Page 59 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK
P. 59
Battle of Blenheim
10 Defeat is complete 09carries the day French-
Marlborough
Marshal Tallard’s line collapses,
and French troops trapped in the village of Marlborough’s assault hammers the thin Bavarian Army
Blenheim surrender. Marsin and the Elector Frenchline.Advancingona1.5-kilometre-long
of Bavaria withdraw from Lutzingen, while fronttotheblareoftrumpets,theEnglish INFANTRY 36,000
Tallard is taken prisoner near Sonderheim. fightoffFrenchcavalrychargesandputthe
inexperienced enemy infantry to flight. CAVALRY 20,000
CANNON 90
05
CAMILLED’HUSTON,
DUCDETALLARD
09 LEADER
Acareersoldier,Tallardwascaptured
03 at Blenheim and imprisoned in
England for seven years.
Strengths Underestimated as
atactician,Tallardwonseveral
battlefield victories.
Weakness Losingcontrolofthe
01 reserve infantry at Blenheim proved
Tallard’s downfall.
10
06
02 Cuirassiers
08to the rescue
Whenhereceivesapleaforassistancefrom GENDARMERIE
Marlborough, the Prince Eugene does not
hesitate, sending his Imperial Cuirassiers – (CAVALRY)
cavalrymenarmedwithmusketsandwearing KEY UNIT
armour–toblunttheattackandforcethe
Themostfamousandreveredunits
French to retire. With the situation stabilised,
Marlborough turns his attention back to the of French cavalry at Blenheim.
vulnerable French centre. Strengths Esprit de Corps and
experience marked French cavalry
earlyinthewar.
Weakness Overconfidence led the
07 Near disaster at Oberglau French horsemen to believe they
Near the farm buildings at Oberglau, two
were virtually invincible.
infantry battalions under Major General Anton Gunther,
Prince von Holstein-Beck, are caught in a vicious French
counterattack just after crossing the Nebel. Holstein-
Beck falls mortally wounded, and his shattered battalions
retreatacrossthesmallstream.TheFrenchcome
dangerouslyclosetosplittingMarlborough’sarmyintwo.
ARTILLERY
06 French riposte KEY WEAPON
French artillery fired accurately on
After British dragoons ford the
Nebel a short distance from the village English formations at Blenheim,
of Blenheim, eight squadrons of French inflicting many of the casualties
Gendarmesturntorepeltheincursion.The absorbed by the Duke of
British draw sabres, split into three groups Marlborough’s army.
and crash into the French horsemen from Strengths A single shot could
the front and flank, routing them. The inflict tremendous casualties and
French flee in confusion. disrupt entire formations.
Weakness Unprotected,
artillerymen were vulnerable to © Alamy, Getty Images, Rocio Espin
musket fire and to being overrun.
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