Page "Battle of Fontenoy" Paragraph 29

Ligonier finally sent word to Cumberland that he was ready to advance as soon as the Dutch carried out their attack on Fontenoy.

The night of the 10th had seen the left wing of the allies more advanced towards the enemy than the right.

Prince Waldeck was thus able to complete his dispositions for battle in the morning more rapidly than Ligonier.

The Dutch line, from left to right, was formed of: 36 squadrons of cavalry, next 8 infantry battalions, then 4 squadrons and finally, facing Fontenoy, 12 battalions in two lines.

However, Waldeck also had not sufficiently reconnoitred his objectives, and was unaware of the strength of the enemy position in the village.

The Dutch advanced, moving up three batteries of artillery to support their attack.

The French infantry, secure behind their barriers, allowed the Dutch to draw very close before releasing a devastating volley upon them.

Those Dutchmen who were not killed, fled.

Meanwhile a second column, with cavalry in its rear, advanced on Antoing.

Encountering a terrible fire from the three redoubts and the battery on the far side of the Scheldt, the Dutch in this sector also wavered.

Their cavalry turned about ; but while the bulk of them halted within cannon-shot, a minority of them fled.

Colonel Appius took flight with his regiment all the way back to Ath.