In NW Bohemia Frederick (37SP) completed his depot and siege lines around Prague. Its garrison, led by Browne (33SP), was still demoralized from their defeat at the Battle of Prague and quickly surrendered. Browne was granted the Honors of War and marched his forces to Austria and garrisoned Vienna to protect the capital. When there he reorganized and restored its morale by the end of June.
In Swedish Pommerania, Brunswick (10SP) was building his siege depot and lines as Hamilton (7SP) restored his men's morale and sent messages to Sweden for a relief force he knew would not come.
In the West, Cumberland (15SP) moved his army to Munster and entered the fortress. He had been unable to restore order or raise morale and hoped to regain both while protected by the fortress. Another battle Could not be risked. D'Estrees (29SP) followed behind and upon arriving at the fortress called for his siege train and began building a depot. Contacles (21SP) in Kleves moved on to Wesel.
Late June found Frederick pondering his strategic choices. Austria was crippled but not destroyed. Fredericks spies told him that Browne would avoid any field battle and Fredericks army was not large enough to besiege Vienna. If the Austrians were left alone for a while Browne would probably attempt to recapture Koniggratz and Prague. The Russians were on the horizon and would probably reach East Prussia in early or mid July. But they would first have to take the fortress of Konigsberg and that would hold them for at least a month or two. After that they would still have to construct a supply line westward to reach any more of Prussia and that would take another month. They could be ignored for s while still. Then there was the West.
Cumberland's army had suffered heavily and would not be in any shape to face the French in the field. This would result in a war of sieges but with their overwhelming strength the French could besiege more than one fortress at a time and Hanover would soon fall. This would expose Fredericks strategic flank and lie knew that Prussia did not have enough troops to cover all of its borders. So someone must go West to rescue Cumberland and the King knew it would be himself. "It you want a job done right, do it yourself." he muttered as he started drafting orders.
The next morning the main Prussian army (35SP) started quick marching to E Saxony in the late June sun, leaving a garrison in Prague. (23P)
In early July the good news of Frederick's coming helped Cumberland restore morale to his army. He left Karl with a garrison (2SP) in Munster fortress and moved his field army (14SP) to Minden, writing Frederick as to where to meet. Frederick received Cumberland's message in W Saxony and pushed his army forward into Hesse, losing stragglers along the way. (-1SP) As Cumberland left Munster, Contades force marched his command to Munster to join with D'Estrees. D'Estrees completed his depot, left St. Germain (3SP) in charge of the siege in Munster and advanced into Hesse (47SP) to confront Frederick before he could join with Cumberland.
Frederick, hearing from Cumberland that he could not join him in time to fight D'Estrees, decided against a battle and moved to block D'Estrees supplies. Keith (2SP) was detached and force marched South to the fortress of Frankfurt and garrisoned it. Frederick force marched to Munster, surprised and overwheImed St. Germain who was captured with his entire command. These two maneuvers cut D'Estrees supply lines. "This is not the same as facing Cumberland', thought D'Estrees, as his head chef complained without end aboul !no champagne or olive oil in the camp.
In Swedish Pommerania, Brunswick (10SP) having finished his siege depot and lines. commenced a bombardment of Stralsund. Within a week, mid July, a large breach was made in the old fortress walls and Hamilton (7SP) beat a parley. Hamilton had in his possession a letter from the Swedish court offering the evacuation of Stralsund and the withdraw of Sweden from the war. In return free passage was to be granted to the Swedish army to return to Sweden and all their prisoners returned. Brunswick agreed in the Kings name left a garrison (1SP) and force marched to W Pommerania. By the end of July he was in E Pommerania. Sweden's Baltic empire was no more.
As Frederick moved into E Saxony on his way West, Browne sensed an opportunity to recover Koniggratz and Prague. He moved to Moravia to prepare it as his base of operations and to make sure he was far enough away in case the Prussians doubled back.
Early July also saw the long awaited arrival of the Russian army, under FM Apraxin (23SP), as they entered E Prussia and moved towards the fortress of Konigsberg. (2SP) By mid July they were building a siege depot and lines.
Frederick and Cumberland sent orders to all their commands to concentrate in Hesse. Keith was sent for but to leave his garrison behind and Karl was ordered to leave Munster with a garrison (1 SP) and move to Hesse. As the Prussians (32SP) entered Hesse they were joined by Cumberland (15SP) who put himself under Frederick's command. D'Estrees (47SP) had no great desire to stay cut off in Hesse and fight the combined Allied army. He retreated to Frankfurt and attempted to storm the fortress. He failed (-2SP) but was back in supply from the Palatinate. He continued his march into the Palatinate and sent a garrison to Mainz. (1SP)
Browne, seeing that Frederick's move West was not a feint, force marched to Koniggratz and called for his siege train while preparing a depot.
As D'Estrees moved back to the Palatinate the Allied army force marched after him into Frankfurt. When there the Prussian garrison (2SP) was exchanged for a Hanoverian one. (1SP) As soon as the exchange was completed they pushed on to the Palatinate and in early August caught D'Estrees outside of Mainz before he could retire.
Battle of Mainz
D'Estrees (44SP) knew the battle he was about to fight would be a desperate one. The King of Prussia had not come all this way West merely to escort him across the Rhine. Unfortunately for D'Estrees the field of battle was not offering him any help. He had been caught on a large plain with nothing to anchor either flank on and only a shallow stream that would be no obstacle. Also his back was to the Rhine with only one crossing point nearby.
D'Estrees placed all of his heavy cavalry on his left in two large units under Contades. His infantry was in the center in two lines under Chevert and Broglie. A mixed advance guard of light infantry, light cavalry. and some infantry all under Artois were on the right in advance of his main line. His dispositions complete, D'Estrees placed himself in the center of his army to better observe all his commands, his only plan being to react to the enemy.
As Frederick (Pr 32SP and Han 14SP) marched his army on to the battlefield, lie. was surprised to see the entire French army deployed as it was. He had expected the. French to Push forward a sacrificial rear guard as the rest of the army escaped. But a full battle was more to Frederick's liking. He could not afford to stay any longer in the West. Word had reached him of the Austrians and Russians, made bolder by his absence, stirring.
Frederick quickly gave his senior commanders their orders for deployment and attack. Schwerin was on the right with a front rank of elite infantry back by heavy cavalry, To his left was Ferdinand with a front line of infantry backed by heavy cavalry. To his left was Keith with a front line of infantry backed by light cavalry. Though Cumberland was under Frederick's orders he deployed his own army so as to fall in with Frederick's overall battle plan. Under his personal command was a front line of infantry backed by cavalry. These were to Keith's left. To Cumberland's left was Zastrow with a small infantry force in two lines.
Frederick's plan was to rely upon the quality of his Prussian infantry and follow up with his mounted troops. He would advance in echelon by commands leading with his right. He left Cumberland in nominal charge of the left with orders to pin the French in front of him and not to get into trouble.
As the Allies closed up on the French, D'Estrees advanced his heavy cavalry and advanced guard to slow them up. He ordered the cavalry to slowly withdraw in front of the Prussians and for the advanced guard to shift more to their right to out flank the Hanoverians. Cumberland countered this by passing his cavalry to his left and placing it under Zastrow's command.
The first real action was with the French heavy cavalry. It was having a problem withdrawing quickly enough and Contades ordered it to about face in front of the enemy. This caused some confusion and the Prussian light cavalry from Keith's command exploited it by attacking the rear of the inside left heavy cavalry group. The light cavalry quickly destroyed the rear most units and forced the rest to turn back around. The light cavalry now found themselves outnumbered and in difficulties but did riot retire until supporting infantry had come up into tiring range. They then passed through the gaps left by the infantry to reorganize in the rear. The French cavalry now found itself under tire but their own infantry had advanced to close behind them and had left no gaps for them to retire through. The orders were quickly issued but by the time they could retire two thirds of them were destroyed.
The next major action now happened on the French right. Artois with the advanced guard moved forward and pushed the enemy back slightly. Zastrow and Cumberland stiffened their lines with reserves as Zastrow also launched his cavalry in a counter attack. The Hanoverian cavalry crushed the French cavalry and proceeded to roll up the advanced guard as Zastrow and Cumberland switched over to the attack. These move destroyed Artois command and forced D'Estrees to commit Broglies infantry to hold the line.
As things settled down on the French right their left started up again. Contades gathered up all his remaining cavalry and launched them in a series of frontal attacks against the Prussian elite infantry. It was hoped to overthrow them and destroy the Prussian right. It was an act of desperation and though it did cause some disorder to the Prussians, they held firm and caused grave casualties to the French. The destruction of the French cavalry was completed by the Prussian heavy cavalry. They came out from their supporting position and destroyed their exhausted enemy.
Frederick looked out over the battlefield, saw the time was ripe, and ordered a general advance. The French were pushed back all across the field while taking severe losses. French senior officers fought valiantly to stem the tide but it was of no use. D'Estrees himself was captured while trying to rally a battalion and that proved to be the final straw as the French streamed off of the field as a rabble. Sadly for the French the allied cavalry was fresh and eagerly chased after the French. For Frederick and the Prussians it was a day of glory. For Cumberland and the Anglo-Allied army it was one of revenge. In the final tally the result to the French was devastating. In an eight hour battle they had lost almost two thirds of their men on the field and virtually all the rest had deserted or been captured. The Allied losses were negligible. (Fr -26SP cas and -17SP cap vs Pr -1SP and Han -1SP)
Frederick watched in the mid August twilight as another column of prisoners was brought in by his light cavalry. Major von Keller, his aide de camp, coughed discreetly to warn his King that Cumberland was approaching. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty" squealed the Duke. "What a glorious day for us all." Frederick looked towards Cumberland and felt sorry for the horse that had to carry that bulk. "Yes a great day indeed. May I present to you the Comte D'Estrees, Marshal of France. Our late opponent." Cumberland was struck dumb. He had not known of D'Estrees capture. He was more surprised by what happened next. "I give him to your care and protection along with all the prisoners captured. Also I shall leave General Keith with a detachment under your command. I must return to Prussia as soon as possible. Write to your father the King and send the letter with D'Estrees. It will more than make up for Wesel." Cumberland was ecstatic. A great victory at minimal losses and a French Marshal to carry home the news. Father would be pleased.
D'Estrees listened to Frederick and Cumberland decide his fate. Being a prisoner in London would not be so bad. There would be balls, operas, and concerts to attend, an introduction to the King and Queen themselves, perhaps even a hand in the peace negotiations that would most probably take place. Most importantly there would be time to write letters and shift the blame to others. "Besides" mumbled D'Estrees to himself "I'm at least rid of that damn whining chef of mine."
As D'Estrees pondered his fate, Contades, the new French commander, met quickly with Broglie and Chevert. "Quit arguing you two" snapped Contades "There is more than enough blame to share around for this catastrophe. Besides D'Estrees won't be around to defend himself. As for the present, Broglie you are to go to Coblenz, Chevert to Mainz. Both of you prepare your fortresses for a long siege. I'm going to Strasbourg with our surviving troops (1 SP) and prepare it for a siege. Remember gentlemen we are fighting now to preserve France from invasion and to gain time to form a new army.
More Great Saxon War 1756
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© Copyright 2000 Hal Thinglum
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