Battle of Rheinfelden

Warbox
conflict=Battle of Rheinfelden
partof=Thirty Years' War
date=1st battle, February 28th 1638 2nd battle March 3rd 1638
place=1st battle, North of River Rhine, NE of Rheinfelden, near Basel, present-day Germany. 2nd battle, S of River Rhine, E of Rheinfelden, present day Switzerland
result= Weimar victory
combatant1=
combatant2=flag|Holy Roman Empire
flagicon|BavariaElectorate of Bavaria
commander1=flagicon image|Flag Kurfuerstentum-Sachsen bis 1806.jpgBernhard of Saxe-Weimar
commander2=flagicon|BavariaJohann von Werth
flagicon|Holy Roman Empire Count Savelli
strength1=unknown
strength2=unknown
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=unknown

The Battle of Rheinfelden was in fact two battles fought to the north and south of the presesnt day town of Rheinfelden between a mercenary army led by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar and an imperial army led by Johan von Worth. Bernhard was defeated in the first battle but managed to defeat and capture Von Werth in the second.

Prelude

Following the Swedish defeat at the battle of Nordlingen (1634) Bernhard's mercenary army had come under the pay of France. Having been pushed back over the Rhine by the Imperial advance Bernhards army had settled in Alsace during 1635 and had done little except help repulse the Imperial invasion of France under the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand and General Gallas in 1636.

Early in Febryuary 1638, having been prodded by the french government Bernhard advanced his army to the Rhine in order to find a crossing. Arriving at the town of Rheinfelden (an important crossing point) Bernhard prepared to invest the town from the south and using the ferry at Beuggen threw troops across the river in order to complete the investment from the north. The attack on the town was to be made on March 1st.

In order to prevent this the Imperialists under the Italien Mercenary Count Savelli and Johann von Werth moved through the Black Forest to attack Bernhards army and relieve the town.

The First Battle

The advance guard of the Imperial army, coming down the right bank of the river was pushed back by Bernhard. This gave him time to deploy more troops and artillery onto the north bank of the river. However by the time Savelli appeared with the main body of his force only half of Bernhards army had made it to the north bank.

Bernhard drew up his army to prevent Savelli fom relieving the town. Savelli drew up the Imperial army opposite but because of the rough ground there was little chance for both armies to retain their formation. Savelli drove back Berhards left flank but on the opposite end of the field Bernhard routed the Imperial right. Like a revolving door both armies swung round giving Savelli the chance to capture the ferry and cut off Bernhard from his troops on the south back. At the days end the armies were facing each other in the positions that the other had started the battle in.

Bernhards March

Although the Imperialists held the field Bernhards losses were not seious and he resoved to unite both parts of his army. Avoiding Imperialist detatchments Bernhard marched east along the Rhine to the village of Laufenburg. There, having crossed the Rhine and united his army Bernhard turned back towards Rheinfelden.

The Second Battle

Believing Bernhards army defeated and scattered the Imperialist army failed to take precautions. Around 7am Savelli's outposts were astonished to see Bernhards army approach and withdrew towards Rheinfelden to report Berhards prescence as Savelli and Werth assembled their army in haste. Bernhard had his artillery fire three times into the Imperial ranks before a final charge broke the Imperialist army. Troops coming out of Rheinfelden to help were also caught by Bernhard and forced to surrender. Both Savelli and Werth were captured.

Aftermath

Bernhards victory enabled him to march north along the Rhine to initiate the siege of Breisach.

References

ources

C.V.Wedgewood "The Thirty Years War" Pgs 404-406