Page 50 - History of War - Issue 25-16

GREAT BATTLES

Both sides placed their cavalry on the l anks GreatBattles
and the infantry, which was arranged in two
lines, was placed in the centre. Finally, each
army’s artillery was drawn up in front of the
infantry. There were also reserves: the French
could call upon two squadrons of cavalry, three
battalions of infantry and six companies of ROCROI
gendarmes. The latter was a relatively new type
of unit that consisted of lightly armoured troops
armed with pistols and swords. The Spanish
had two squadrons of cavalry in reserve in 19 MAY 1643
addition to the 6,000 reinforcements that were
on their way.
In this sense, the two armies appeared
almost identical, both in the deployment of
their positions and the numbers of frontline
soldiers and reserves involved. Enghien and de
Melo were even stationed in their respective
right cavalry wings, creating a strange sense of
military symmetry. However, one of the unlikely
differences between the two armies was loyalty.
The French army, with the exception of
some Swiss, Scottish and Hungarian troops,
was almost entirely French in its composition.
On the other hand, the ‘Spanish’ army was
Standoff at dawn
a melting pot of different nationalities drawn
from many different parts of Europe. It would 01 At dawn, the two armies assemble
outside the town of Rocroi on marshy
perhaps be more accurate to call de Melo’s ground. The Spanish are well trained and
force an ‘Imperialist-Habsburg’ army, as the have the numerical advantage. However,
troops all came from lands controlled by the French are on home territory and
Habsburgs, but swore different allegiances, united against a common enemy.
either to Philip IV or the Holy Roman Emperor.
For example, the front line of infantry
consisted of i ve purely Spanish tercios, but
i ve more came from Italy and Franché-Comte.
The second line of infantry comprised nine
battalions of German, Italian and Walloon
troops. The cavalry was equally diverse, as the Enghien attacks
left wing numbered 15 squadrons of Flemish 02 The French infantry
cavalry while the right had 14 squadrons of attacks the Spanish centre
German and Croatian horsemen. This diversity and the right cavalry
of allegiances, under the umbrella of Habsburg wing attacks the Spanish
cavalry directly opposite.
authority, would have a decisive effect on the
The infantry is repulsed
but the French cavalry Problems on the
03 French left
trounces its opponents.
Below: Along with Pikemen, The French cavalry on
halberdiers were a small but the left wing disobeys The French infantry holds
essential part of the Spanish tercio
Enghien’s orders and 04 The German-Croatian
attacks the Spanish right cavalry now tries to break the
wing. The marshy ground centre of the French infantry
hinders the cavalry charge, believing they are within sight of
allowing German-Croatian victory. Enghien prevents this by
horsemen to counterattack bringing up his reserve and halting
and rout the French cavalry. their attack.

© Jose Cabrera

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