Walcourt, 25th Aug 1689

Captain of Dragoons · Post by **Captain of Dragoons** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:36 pm

I am currently reading 'Generals' by Mark Urban and this morning while reading the chapter on Marlborough I came across a section on the the Battle of Walcourt.

I have heard of the name but never study the details of the battle.

I was very interested in the make up of the battle after reading about it. So I looked up some more information on wikipedia.

I thought

(dangerous, I know) what an excellent battle to refight, demo or create a diorama.

It's a small scale battle when compared to some of the later battles like Neerwinden and Blenheim. Approx 35000 Anglo-Dutch vrs 24000 French.

In this battle you have a English Regiment holding off a French attack (first at a forge and then falling back to a mill) giving the main army a chance to form up. Marlborough as a juinor general in charged of the English/Scots/Irish force. During the main attack on Walcourt you have an incident between two of the big names - Coldstream Guards defending a gate against an sortie by the Garde Francaises. The battle ends by a counter attack on both flanks of the French infantry by allied cavalry. Dutch on one side and Marlborough leading the The Blues and Life Guards on the other driving back the French Infantry. However a younger Villars covers the withdraw of the French Infantry with charges of the finest cavalry in Europe

.

All in all outstanding. I'm guessing at this time in the War of the Grand Alliance this battle was a side show due to the events going on in Ireland.

If anybody could point me in the right direction for more info for this battle that would be great.

cheers
Edward

paulos · Post by **paulos** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 6:28 pm

Hello Edward,

There is a small account (2 pages) of it in Chandlers "Marlborough as Military Commander" it mentions a couple of individual regiments. Also, the War of the Grand Alliance supplement for the Partizan press rules for the period has 2 Senarios with maps based on the battle.

Seem to remember that Mark Allen did a demo of this at ashow in the nineties and had some pictures featured in Wargames Illustrated but I cant remember which issue.

Sorry its not much but I hope it helps.

Cheers Paul.

Post by **barr7430** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:50 am

Ed,

I meant to respond to this post when it first appeared but circumstances and all that

I (think)

I went to Walcourt when in Belgium four years ago. I had seen Mark Allen's game in WI (About 14 years ago - in fact it was part of my inspiration to get into the period) and had read a few things about the battle but IF the Walcourt I visited is the real one, then many people have got the terrain set up very wrong!
Walcourt is a catholic shrine town where Mary is supposed to have appeared. It has a beautiful cathedral but the town itself is really quite small and built on a steep hillside - the cathedral square is even on an extremely steep gradient. I mention this only as a reference if anyone is trying to find it. I seem to remember it was in the south of the country but the most curious thing is that it rests in very difficult terrain - an area cut by deep rocky gorges, rivers and narrow passes which run to the north and into the town. Beyond it to the south is a high plateau which is reached by steep gradients. I was very puzzled because I could not find anywhere for a large army to deploy. I wonder if it was the right place. An army could not have deployed in any kind of formation from around this town unless in narrow files.Must re search on the net.

Anyone else got info... did I find the right Walcourt?

Post by **barr7430** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:00 am

Yup

just Googled it! It was the right one.... The Wikipedia insert seems about as third hand as you can get. The map gives no idea whatsover what the terrain is like.
As for Walcourt being a walled town.... maybe nut I don't remember any trace of mediaeval walls.
The Life Guards are mentionjed in the battle account but my understanding was that the British 'Household Cavalry' of that time did not serve outside England... possibly wrong again by me but must checkl it.. a Pedant's Paradise!!

Captain of Dragoons · Post by **Captain of Dragoons** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:20 pm

Hello Paul, thanks for the info.

Hello Barry

I was very puzzled because I could not find anywhere for a large army to deploy.

The account that I read of the battle it mentions that the French Infantry against the 'walls' of the town attack was conducted by eight battalions. So I am thinking that they followed the normal concept of ops and advance in two lines of four battalions each. Perhaps because of the lay of the ground is the reason for only eight battalions attacking.

cheers
Edward

Angus Konstam · Post by **Angus Konstam** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:05 pm

Barry et al,

Yes, it was the right Walcourt - a straggling village, built on the side of a river, with a bloody steep wooded hill behind it! It looked more like somewhere in the Ardennes than in northern France, but its the right place alright!

The town itself must have been pretty difficult to attack, as the river valley lies amid wooded hills - lots of choke points which would have seriously limited the ability of the French to get to grips with Marlborough's Allied force.

The main French attack seems to have been to the left of the town - probably along the same valley where the main road leads northwards towards the French border. As Barry says, there's a plateau to the south, but again the ground is wooded, and not ideal for the deployment of a Corps-sized army.

I'd love to find out more about the battle, but unless anyone unearths anything, we're limited to the brief mention in Chandler.

Best,

Angus Konstam
www.edinburghwargames.com

danschorr · Post by **danschorr** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:30 am

De Quincy covers Walcourt in his , "Histoire Militaire du Regne de Louis le Grand Roy de France" Vol 2 pages 160-164.

Quite interesting that Lynn does not mention the battle in his "Wars of Louis XIV 1667-1714". An oversight?

Two orders of battle for the Dutch and their allies are here: http://www.digam.net/index.php?dok=2689 ... D=walcourt

I have not been able to locate the French OB.

Finally, I've located a picture of Walcourt in 1649, but cannot place it on this site. Anyone interested can email me direct.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Dan

Angus Konstam · Post by **Angus Konstam** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:59 pm

Dan,

It does indeed - very useful. I'll dig out Quincy from the National Library, and the link to the Allied line-up is fantastic - a real find!

Best,

Angus

Captain of Dragoons · Post by **Captain of Dragoons** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:59 pm

IAW Frank Taylor's 'The Wars of Marlborough' Vol II, Appendices VI. Flanders and Ireland, pg 454-456.

Ref holding action
French advance held up by Hodges Regiment along with 300 Dutch Horse and Dragoons.

Ref Garrison at Walcourt
Held by 600 men from a Luneburg battalion.

Ref number of French battalions attacking
Taylor states 9 battalions

Ref of assualt on the gate
Taylor states party of 200 French Guards, most cut down at the gate.

Ref counter attack
On the west side of town Schlangenberg advance with Dutch Infantry and on the east side Marlborough with the Life Guards supported by two English battalion.

Ref covering of French withdraw
Carried out by Villars with French cavalry.

Taylor also mentions that D'Humieres eight battalions of guards were

completely ruined

Could it be when he assaulted the town that eight of the nine battalions were the French and Swiss Guard

Gents, here's a good table top battle to get your guards out.

cheers
Edward