Battle of Walcourt
Part of the War of the Grand Alliance
Date 25 August 1689[1] Location Walcourt, Spanish Netherlands (Present-day Belgium) Result Allied victory
Combatants
Kingdom of France	Dutch Republic, Kingdom of England
Commanders
Duc de Humières	Prince of Waldeck
Strength
24,000[2]	35,000
Casualties
~600–2000 killed or wounded	~100–300 killed or wounded[3]

The Battle of Walcourt was fought during the Nine Years War on 25 August 1689. The action took place near the ancient walled town of Walcourt near Charleroi in the Spanish Netherlands, and brought to a close a summer of uneventful marching, manoeuvring, and foraging. The battle was a success for the Grand Alliance – the only significant engagement in the theatre during the campaign of 1689. Combatants Dutch Republic, England,[1] Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Duchy of Savoy others France, others Commanders King William III, Prince Waldeck, Menno van Coehoorn, Duke of Savoy King Louis XIV, Marshal Luxembourg, Marshal Boufflers, Marquis de Vauban, Marshal Villeroi, Marshal Catinat Strength ~250,000 275 Ships[2] ~440,000[3... The first of the French and Indian Wars, King Williams War (1689–1697) , was the North American theater of the War of the Grand Alliance (1688–1697) fought principally in Europe between the armies of France under Louis XIV and those of a coalition of European powers including England. ... Combatants Dutch Republic, England,[1] Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Duchy of Savoy others France, others Commanders King William III, Prince Waldeck, Menno van Coehoorn, Duke of Savoy King Louis XIV, Marshal Luxembourg, Marshal Boufflers, Marquis de Vauban, Marshal Villeroi, Marshal Catinat Strength ~250,000 275 Ships[2] ~440,000[3... Combatants France England Commanders Château-Renault Earl of Torrington Strength 39 men-of-war 19 ships of the line Casualties No ships lost , 40 killed 93 wounded. ... Combatants France England United Provinces Spain Holy Roman Empire Commanders Duc de Luxembourg Prince of Waldeck Strength 35,000 38,000 Casualties 3,000 dead 3,000 wounded 6,000 dead 5,000 wounded 8,000 captured The Battle of Fleurus took place on July 1, 1690. ... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Anne Hilarion de Tourville Earl of Torrington Strength 75 ships 56 ships Casualties None 7 Dutch ships lost The naval Battle of Beachy Head or Bataille de Béveziers took place on 30 June 1690 near Beachy Head, a promontory near Eastbourne, on the... Combatants France Piedmont Spain Austria Commanders Nicolas Catinat Duke of Savoy Strength 18,000 17,000 Casualties 2,000 6,700 The Battle of Staffarda, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in Italy on August 18, 1690 between the French army of Marshal Catinat and... Combatants France Duchy of Savoy Commanders Nicolas Catinat Victor Amadeus II of Savoy Casualties 4,300 troops, 50 officers The Siege of Cuneo was a battle of the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in Cuneo (present day Piedmont, Italy) between France and the House of Savoy. ... Combatants Kingdom of France Dutch Republic Commanders Marquis de Vauban Duc de Boufflers Duc de Luxembourg King William III Strength 92,000[1] 90 guns ~6,000 Casualties No data ~6,000, mostly prisoners The Siege of Mons was a major operation fought during the Nine Years War from 15... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Marshal Luxembourg Friedrich of Waldeck Strength 28 squadrons 72 squadrons Casualties 400 dead or wounded 1,500 - 2,000 dead or wounded The Battle of Leuze took place on September 18, 1691, and was a famous French cavalry victory in the War of the... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Anne Hilarion de Tourville Edward Russell Strength 44 ships (3,142 guns) 98 ships (8,980 guns) Casualties 15 ships burnt 2 ships sunk The related naval battles of Barfleur and La Hogue took place between 27 May and 3 June 1692 (17-23... The siege of Namur refers to a number of sieges throughout history of the Belgian city of Namur. ... The Battle of Steenkerque (Steenkerque also spelled Steenkerke or Steenkirk) was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years War. ... The Battle of Lagos was a sea battle during the War of the Grand Alliance on June 27, 1693 , when a French fleet under Tourville defeated an Anglo-Dutch fleet under George Rooke, which protected the Smyrna convoy. ... The Battle of Landen (or Neerwinden), in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in the Netherlands on July 29, 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England. ... Combatants France Piemont Spain Commanders Nicolas Catinat Duke of Savoy Strength 35,000 30,000 Casualties 1,800 dead or wounded 10,000 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Marsaglia, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in Italy on October 4, 1693 between the... For other uses, see Charleroi (disambiguation). ... The Attack on Brest was an amphibious landing on June 18, 1694 by the English in an attempt to seize the French port of Brest, as part of the War of the Grand Alliance. ... Combatants France Spain Commanders Duc de Noailles Marquis of Villena-Escalona Strength 24,000 16,000 - 24,000 Casualties 500 dead or wounded 3,000 - 9,000 dead, wounded, or captured Battle of Torroella : battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought on the 27th of May 1694 along... The siege of Namur refers to a number of sieges throughout history of the Belgian city of Namur. ... The history of Barcelona stretches back well over 2000 years to its origins as an Iberic village, Barkeno. ... The Nine Years War (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the Grand Alliance, the Orleans War, the War of the Palatinian Succession, and the War of the English Succession) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1689 (MDCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Walcourt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... The Grand Alliance was a European coalition, consisting (at various times) of Austria, Bavaria, Brandenburg, England, the Holy Roman Empire, the Palatinate of the Rhine, Portugal, Saxony, Spain, Sweden, and the United Provinces. ...

The Allied army was commanded by the Prince of Waldeck; the French army by the duc de Humières. The battle incurred some 2,000 French casualties against the Allied losses of less than 300. It had been an auspicious opening of the war for King William and the Alliance, but for Humières, his military reputation received a fatal blow; in the following campaign of 1690, Humières was replaced by the duc de Luxembourg. Prince Georg Friedrich of Waldeck (* January 31, 1620 in Arolsen; † November 19, 1692 in Arolsen) was a German Field Marshal and a Dutch General. ... Louis de Crévant, Duc dHumières (1628 - Versailles August 30 1694) , Marshal of France. ... Marshal Luxembourg. ...

Background

In September 1688, King Louis XIV’s forces invaded the Rhineland and besieged the German town of Philippsburg. Louis had hoped to compel the powerful German princes, and their Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, into converting the 1684 Treaty of Ratisbon into a permanent peace, thus confirming Louis' territorial gains of the ‘Reunions’.^[4] Other German towns fell in quick succession, including Oppenheim, Kaiserslautern, Heidelberg, and the key fortress of Mainz, but instead of cowering under French aggression, the German princes united against Louis’ forces. What was supposed to be a campaign lasting only months, evolved into the Nine Years War. Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ... Philippsburg is a small town in Germany, in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg. ... Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Silver coin of Leopold I, 3 Kreuzers, dated 1670. ... Oppenheim is a small town (about 7000 inhabitants) on the Upper Rhine (Rheinhessen), between Mainz and Worms. ... This article is about the city. ... For other uses, see Heidelberg (disambiguation). ... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... The Nine Years War (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the Grand Alliance, the Orleans War, the War of the Palatinian Succession, and the War of the English Succession) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between...

By moving into the Rhineland, Louis dispelled fears in the Dutch Republic of a possible attack upon them, thus facilitating Prince William of Orange’s ‘invasion’ of England in November. William’s success in the subsequent ‘Glorious Revolution’ – leading to his accession to the English throne in February 1689 (reigning jointly with his wife Mary) – enabled him to bring the full commercial and military power of England into the war against France, and rapidly led to the formation of the coalition he had long desired. On 12 May 1689, the Dutch and Emperor Leopold I signed the Grand Alliance, the aims of which were no less than to force France back to her borders as they were at the end of the Thirty Years War, and the Franco-Spanish War, thus depriving Louis of all his gains since his assumption of power.^[5] William III of England, also known as William II of Scotland, and William III of Orange (The Hague, 14 November 1650 – Kensington Palace, 8 March 1702) was a Dutch aristocrat, the Prince of Orange from his birth, Stadtholder of the main provinces of the Dutch Republic from 28 June 1672... The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England (VII of Scotland) in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange), who as a result ascended the English throne as William... Mary II (30 April 1662–28 December 1694) reigned as Queen of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and as Queen of Scots (as Mary II of Scotland) from 11 April 1689 until her death. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1689 (MDCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Grand Alliance was a European coalition, consisting (at various times) of Austria, Bavaria, Brandenburg, England, the Holy Roman Empire, the Palatinate of the Rhine, Portugal, Saxony, Spain, Sweden, and the United Provinces. ... The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally in the central European territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ... When the first two episodes of the civil war in France known as the Fronde were now over, the whole country, wearied of anarchy and disgusted with the princes, came to look to the kings party as the party of order and settled government, and thus the Fronde prepared...

The Spanish Netherlands would later become the main theatre of the war, but during the conflict’s early stages in 1689, it was considered only a secondary front. This quiescence was due to the fact that the main protagonists were busy elsewhere; King William was occupied with political matters in England and a Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, whilst King Louis was busy along the Rhine where the powerful German princes were preparing their forces to push the French army back towards the Rhine, and reverse all their earlier setbacks.^[5] This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, wearing the Jacobite blue bonnet Jacobitism was (and, to a very limited extent, remains) the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England and Scotland. ...

Prelude

The Spanish Netherlands. Walcourt lies south of Charleroi near the river Sambre.

On 14 May 1689, Humières assembled his army for the new campaign in the Spanish Netherlands near Boussières on the river Sambre, where he marshalled 24 battalions and 75 squadrons, totalling 24,000 men.^[6] William entrusted overall command of his 35,000 troops in the theatre to the 69-year-old Prince of Waldeck; the Earl of Marlborough commanded the English contingent of 8,000 men.^[7] However, William remained sceptical about the quality of the English troops; compared to the Dutch troops of the period, English troops were little more than a rabble, lacking in organisation, field administration and commissariat.^[7] But Waldeck watched with interest as Marlborough sought to bring order and organisation to his command, later writing that he hoped the English " … were as disciplined as they were brave", (although by September Waldeck was still lamenting their " … temperament, nonchalance, wretched clothing and the worst of shoes.")^[7] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 507 pixelsFull resolution (936 × 593 pixel, file size: 218 KB, MIME type: image/png) This image is self-made based on original: The Department of History, United States Military Academy I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 507 pixelsFull resolution (936 × 593 pixel, file size: 218 KB, MIME type: image/png) This image is self-made based on original: The Department of History, United States Military Academy I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it... This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... Walcourt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... The Sambre is a river rising in northern France and flowing into southern Belgium. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1689 (MDCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Sambre is a river rising in northern France and flowing into southern Belgium. ... Prince Georg Friedrich of Waldeck (* January 31, 1620 in Arolsen; † November 19, 1692 in Arolsen) was a German Field Marshal and a Dutch General. ... John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722) (O.S)[1] was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs throughout the late 17th and early 18th centuries. ...

Administrative problems and the late arrival of contingents delayed the opening of the Allied offensive in the region until late June. Waldeck moved from near Tienen and headed towards Fleurus; the two armies spent the next two months marching and counter-marching in an attempt to gain a strategic advantage.^[7] By 24 August Prince Waldeck had crossed the river Sambre and had camped near the small ancient town of Walcourt where he was satisfied to live upon enemy territory.^[8] Tienen (French: Tirlemont) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Geography Country Belgium Community French Community Region Walloon Region Province Hainaut Arrondissement Charleroi Coordinates , , Area 59. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sambre is a river rising in northern France and flowing into southern Belgium. ... Walcourt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. ...

Battle

On 25 August, Allied foragers, escorted by 600 English troops of Colonel Hodges’ Regiment (16th Foot, later the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment) were sent out to the surrounding countryside. Humières, in an effort to expel the intruders, fell upon the foraging parties and allied outposts about 2 miles (~3 km) south of Walcourt. The foragers were recalled and the Allied camp made readiness for action. is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1688. ...

For nearly two hours Hodges’ regiment was able to prevent the development of the French vanguard, and covered the retreat of the surprised foragers before retiring his troops to a nearby mill (see map). By 11:00, Marlborough had arrived within sight of the engagement. Noticing Hodges was under attack by several French batteries, the English commander ordered the embattled colonel to withdraw to a hill east of Walcourt, behind which the main Allied force was forming.^[9] Waldeck later commented to William – "[Hodges] and the English, who are with him, have accomplished miracles, and I could never have believed that so many of the English would show such a joie de combattre."^[9]

Battle of Walcourt.

Despite his troop’s failure to overcome Hodges’ small force, Humières decided to attack Walcourt itself, which had since been occupied by 600 men. The ground was not favourable to the French – although the defences of the town were antiquated, it stood on a hill partly covered by a river.^[10] Nevertheless, several attacks were pressed home, but the French suffered heavy casualties from the Allied enfilading guns. Despite the losses Humières persisted, and sent a party of Gardes Françaises to try to set alight Walcourt’s gates. The attempt failed, and the safety of the garrison was assured after Brigadier-General Thomas Tollemache brought the Coldstream Guards and a German Battalion into the town around 14:00.^[9] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Thomas Tollemache (c. ... The Coldstream Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division. ...

Humières saw himself forced to widen the battle and now flung his men in an improvised attack against the right wing of the main Allied line beyond the town.^[10] However, at about 18:00, Waldeck launched a double counterattack against the tiring French; General Slangenburg's Dutch against their left, and Marlborough, at the head of the Life Guards and the Blues (supported by two regiments of foot), against their right. The French reeled back in disarray but valuable service by the French cavalry, commanded by Colonel Villars, prevented the retreat from becoming a rout, allowing Humières to extricate his men from the field.^[9] Frederik Johan van Baer, Lord of Slangenburg Frederik Johan van Baer, Lord of Slangenburg (1645 - December 15, 1713) was a Dutch military in service of William III of Orange. ... Life Guards on parade The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army. ... The Royal Horse Guards (RHG) was a Household Cavalry regiment of the British Army. ... Marquis and duc de Villars, Marshal of France by Hyacinthe Rigaud. ...

Humières had been humiliated, but due to administrative problems, Waldeck made little attempt to follow up his success.^[9] For a few days the two armies remained face to face, cannonading one another at intervals, but no further fighting occurred. Humières returned to the region of the Scheldt fortresses, and Waldeck to Brussels. The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ...

Aftermath

The battle (the only notable incident in the whole campaign), was sharp and bloody; there had within living memory been no equally serious encounter between the English and French. French losses are estimated between 600 and 2,000, and six guns; Allied casualties numbered between 100–300. Prince of Waldeck commended the 39-year-old Marlborough to William who " … in spite of his youth" had shown great military aptitude; on 5 September (26 August O.S), in recognition of his endeavours, William awarded Marlborough the lucrative colonelcy of the 7th Foot (later the Royal Fusiliers). The victory at Walcourt had bolstered Allied confidence; but Humières, dubbed le maréchal sans lumière by his colleagues, found himself disgraced.^[9] is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a regiment in the British Army. ...

Before Humières went into winter quarters, he detached four battalions of Gardes françaises to march to the Rhineland, where in 1689 Louis' outnumbered forces faced their greatest challenge.^[11] But by 1690, the main seat of action of the war returned to Flanders. For this campaign, however, King Louis entrusted command of the theatre to the duc de Luxembourg, who, on 1 July, fought his tactical masterpiece at the Battle of Fleurus.^[12] Marshal Luxembourg. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants France England United Provinces Spain Holy Roman Empire Commanders Duc de Luxembourg Prince of Waldeck Strength 35,000 38,000 Casualties 3,000 dead 3,000 wounded 6,000 dead 5,000 wounded 8,000 captured The Battle of Fleurus took place on July 1, 1690. ...

Notes

Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ...

References

• Chandler, David G. Marlborough as Military Commander. Spellmount Ltd, (2003). ISBN 1-86227-195-X
• Churchill, Winston. Marlborough: His Life and Times. The University of Chicago Press (2002). ISBN 0-226-10633-0
• Lynn, John A. The French wars 1667–1714: The Sun King at War. Osprey Publishing, (2002). ISBN 1-84176-361-6
• Lynn, John A. The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667–1714. Longman, (1999). ISBN 0-582-05629-2
• Wolf, John B. The Emergence of the Great Powers: 1685–1715. Harper & Row, (1962). ISBN 0061397509