Battle of Rocoux

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Battle of Rocoux
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession

The Battle of Roucoux, 1746
Date 11 October 1746
Location Liege, Belgium
Result French victory
Belligerents
Flag of Habsburg Monarchy Austria
Flag of the United Kingdom Great Britain
Flag of Province of Hanover Hanover
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch Republic		 Flag of France[1] France
Commanders
Flag of Habsburg Monarchy Prince Charles Alexander Flag of France Maurice de Saxe
Strength
97,000[2] 80,000
Casualties and losses
4,000-5,000[3]
30 cannon[4]		 3,500[5]
v • d • e
War of the

Austrian Succession

The Battle of Rocoux (11 October 1746) was a French victory over an allied Austrian, British, Hanoveran and Dutch army outside Liege during War of the Austrian Succession.

The French army was commanded by Marshall Saxe and the army of the Pragmatic Allies by Prince Charles of Lorraine of Austria and the British General Sir John Ligonier. Saxe had nearly completed his campaign to take Flanders and was threatening to invade Holland. The allies took up a position next to Liege with the Dutch on the left from Liege to Rocoux, the British and Hanoverians in the center and the Austrians on the right almost to the River Jaar.

The French main attack went against the Dutch portion on the left of the allied line between Liege and Rocoux, heavily defeating it on the third assault.[6] In the face of a general French advance the allied line began to give way. The Austrians on the allied right were not engaged and made no attempt to take the iniative and advance against the exposed French left flank. Lingonier's cavalry and some British infantry formed a rear guard that held off the French as the army withdrew. The French were victorious, immediately capturing Liege and breaking Austrian control over the Netherlands.


Map of Battle of Rocoux The city of Liege is bottom center.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ George Ripley, Charles Anderson Dana, The American Cyclopaedia, New York, 1874, p. 250, "...the standard of France was white, sprinkled with golden fleur de lis...". *[1]The original Banner of France was strewn with fleurs-de-lis. *[2]:on the reverse of this plate it says: "Le pavillon royal était véritablement le drapeau national au dix-huitième siecle...Vue du chateau d'arrière d'un vaisseau de guerre de haut rang portant le pavillon royal (blanc, avec les armes de France)."
  2. ^ Skrine, Francis Henry.Fontenoy and Great Britain's Share in the War of the Austrian Succession 1741-48. London, Edinburgh, 1906, p.311: "24,000 British, Hanoverians and Hessians...49,000 Austrians. The left wing, of 24,00 Dutch troops..."
  3. ^ Gentlemen's Magazine Vol. XVI 1746 page 542, Copy of a Letter sent from Sir John Ligonier to the Earl of Sandwich at Breda, relating to the Action on the 11th Inst. Dated from the Camp of Losser, Oct. 12
  4. ^ Smollett, Thomas. The History of England from the Revolution to the Death of George II. London, 1848, Vol. II, p. 509
  5. ^ Skrine, Francis Henry.Fontenoy and Great Britain's Share in the War of the Austrian Succession 1741-48. London, Edinburgh, 1906, p.313.
  6. ^ Gentlemen's Magazine Vol. XVI, 1746, page 542. Extract of a Letter from a Dutch Officer, Relating to the Action near Liege. "The affair that we had yesterday with the French begun in the evening. The fire which the enemy made upon us from their mask'd batteries, and otherwise, was one of the most terrible ever seen, and it look'd as if hell had opened her mouth to swallow us up. As I was of the rear-guard, and among the hindmost of my troop, in retiring from the field of battle, 'tis a miracle I escaped. As the stragglers come in, we hope to make some abatement in the number said to be lost.",

[edit] References

  • Browning, Reed.The War of the Austrian Succession, St. Martin's Press, New York, (1993): ISBN 0-312-12561-5
  • Chandler, David. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Marlborough. Spellmount Limited, (1990): ISBN 0-946771-42-1
  • Skrine, Francis Henry. Fontenoy and Great Britain's Share in the War of the Austrian Succession 1741-48. London, Edinburgh, 1906.