NNW direction to join the Scheldt
opposite Denain . During the evening a detachment also took up positions around the mill at Haspres, blocking the river crossing there. That night the infantry began to march towards Prince Eugene’s forces at Landrecies
(on the Sambre , ENE of le Cateau). In response to this threat Eugene reinforced Landrecies, in doing so weakening the Allied right wing (under Albemarle) holding Denain.
At dawn, however, Villars swung the line of advance of his army and aimed it (behind the cover of the Selle) in 3 columns at Denain. At five o'clock (equivalent to a modern seven o’clock summer time), Villars and his principal lieutenants drew up their plan of attack at Avesnes-le-Sec
; they choose the windmill there as a vantage point for observation of the surrounding lowland.
At seven o’clock the French infantrymen reached Neuville-sur-Escaut
and were immediately ordered to seize the bridges across the Scheldt
.
At eight o’clock , the allies were surprised to discover the French presence in the area. Albermarle warned Eugene, who at this stage was not greatly concerned. At one in the afternoon the attack had developed to the point of an assault on the palisade at Denain. The French sappers, axes in hand, led the infantry which against heavy fire took the position at the point of the bayonet
. The allied infantry, seized by panic, attempted to flee across the mill bridge. Jammed with the fugitives, it collapsed under their weight, drowning hundreds of infantrymen.
Eugene, who had responded too slowly attempted to force his way across the Scheldt
at Prouvy
to help Albemarle. Under the command of the Prince de Tingry
, French regiments held the bridge at Prouvy against repeated Austrian attacks; finally, as the day drew to a close , the French blew up the bridge to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy. On his left flank therefore, Eugene was blocked by the Scheldt and could not counter-attack to retake Denain which therefore stayed in the hands of the French.
The battle was not immediately recognised to be as decisive as it turned out to be; most of Eugene's army was relatively unscathed. However, with the loss of Denain the Allied position began to unravel, and in the next couple of months the French recovered most of the towns they had lost in previous years.
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, and resulted in a French victory under Marshal Villars
Claude Louis Hector de Villars
Claude Louis Hector de Villars, Prince de Martigues, Marquis then Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun was the last great general of Louis XIV of France and one of the most brilliant commanders in French military history, one of only six Marshals who have been promoted to Marshal General of...
against Austrian and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
forces under Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
.
Prelude
Eugene had crossed the ScheldtScheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
with 105,000 men intending to force a battle with Villars' 120,000 troops. He quickly marched to the town of Denain
Denain
It is the largest of 39 communes which comprise the association of communes of Porte du Hainaut, with a total population of 147,989, as of 1999. Denain had a population of 20,360, on a land area of 11.52 km² .-References:* -External links:...
and occupied it, receiving high ground and the Denain as his supply base. However, the sudden withdrawal (on secret orders from London) of British troops, recently placed under the Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde KG KT was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormonde...
, led to the allied army being halted.
The battle
The French troops were south-east of Le CateauLe Cateau-Cambrésis
Le Cateau-Cambrésis is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.The term Cambrésis indicates that it lies in the county of that name which fell to the Prince-Bishop of Cambrai.-History:...
at Mazinghien
Mazinghien
Mazinghien is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
. After a detailed examination of the enemy dispositions, Villars decided in the greatest secrecy to attack Denain
Denain
It is the largest of 39 communes which comprise the association of communes of Porte du Hainaut, with a total population of 147,989, as of 1999. Denain had a population of 20,360, on a land area of 11.52 km² .-References:* -External links:...
. Cavalry were sent to seize the various bridges crossing the river Selle which ran through le Cateau in a generally NNW direction to join the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
opposite Denain . During the evening a detachment also took up positions around the mill at Haspres, blocking the river crossing there. That night the infantry began to march towards Prince Eugene’s forces at Landrecies
Landrecies
Landrecies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the site of a skirmish between the British I Corps under Douglas Haig and the German Fifth Army on 25 August 1914.-Heraldry:-People:...
(on the Sambre , ENE of le Cateau). In response to this threat Eugene reinforced Landrecies, in doing so weakening the Allied right wing (under Albemarle) holding Denain.
At dawn, however, Villars swung the line of advance of his army and aimed it (behind the cover of the Selle) in 3 columns at Denain. At five o'clock (equivalent to a modern seven o’clock summer time), Villars and his principal lieutenants drew up their plan of attack at Avesnes-le-Sec
Avesnes-le-Sec
Avesnes-le-Sec is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
; they choose the windmill there as a vantage point for observation of the surrounding lowland.
At seven o’clock the French infantrymen reached Neuville-sur-Escaut
Neuville-sur-Escaut
-References:*...
and were immediately ordered to seize the bridges across the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
.
At eight o’clock , the allies were surprised to discover the French presence in the area. Albermarle warned Eugene, who at this stage was not greatly concerned. At one in the afternoon the attack had developed to the point of an assault on the palisade at Denain. The French sappers, axes in hand, led the infantry which against heavy fire took the position at the point of the bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
. The allied infantry, seized by panic, attempted to flee across the mill bridge. Jammed with the fugitives, it collapsed under their weight, drowning hundreds of infantrymen.
Eugene, who had responded too slowly attempted to force his way across the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
at Prouvy
Prouvy
Prouvy is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
to help Albemarle. Under the command of the Prince de Tingry
Christian Louis de Montmorency-Luxembourg
Christian Louis de Montmorency-Luxembourg, comte de Beaumont , prince de Tingry , comte de Luxe, was a Marshal of France ....
, French regiments held the bridge at Prouvy against repeated Austrian attacks; finally, as the day drew to a close , the French blew up the bridge to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy. On his left flank therefore, Eugene was blocked by the Scheldt and could not counter-attack to retake Denain which therefore stayed in the hands of the French.
The battle was not immediately recognised to be as decisive as it turned out to be; most of Eugene's army was relatively unscathed. However, with the loss of Denain the Allied position began to unravel, and in the next couple of months the French recovered most of the towns they had lost in previous years.