Page 52 - History of War - Issue 25-16

GREAT BATTLES

Louis, duc d’Enghien was 21
years old at Rocroi and had never
commanded an army before

up from the rear and blocked the charge of the
German-Croats.
Having saved his infantry, Enghien decided to
seize the initiative by launching his entire right
wing in a great cavalry charge to strike the l ank
and rear of the Spanish infantry. It was a daring
Above: This matchlock musket was a typical
weapon used by arquebusiers in the 1640s manoeuvre that required great skill in order to
execute, as there was a high chance that the
French infantry could be exposed. However,
Enghien was lucky in that he had a great
cavalry captain commanding the right wing:
Jean, comte de Gassion. He had extensive
experience i ghting for King Gustavus Adolphus
of Sweden and such was his reputation that
Cardinal Richelieu had nicknamed him ‘La
Guerre’ (War). Gassion was a safe pair of hands
cour with which to trust this dangerous gamble.
been ex It would have been a magnii cent and
of nationa frightening sight. The French cavalry swept
not fully inclin around the rear of the Spanish in a great
common cause. thunder of horseshoes and human cries.
Melo ensured that Enghien’s plan worked brilliantly. Faced with
majority of his wings this surprise cavalry onslaught, the German,
of the infantry centre was Italian and Walloon infantry completely
Spanish tercios. The French, collapsed and were routed from the i eld. At the
were ighting on home territory same time, the French infantry reserves broke
with a proud sense of national dei the German-Croats assaulting the French left
a belligerent invader. and chased them down.
At dawn, Enghien opened the battle It was now just 8am, and the French cavalry
infantry assault on the Spanish centre whil charge, along with the renewed spirit of the
the right cavalry wing attacked the opposing infantry, repulsed and routed many of the enemy
Spanish cavalry. The infantry attack failed but units. However, this was where the polyglot
the French cavalry managed to rout its Flemish d nature of Spain’s army caused problems not just
opponent, exposing the Spanish centre to vict for the Spanish themselves but for the French

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