Page 57 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK

French flight
A major French counterattack
against the threat to the centre of
their line was beaten back. Their
formation began to disintegrate
and the cavalry fled in disarray.
French officers’ efforts to regroup
were frustrated and the defenders
of the village of Blenheim were
cut off and forced to surrender.
BATTLEOFBLENHEIM

BLENHEIM, BAVARIA, 13 AUGUST 1704

Written by Michael Haskew

he French army had not tasted defeat for half on the village, enduring heavy artillery fire,
a century, but a single day along the banks of concentrated musketry and a slashing counterattack
the great River Danube in Bavaria shifted the by elite French cavalry. Cutts continued to hammer
balance of power in Europe for generations. at Blenheim, causing the local French commander,
T The Battle of Blenheim was a turning point Lieutenant General Marquis de Clérambault, to
in the War of the Spanish Succession as the army of call forward 11 reinforcing infantry battalions. The
the Grand Alliance – led by John Churchill, duke of manoeuvredeprivedTallardofhisreservesat a
Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy – defeated criticalmoment.Meanwhile,PrinceEugenekeptthe
the army of France and Bavaria, under Marshal Bavariansoccupiedattheoppositeendoftheline.
Camille d’Huston, duc de Tallard, and Maximilian II Sensing his opportunity, Marlborough began
Emanuel, elector of Bavaria. crossingthemarshyNebelonpontoonbridges.
The primary battlefront developed in southern French artillery hammered the advance, and a
Germany as Tallard threatened Vienna, the capital of pivotal cavalry engagement erupted near the
the Holy Roman Empire. In response, Marlborough villageofBlenheim.Gendarmeschargedfuriously
executed a brilliant campaign of manoeuvre and atMarlborough’sdragoons–onlytobeflanked
deception, marching from the Spanish Netherlands androuted.Tallardwasshockedatthesetbackand
to Bavaria, covering almost 500 kilometres in 35 begantodespair.AFrenchinfantryattackamong
days, his army of primarily English and Dutch thefarmbuildingsatOberglaunearlydroveawedge
troops growing to 50,000 along the way. between Marlborough and Prince Eugene. Although
When Marlborough reached the field in early hard-pressed, the prince answered Marlborough’s
August, he found his enemy, 56,000 strong, holding call for support, sending his Imperial Cuirassiers.
formidable positions anchored on the Danube, the By 5pm, Marlborough had crossed the Nebel in
village of Blenheim to its right. Ahead of the French force. English infantrymen poured withering volleys
front, a small stream, the Nebel, flowed. Marlborough into French lines and fended off enemy cavalry with
would make his main assault against the enemy bayonets. Two lines of English cavalry thundered
centre, crossing the Nebel to attack after forces forward, and Tallard’s defence disintegrated. The
under Lieutenant General John Cutts engaged the French left fled. Those troops defending Blenheim
enemy at Blenheim and Prince Eugene attacked the were forced to surrender. Tallard was captured.
opposite flank. When the French transferred troops French and Bavarian casualties were greater than
to meet either threat, their centre might weaken, 50 per cent with 18,000 killed and 13,000 wounded.
allowing Marlborough to crash through. Marlborough’sarmylost4,500deadand7,500
Sometime after noon, the Battle of Blenheim wounded.Viennawasnolongerinperil,andthe
commenced as Cutts mounted desperate assaults French bid to dominate the continent was crushed.

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