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170 FLINTLOCK MUSKETS AND BAYONETS

ONET 1680–1815 THE BATTLE

OF FONTENOY

with a mixture of formality and savagery. The battle at
Fontenoy is a classic example of an era dominated by the
Y The European wars of the mid-18th century were contested
AND BA parade-ground precision in spite of heavy casualties.
musket-volleys of disciplined infantry, maneuvering with

withering firepower. On the French
In 1745, during the War of the
FLINTLOCK commanded by Maurice de Saxe, intact because the British officer
left, the Redoubt of Eu remained
Austrian Succession, a French army,
was campaigning in Flanders. Its
ordered to take it refused to move,
opponent, the Pragmatic Army,
apparently unnerved by French
consisted of Dutch, British, Austrian, skirmishers in the nearby woods.
With the attack having failed to his
and Hanoverian forces under the
command of the Duke of Cumberland, left and right, Cumberland decided
son of King George II. Saxe seized to advance. Urged on, the British
the strategic initiative by laying siege infantry marched smartly up the
to the fortress town of Tournai. The hill between Fontenoy and the intact
Pragmatic Army had to aid the town, redoubt. Cannonballs fired from the
thus allowing Saxe to meet them on flanking strongpoints carved gaps
a ground of his choosing. He took in the British ranks, but, undeterred,
up a defensive position along a ridge they progressed to the top of the
in front of Tournai, anchored by ridge, bringing them face to face
the Scheldt River on his right flank with the opposing infantry. According
and woods on his left. He fortified to the French writer Voltaire, the
two villages, Antoing and Fontenoy, commanders of the British and
and had five redoubts—earthwork French guards each politely called on
strongpoints—constructed in front the other to fire first. There was an
of the line. The Pragmatic Army end to civilities once the point-blank
approached Fontenoy on May 9 after exchange began, for soldiers fell in
an exhausting march. Without having heaps, hundreds cut down by a single
fully appreciated the strength of Saxe’s volley. The British pushed their field
position, the Allied commanders guns forward to batter the French
decided to attack on May 11. with grapeshot, at which point the
French line collapsed.
HOLDING THE FIELD Saxe mustered reserves of infantry
The rival armies were each around and cavalry to launch desperate
50,000 strong. Aristocratic officers counterattacks. Having advanced
led bodies of mostly professional deep into the French position,
soldiers, the infantry armed with the British faced assaults from the
flintlock musket and bayonet. The flanks as well as the front. The Irish
French had over 100 cannon, probably Brigade, the “Wild Geese,” fighting
more than their opponents, and as mercenaries in the French army,
were also superior in cavalry. The delivered an especially destructive
Pragmatic Army deployed with charge. Forced to give way, the
the Dutch and Austrians on its British infantry managed an orderly
left, the Hanoverians and British on retreat, screened by their cavalry. The
the right. The attack began badly. French held the field and claimed
After an ineffectual preliminary the victory. The day’s fighting had
bombardment by heavy cannon, cost some 5,000 lives, with more
frontal infantry assaults against the than twice that number wounded,
French right crumbled in the face of and many of them maimed for life.