Battle of Rocquencourt
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Rocquencourt was a cavalry skirmish fought on 1 July 1815 in and around the villages of Rocquencourt
and Le Chesnay
. French dragoons supported by infantry and commanded by General Exelmans
destroyed a Prussian brigade of hussars
under the command of Colonel Eston von Sohr
(who was severely wounded and taken prisoner during the skirmish).
While Marshal Davout
negotiated a final armistice
with Field Marshal
s Wellington
(commander of the Anglo-Dutch army) and Blücher
(commander of Prussian army), he ordered Exelmans
to attack the Prussians at Versailles
on 1 July 1815 to slow the Prussian advance and probably to show the coalition army commanders that the French army was still willing to fight if the terms of the armistice were not reasonable. Under attack the Prussians retreated from Versailles and headed east, but were blocked by the French at Vélizy
. They failed to re-enter Versailles and headed for Saint-Germain-en-Laye
. Their first squadron came under fire at the entrance of Rocquencourt and attempted to escape through the fields. They were forced into a small, narrow street in Le Chesnay and killed or captured. However, the main body of the Prussian army succeeded in reaching Saint-Germain.
Rocquencourt
Rocquencourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is mostly known for:* hosting a research unit of INRIA ;...
and Le Chesnay
Le Chesnay
Le Chesnay is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center-History:...
. French dragoons supported by infantry and commanded by General Exelmans
Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans
Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans, 1st Comte Exelmans was a distinguished French soldier of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as well as a political figure of the following period.-Early career:...
destroyed a Prussian brigade of hussars
under the command of Colonel Eston von Sohr
Eston von Sohr
Eston van Sohr was a Colonel of a brigade of Prussian hussars during the Battle of Rocquencourt. Van Sohr was severely wounded while trapped in Le Chesnay, and surrendered to the French forces....
(who was severely wounded and taken prisoner during the skirmish).
While Marshal Davout
Louis Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas d'Avout , better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a Marshal of France during the Napoleonic Era. His prodigious talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the title "The Iron Marshal"...
negotiated a final armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
with Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
s Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
(commander of the Anglo-Dutch army) and Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
(commander of Prussian army), he ordered Exelmans
Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans
Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans, 1st Comte Exelmans was a distinguished French soldier of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as well as a political figure of the following period.-Early career:...
to attack the Prussians at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on 1 July 1815 to slow the Prussian advance and probably to show the coalition army commanders that the French army was still willing to fight if the terms of the armistice were not reasonable. Under attack the Prussians retreated from Versailles and headed east, but were blocked by the French at Vélizy
Vélizy-Villacoublay
Vélizy-Villacoublay is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the south-western suburbs of Paris from the center and east of Versailles...
. They failed to re-enter Versailles and headed for Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
. Their first squadron came under fire at the entrance of Rocquencourt and attempted to escape through the fields. They were forced into a small, narrow street in Le Chesnay and killed or captured. However, the main body of the Prussian army succeeded in reaching Saint-Germain.