Battle of Minden

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Minden
partof=the Seven Years' War
date=August 1, 1759
place=Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
result=Decisive Allied Victory
combatant1=flagicon|United Kingdom|1606 Great Britain
flagicon|Hanover|1692 Hanover
flagicon|Prussia|1750 Prussia
combatant2=flagicon|France|restauration [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...". * [http://www.anyflag.com/history/fleur23.htm] The original Banner of France was strewn with fleurs-de-lis. * [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgdisplaylargemeta.cfm?strucID=585779&imageID=1236061&parent_id=585395&word=&s=&notword=&d=&c=&f=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&lword=&lfield=&num=0&imgs=12&total=98&pos=1&snum=] :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)."] France
commander1=flagicon|Prussia|1750 Prince Ferdinand
commander2=flagicon|France|restauration Louis Georges Érasme de Contades, Marquis de Contades
strength1=42,500 and 187 guns cite book | first=Bryan | last=Perrett | title=The Battle Book | publisher=Arms and Armour Press | location=London, England | year=1992 | id=ISBN 1-85409-328-2 p. 206.]
strength2=54,000 and 170 guns .
casualties1=2,762 killed, wounded or missing .
casualties2=7,086 killed, wounded or missing .

In the Battle of Minden, a Prussian-Hanoverian-British army under Prince Ferdinand defeated a French army under the Marquis de Contades on August 1, 1759 during the Seven Years' War.

Battle

In an exception to the norm of the era, Contades placed his artillery in the center protected only by the cavalry, with his infantry on either flank.

The battle began on the French right flank, where Marshal de Broglie, who commanded the reserve, began an artillery duel against the allied left. In the centre, due to a misunderstanding of orders, a brigade of British infantry, supported by the Hanoverian Guards, actually advanced to attack the French cavalry. Decimated by French shot and canister, they drove off repeated French cavalry charges with musket fire and inflicted serious casualties on the French horsemen.

Supported by the well-served British and Hanoverian artillery, the entire allied line eventually advanced against the French army and sent it fleeing from the field. The only French troops capable of mounting any significant resistance were those of de Broglie, who formed a fighting rear guard.

Aftermath

Prince Ferdinand's army suffered 2,800 fatalities; the French lost between 10,000 and 11,000 men.

Ferdinand's cavalry commander, Sir George Sackville, was accused of ignoring repeated orders to bring up his troopers and charge the enemy until it was too late to make a difference. In order to clear his name he requested a court martial, but the evidence against him was substantial and the court martial declared him "...unfit to serve His Majesty in any capacity whatsoever." [The transcript of this can be found in the British Public Record Office.] Sackville would later reappear as Lord George Germain and bear a major portion of the blame for the American Revolution.

The father of the General Lafayette was killed in this battle. Marshal de Contades was subsequently relieved of his command and replaced by the Duc de Broglie.

Minden in regimental tradition

The British regiments which fought at Minden, namely:
* 12th of Foot. (Suffolk Regiment)
* 20th Foot. (Lancashire Fusiliers)
* 23rd of Foot. (Royal Welch Fusiliers)
* 25th of Foot, (King's Own Scottish Borderers)
* 37th of Foot. (Royal Hampshire Regiment)
* 51st Foot (King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry)

The descendents of these are still known as "the Minden Regiments".

When the British Infantry were first advancing to battle they passed through some German gardens and the soldiers plucked roses and stuck them in their coats. In memory of this, each of the Minden regiments marks the 1 August as Minden Day. On that day the men of all ranks wear roses in their caps. The Light Infantry wear Yorkshire white roses.

From this tradition, and to mark the heroism of the Yorkshiremen who fought, 1 August has been adopted as Yorkshire Day.

Mystery roses

Every year from 1967, six red roses are anonymously delivered to the British Consulate General in Chicago on August 1. Only in 2001 and 2002 were no roses sent. A note that comes with the roses lists the six regiments and says, "They advanced through rose gardens to the battleground and decorated their tricorne hats and grenadier caps with the emblem of England. These regiments celebrate Minden Day still, and all wear roses in their caps on this anniversary in memory of their ancestors." The consulate asks for the name of the sender so that they may thank the individual in person, but the identity of the donor remains a mystery.

ee also

*John Manners, Marquess of Granby
*Granville Elliott

External links

* [http://www.britishbattles.com/seven-years/minden.htm Battle of Minden at www.britishbattles.com]
* [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0803vplettersbriefs3aug03,0,5828484.story Minden mystery roses]

References