In Part 1 (Battlefields issue 2) Peter introduced the battle and gave details on the Dutch attacks against the French flank. This was to divert French attention from the main Allied assault in the centre carried out by British & Hannoverian infantry. Here, as promised, as part 2 which deals with the British attempt on the opposite French flank which in conjunction with the Dutch attack was to pave the way for the grand, 'battle winning' attack in the centre.

The role of the British contingent at Fontenoy will be well known to most wargamers, not in the last place from Skrine's work and also Charles Grant's book on Fontenoy (of which I regret not having been able to obtain or read a copy). In particular the attack by the British/Hannoverian infantry against the French centre has been portrayed over and over. For wargaming purposes I think the preceding attack on the Barri Wood and Eu Redoubt is most interesting. It was very important, since its outcome, together with the results of the Dutch attack on Fontenoy and the French right wing, would determine the chance of success for the main attack by the British infantry.

This preliminary action can form the scenario for a brigade level or quasi-skirmish game, on a 1:50 or 1:20 figure scale.

ATTACK AGAINST THE BARRI WOOD AND EU REDOUBT

When Cumberland was inspecting the initial positions of the British foot at about 4 AM, he heard of the fieldwork at the edge of the Barri Wood, the later famous Eu Redoubt. A report from 2 Austrian free-companies, which had been sent into the wood for reconnaissance (and had encountered the French Grassins light troops), had spotted at the far end of the wood an abatis lined up with enemy troops), had spotted at the far end of the wood an abatis lined up with enemy troops. Thinking the redoubt to be a French advanced post Cumberland immediately decided that this should be occupied, to prevent flanking fire into his line when advancing up the slope from Vezon towards the French line.

The allied brigade which was to clear the Barri Wood and take the Eu Redoubt consisted of:

• the English 12th foot (Duroure's);
• the English 13th foot (Pulteney's);
• the English Black Watch;
• the Hannoverian foot regt. Boschschlanger.

Command was given to Ingoldsby, colonel of the 1st Guards. He was assisted by brigade-major Bernards. Orders were to try to capture the redoubt undamaged, so that its guns could afterward by aimed at the French. Failing this they should destroy the redoubt and spike the guns.

MAP III shows the relevant part of the battle area with the troop positions at about 6 AM.

Large Map (slow 60k)

FRENCH OOB & POSITIONS

The Eu Redoubt (!) was probably a large log construction, situated 700 metres North of Fontenoy. It was occupied by 1 battalion of the Eu regt and four 4-pdr guns. Some 350 yards further North a second redoubt (2) had been constructed. In some sources it is referred to as the Chambons Redoubt and contained the same number of troops and guns. To the rear or West of both redoubts and abatis of felled trees had been erected. Behind this the Irish brigade (3) had taken position, consisting of the battalions Bulkeley, Dillon, Berwick, Lally, Ruth and Clare. Four 4-pdr guns were attached to them. To the right of them stood from left to right: 2 battalions Gardes Suisses (4), 4 battalions Gardes Francais (5), 3 battalions Courten (6), 1 battalion Aubeterre (7) and 2 battalions Roi (8). They had one or two 4-pdr batteries deployed in front. This line was placed behind the crest of the slope between Fontenoy and the Barri Wood and were therefore invisible to the British. The Barri Wood was occupied by the Grassins Legion, formally the Arquebusiers de Grassins, consisting of both foot and mounted light troops.

On Map III Ingoldsby's brigade is indicated as (A), the Austrian free-company as (B) and the Waldeck battalion as (C). The latter had been sent into the wood to assist the free-company during the night when they had encountered the Grassins.

THE ACTION

At 6 AM Ingoldsby left Vezon. After reconnoitring the terrain in front he soon requested artillery support. This support swiftly arrived in the person of Captain Mitchelson with three 6-pounders. He joined the brigade which had halted just in front of Vezon to the left of the hollow road. This road ran parallel to the Barri Wood over a length of about 800 metres. Colonel Munro of the Black Watch advised Ingoldsby to form to the right of the hollow road and advance, while his regiment would clear the wood. Ingoldsby however didn't follow this advice. Cumberland in person ordered Mitchelson to move his artillery forward and fire into the wood. This fire was answered by the (invisible) guns from the Eu Redoubt.

Following this the infantry was ordered to advance very carefully, preceded by the artillery; the regts. of Duroure and the Black Watch deployed on the right of the hollow road, with the regts. of Pulteny and oschschlanger behind. The grenadier company moved along the road. As the Grassins deployed on the edge of the wood to engage the advance Ingoldsby hesitated and halted. At 7 AM the brigade still hadn't advanced any further. At 8 AM he was once again urged forward by Cumberland personally, because the artillery fire from the Eu Redoubt was causing too many casualties on the deploying British troops in front of Vezon.

Finally at about 10 AM Ingoldsby was dismissed from his mission and the brigade was attached to the British and Dutch attack forces.

WARGAMING THE ATTACK ON THE BARRI WOOD

Of course this action makes for a nice WHAT IF? scenario. What would have happened if Ingoldsby had followed up Munro's advice? Would he have been able to clear the Barri Wood from the Grassins and occupy the Eu Redoubt? Capturing both redoubts would probably have been too dangerous, because their intermediate distance was too great and both were supported by French troops to the rear. Remember the main objective was to secure the advance of the British flank by capturing. destroying or masking the Eu Redoubt.

Perhaps the Austrian free-companies could have assisted Ingoldsby, as well as the Waldeck battalion. Contemporary reports don't show whether the free-companies had also spotted the Chambons Redoubt (perhaps it could be a 'nasty surprise' for players unfamiliar with the action). Before recreating the main British attack, it might be interesting to try this one. With the French in a purely defensive role, this scenario could be ideal for a solo-game.

The part of the battlefield involved was about 1,800 metres square, measured from the position of the Irish brigade in the West to the starting position of the Waldeck batt in the East. With the W.A.R. ground scale of 1"=50metres this makes for a 1 metre square table.

The action started at 6 AM without a proper knowledge by the British of the exact whereabouts of the French troops to their front. The centre of the French line was concealed by the crest of the slope and the area was initially shrouded in mist (which was clearing).

Personally I prefer scenario 1, ordering the Austrian free companies together with the Black Watch into the wood and sending orders to the Waldeck battalion to close up from the East.

In both scenarios the allies would have total victory if they succeed in clearing the Barri Wood and occupying or eliminating the threat from the Eu Redoubt. Possession of the Chambons Redoubt is less important for the Allies, since their mission is to secure the right flank for the advance of the British/Hannoverian infantry. However the French troops in the Chambons Redoubt may interfere with the attack on the Eu Redoubt. The allies have a marginal victory if they clear and occupy the Barri Wood up to its Western edge.

I hope to have shown that a large historical battle can be divided into separate actions for refighting on the tabletop without violating history too much. I think that important conditions are a good historical analysis and a battle in which the actions didn't actually mutually influence each other too much. The latter implies that good battles for such treatment are those with initial or separated flank attacks.

I have avoided giving complete scenarios, leaving certain things to the players. What is important is that players will have to agree about the number of turns allowed to achieve the goal or the numbers of turns for the arrival of reinforcements or new orders. I think it is more fun to try and see what could have been achieved than to try to copy the historical flow of the battle. I hope someone will have a go and tell the magazine about it.

Finally, don't worry if you have no exact W.A.S. figures, since we played it with our Seven Years War armies, replacing the Dutch by Prussians.
Large Picture (slow 44k)

If there is enough interest I'll gladly treat the battle of Rocour (1746) and Laffelt (1747) in the same way.

EDITOR: I have already written to Peter asking for his analysis of these battles. I hope he'll forgive the odd typo or WP aberration and send them in!

For the bibliography see part 1 (Issue 2).

Options for playing this scenario
Errata to Fontenoy, Part 1