Recently we have played a battle of the war of the Spanish succession. Louis XIV of France backed by Bavarian allies fought the "Grand Alliance", in this case consisting of England and Netherlands who fought to limit the power of Louis XIV that wanted to lay a claim on the Spanish European and colonial areas.
France was led by Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton supported by Alexander Bouton, Marquis de Chamilly and reinforced with the Bavarian troops led by Joost Finck von Finckenstein.
The Grand Alliance was led by Dutch General Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk, supported by Baron Abe van Hoorne and the English troops led by Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney.
After an undecided battle that was fought 6 months earlier, the forces of the Grand Alliance decided to launch an attack and a Dutch/British army marched deep into French territories. The army was led by the eccentric General Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk. He had spent many years on the attic of his parents' house but with the outbreak of war he was volunteered by his family members and through a large financial contribution he now had gained the leadership of a full-force.
Louis IV had to respond to this threat but none of his army leaders was available, he called in his Porte-Coton himself with the question if he was willing to dirty his hands by taking command of a French army. Sander was in and rapidly an army was assembled. To ensure that his beloved Sander would come back he was even granted a Division of guard infantry and cavalry. He would also be strengthened by an army of Bavarian allies, these were led by Joost Finck von Finckenstein. The French/Bavarian troops pulled in a straight line towards the Allied troops and the armies of both sides moved toward each other without too much manoeuvring and soon faced each other across a large open plain.
On the Allied left flank was Abe that got command of the artillery and cavalry, in the Centre the Dutch infantry of Erik were placed and the English allies settled on the right flank. Opposite the English troops were the Bavarian troops of Joost, in the Centre the French troops and guard of Sander and on the left flank more French troops, led by Alexander.
On the French right flank the infantry divisions moved forward, the other divisions waited to see what the allies would do, the allies also moved forward and with drum roll and uplifting tunes the armies moved towards each other. On the Dutch left flank the cavalry and artillery moved slowly forward, it was their goal to pin down a French infantry Division so the numerical superiority of the French troops could be neutralized. The French had mixed infantry and artillery, what they lost in manoeuvrability they hoped to gain by a strong defensive line.
The second phase of the Allied plan would now be initiated, General Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk wanted to make a move to the right, and his troops would be able to side-line a large part of the French infantry, the Dutch flanks would be secured by the Dutch infantry. Thanks to this movement, the Dutch troops and English troops could focus on the Bavarian troops and a single French Division, with a superior force, they would be able to destroy a part of the army before the French could respond from their defensive lines.
Grinning from ear to ear Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk gave the order to move to the right towards its English allies, however, the orders were not received. The troops understood nothing of the confused sounds that left the throat of Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk and amazed them looked at each other. The officers were trying to interpret the orders from the completely elusive gibberish of their general, they interpreted something completely different than he ever intended and instead of a move to the right the troops charged to the left where they placed themselves in a very vulnerable positioned. Instead of extending the line to side-line a large part of the French army several divisions of Dutch troops were now scattered over a long line where they now had to face the full power of French lines.
Comte cotton Sander de L'Heus didn't think twice and he ordered his troops to open fire, muskets and cannons fired and thundered across the line and with tears in his eyes Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk saw how many of his troops were felled. Despite the many casualties that they suffered the Dutch troops held their ground. On the French right flank more troops moved forward and they opened fire on the Dutch cavalry that wanted to make a flanking movement, the Cavalrymen also suffered casualties but the amounts were limited. The Bavarian troops moved further towards the English troops, Joost Finck von Finckenstein gave the order and hundreds of muskets hots on the English troops of Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney. The English had placed themselves in and around an old farm but the walls and strongholds could not offer sufficient protection and many red clad soldiers were mortally wounded.
Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney kept his troops where they were and discharged a volley toward the Bavarian troops that also suffered many casualties but it did not seem to bother them, they marched forward undisturbed. Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk meanwhile pushed his troops forward, he tried to regain some structure in his lines but a large part of his army was still at a large distance from his other troops. The plan to move to the right was dropped completely and a thin line could be formed opposite the entire French Centre that had to keep them in place. The Dutch Cavalry of Baron Abe van Hoorne thought it too dangerous to remain where they were and they retreated to reform behind the Dutch lines.
The Bavarian troops under commands of Joost Finck von Finckenstein kept pushing forward, completely ignoring the formed British cavalry on the Flank. Disciplined lines moved further towards the British troops, the constant march only broken by a short but deadly salvo before they continued their march. In the Centre French troops fired on the thin Dutch lines that also had to endure the French artillery, but the Dutch held. With the risk of the Dutch Cavalry temporarily gone the French Cavalry could now also focus on the thin Dutch line and they also moved towards the Dutch troops.
Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney now also brought his troops forward, he gave a signal to his cavalry and they charged towards a Bavarian infantry, English sabres slashed and cut down the Bavarian infantry, panic formed and the Bavarian troops broke, the English knew no mercy and cut down anyone they encountered. Joost Finck von Finckenstein saw a complete infantry division break and run. In the Centre the troops of Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk fought on while their leader urged troops to make pace and support the thin line.
Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton increased pressure on the Dutch lines and an extremely efficient fire continuously kept going. He also ordered his cavalry to attack, 2 units French guard Cavalry stormed towards a Dutch infantry unit, where a normal unit would break the Dutch infantrymen held despite the extreme amount of casualties that they suffered, they were slowly driven back.
Joost Finck von Finckenstein send his cavalry forward, he split his cavalry, and a single unit attacked two English Cavalry units while another attacked an infantry Division. Was it madness or did Joost Finck von Finckenstein know something that no one else knew? Whatever it was, like absolute maniacs the Bavarian Cavalry charged forward and smashed into the British troops, compassion was no term the Bavarian troops knew that day, against this hatred and fortitude the British Cavalrymen could not survive, a unit of cavalry broke and fled the field while the second was driven back. The English infantry also did not hold, and a unit was broken, the Bavarian Cavalry did not pause for a second and they charged a second unit of infantry that was driven back.
Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney tried to regain control of his troops and did everything in his power to maintain order and to maintain morale but the fear rained amongst the English troops. Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk realized that the Infantry Division that fought the French cavalry was lost and he drew a supporting unit back towards his other divisions, within minutes the lone infantry unit was exterminated. He ordered his remaining troops to a charge, bayonets were fixed and Dutch troops stormed forward, the French launched a salvo and absorbed the charge, Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton tried to inspire his troop to keep their morale up while he screamed uplifting lyrics towards his troops, it turned out that it wasn't enough, a full French Infantry Division broke and left the field.
Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton was somewhat bewildered by this Dutch attack but he was far from defeated, there were still more than enough reserves in the Centre. Fresh French troops poured into the centre and attacked the exhausted Dutch troops and with support of the French Cavalry, the Dutch Division was beaten and they broke. Joost Finck von Finckenstein drove his troops further forward and the English were driven back, only the English Infantry Division on the right held out and they kept on firing on the Bavarian troops that approached closer and closer.
Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk brought in a new Infantry Division that had finally arrived, they were sent directly into the Centre. The bloodied French troops saw the shiny points of the Dutch bayonets coming towards them, they fired but the Dutch did not even look away, a short but deadly clash was initiated and the French broke and fled. The Dutch Cavalry of Baron Abe van Hoorne finally returned and placed itself before the French cavalry. Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk slowly began to get some grip in the Centre, if only the English would hold out the battle could still be won.
The English under Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney fought further but the Bavarian cavalry was too powerful, English infantry and cavalry was broken and in an overall panic they left the field. Alex looked anxious and tried to stop the Bavarian tidal wave with a single division that remained.
Comte Sander de L'Heus Porte-Coton realized that the pivotal point of the battle was here and he moved his last reserves forwards, the fearless guard that Louis had entrusted to him in person poured into the centre. They opened fire on the Dutch troops that were not impressed with the fancy French elite. Joost Finck von Finckenstein regrouped his cavalry while his infantry continued to fire upon the English troops without pause.
Baron Abe van Hoorne moved his cavalry forward and charged the French Guard Cavalry, despite a bloody combat both sides held, the infantry from Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk clashed with the guard infantry of Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton, both sides felt they were superior and both sides refused to give each other a centimetre of ground while casualties were suffered by both sides. The English also continued their fire while they braced for what would come.
Meanwhile in the centre the fight went on unabated while both commanders realized that the moment of truth was here, the first army that would lose another Division would lose the battle and both refused to give in. The fighting was so intense and the lines so intermingled that the generals stopped shouting orders to their units and were now insulting each other from a distance.
Joost Finck von Finckenstein, braced, cleared his throat and bellowed to his troops, the cavalry began to move at a leisurely pace that was increased further the closer they came, with only a few meters to go and at full speed they moved as one and the Bavarian Cavalrymen charged their shiny sabres forward. With an unprecedented uproar the Bavarian Cavalry smashed into the English infantry from Alex Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney, heads were removed end limbs cut off separated, men were crushed alive. Where Alex was known for his tenacity and fearless character, the same could not be said of its troops that day, overall panic broke out, muskets were thrown down and the whole right flank broke, a wave of Red-clad troops moved in a panic across the field, chased by the Bavarian Cavalry that cut down all before them.
With the English broken the whole right flank fell away, the Centre was not strong enough to defy the French Guard and Bavarian troops that would now move towards them. Erik van Nassau-Oudekerk and Baron Abe van Hoorne looked at each other intently, they did not need to say anything, and the battle was lost. The Dutch troops pulled themselves back, the French were too weakened to pursuit.
Comte Sander de L'Heus, Porte-Coton had achieved a great victory and would soon be showered with gifts from an ecstatic Louis whom would soon let his Porte Cotton resume his normal duties, this however with great respect from his sovereign.
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