Battle of Schellenberg

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Schellenberg


caption=Assault on Schellenberg.
Tapestry detail by Judocus de Vos
partof=the War of the Spanish Succession
date=2 July 1704
place= Donauwörth, Bavaria
result=Allied victory
combatant1=flagicon|England England

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)." [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Flag] from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: "The oriflamme and the Chape de St Martin were succeeded at the end of the 16th century, when Henry III., the last of the house of Valois, came to the throne, by the white standard powdered with fleurs-de-lis. This in turn gave place to the famous tricolour."] France
flagicon|Bavaria Bavaria
commander1=Duke of Marlborough
Margrave of Baden
commander2=Comte d'Arco
Marquis de Maffei
strength1=22,000
strength2=12,000, [Sources vary: Chandler states 10,000; Spencer 13,000; and Churchill 14,000.]
16 guns
casualties1=1,342 killed,
3,699 wounded [Chandler: "Marlborough as Military Commander," p. 137]
casualties2=~5,000 killed or drowned,
~3,000 captured [Exact numbers are not known.] The Battle of Schellenberg, also known as the Battle of Donauwörth, was fought during the War of the Spanish Succession on 2 July 1704. The assault on the Schellenberg heights on the River Danube was part of the Duke of Marlborough’s campaign to rescue Vienna, the capital of Habsburg Austria, from King Louis XIV's forces ranged in southern Germany.

Marlborough had commenced his march from Bedburg, near Cologne, on 19 May; within five weeks the Duke had reached the Danube where he sought to bring the Elector of Bavaria's forces to open battle. However, the Allied army’s lines of supply were established in Franconia and central Germany, too far north to be convenient once the line of the Danube had been crossed. It was therefore necessary not only to secure a bridge across the river, but also to obtain a new supply base. To achieve these objectives, the Allied commanders chose the walled town of Donauwörth, overlooked by the fortress on the Schellenberg Heights.

Once the Franco-Bavarian commanders knew of the Allies’ objective, they dispatched Count d’Arco with 12,000 men to strengthen and hold the position. Marlborough’s co-commander, Louis of Baden, preferred a protracted siege; however, with news arriving that Marshal Tallard was approaching with French reinforcements, the Duke insisted on an immediate assault. Within two hours the Allies had secured their objective, but at considerable cost; the "coup de main" had cost the Allies some 5,000 casualties, and the defenders, 8,000. Nevertheless, with a supply base and river crossing firmly secured, the Duke of Marlborough – soon to be reinforced by Prince Eugene of Savoy – could now fight the battle he had desired.

Background

"See also: ‘Background’, Battle of Blenheim"

The Battle of Schellenberg was part of the Grand Alliance’s campaign of 1704 to prevent the Franco-Bavarian army from threatening Vienna, the capital of Habsburg Austria. The campaign culminated on 20 December with the fall of Trarbach, but the main event occurred earlier on 13 August at the Battle of Blenheim where the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the Franco-Bavarian army under the command of Marshal Tallard.

The campaign began in earnest on 19 May when the Marlborough began his 250 mile (400 km) march from Bedburg in the Spanish Netherlands towards the Elector of Bavaria's and the Marshal Marsin’s Franco-Bavarian army on the Danube. The Allies had initially deceived the French Marshals Villeroi and Tallard into thinking their target was Alsace or the Moselle, but since the Elector had been notified on 5 June of Marlborough’s march from the Spanish Netherlands, he had feared, correctly, that it was his principality of Bavaria that was the Allies real target.Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 173] By 22 June Marlborough’s army had linked up with elements of the Margrave of Baden’s Imperial forces at Launsheim; their combined strength now totalled 80,000 men.

Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I was keen to lure the Elector back into the Imperial fold after he had switched allegiance to fight for King Louis XIV before the war. Given this duplicity, Marlborough thought the best way to secure Bavaria for the Alliance was to negotiate from a position of strength by first defeating the Franco-Bavarian army in the field. To facilitate this endeavour, the Allies would need a convenient forward base for provision and ammunition storage, as well as a good crossing-place over the Danube (they could not rely on their over-extended supply lines which passed through Nördlingen and, even further away in Nuremberg). [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 172] For their part, the Elector and Marsin were unsure if Marlborough and Baden would attack Donauwörth or Augsburg – since both would be advantageous to the Grand Alliance – however, the Allied commanders selected the town of Donauwörth, overlooked to the northeast by the ‘bell-like’ hill, the Schellenberg. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 174. Described thus by General Churchill's chaplain.]

Prelude

In 1703 Marshal Villars had advised the Elector to fortify his towns, " … and above all the Schellenberg, that fort above Donauwörth, the importance of which the great Gustavus taught us." [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 174] The Elector, whose relationship with Villars had since collapsed, had initially ignored the advice to repair and strengthen the decaying defences, but once it was realised that Donauwörth was to be attacked, Count d’Arco, a Piedmontese officer, was instructed to bolster the town and hold the Schellenberg. D’Arco was entrusted with 12,000 men from the Franco-Bavarian camp at Dillingen, most of whom were drawn from Bavaria’s best units including the Elector’s Guards and the regiment of the Prince Electoral, led by veteran officers. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 174. Spencer states 13,000] In total, the garrison defending the Schellenberg consisted of 16 Bavarian and seven French infantry battalions, six squadrons of French and three squadrons of Bavarian dragoons, supported by 16 guns. In addition, Donauwörth was held by a French battalion and two battalions of Bavarian militia. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 29]

On the night of 1–2 July, the Allies were camped at Amerdingen, convert|15|mi|km from Donauwörth. It was at Amerdingen when Marlborough received an urgent message from Prince Eugene that Marshal Tallard was marching with 35,000 troops through the Black Forest to reinforce the Franco-Bavarian army on the Danube. This news convinced Marlborough that he did not have time for a protracted siege and, despite protestations from Baden – arguing that a direct assault would incur severe casualties – the Duke planned for an outright assault on the position.Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 31]

[
Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years' War, by first taking the Schellenberg.]

D’Arco knew the whereabouts of the Allied position at Armerdingen and was confidant he had at least a full day and night to prepare his defences; however, in the early hours of 2 July, the Allied army began to break camp for the march towards Donauwörth. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 176] Marlborough personally oversaw the advance of an initial assault force of 5,850-foot (predominately English and Dutch grenadiers), drawn in groups of approximately 130 from each battalion under his command. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 31. These were mainly grenadiers and other volunteers to storm the defences first.] Behind these chosen men Marlborough had brought eight battalions in support and a further eight in reserve consisting British, Dutch, Hanoverian and Hessian troops. The Duke entrusted the assault force to the Dutch General Johan Wigand van Goor, who was supported by Henry Lumley's and Graf Reynard van Hompesch’s 35 squadrons of British and Dutch cavalry and dragoons. The Margrave of Baden’s wing of the army marched behind Marlborough’s vanguard at a less challenging pace.

As the Allies marched, work on the Schellenberg and Donauwörth’s defences were proceeding in earnest – guns were mounted, a palisade built around the position’s perimeter, and trenches dug outside the breastworks to make them doubly effective. However, at 09:00 on 2 July, d’Arco learnt of the Allied advance towards his position and promptly ordered his infantry to assist his engineer’s defensive preparations. A French commander and chronicler of the period, Colonel Jean Martin de la Colonie, later wrote – "The time left to us was too short to complete this satisfactorily … " [La Colonie: "Chronicles of an Old Campaigner, 1692–1717," p. 179]

Although the Allied march was slowed by the muddy roads, by mid-afternoon the river Wörnitz had been crossed at Ebermorgen. Marlborough ordered his Quartermaster-General, William Cadogan, that as soon as he had completed his journey to the outskirts of Donauwörth, he was to mark out land for an encampment within sight of the Schellenberg to give the impression the Allies were intending a leisurely siege.Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 177] Count d’Arco watched Cadogan’s preparations and, falling for the deception, left the supervision of the still incomplete defences to lunch with the French commander of Donauwörth, Colonel DuBordet, safe in the belief that he had the rest of the day and night to finish the defences. However, as the Allied columns marched purposefully onwards, intent on launching an immediate assault, they were spotted by the Bavarian outposts, who, after setting fire to the hamlet of Berg, rushed off to sound the alarm; General d’Arco, rudely interrupted from his comfortable lunch, rushed up the Schellenberg and called his men to arms. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 33]

Battle

Battlefield

The Schellenberg heights dominate the skyline to the northeast of Donauwörth – the walled town on the confluence of the Wörnitz and Danube rivers. With one flank of the hill protected by dense, impenetrable trees of the Boschberg wood, and the river Wörnitz and marshes protecting its southern and western quarters, the Schellenberg heights offer a commanding position for any defender. Its oval shaped summit, half a mile in diameter, was flat and open, and its 70 year old defences, including an old fort built by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War, were neglected and in a dilapidated state. The walls of Donauwörth were second rate and lacked the sophistication often attributed to the designs of King Louis’ military engineer, Marquis de Vauban. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 29]

Initial manoeuvres

Although Marlborough knew a frontal attack on the Schellenberg would be costly, he was convinced that it was the only way of securing the speedy capture of Donauwörth. [ Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 177. Marlborough calculated that each extra hour the enemy had to prepare their defences, would equate to the loss of 1,000 men.] A female dragoon, Christian Welsh, remembered, "Our vanguard did not come into sight of the enemy entrenchments til the afternoon; however, not to give the Bavarians time to make themselves yet stronger, the duke ordered the Dutch General Goor … to attack as soon as possible." [Christian Welsh, known also as Mother Ross or Mrs Davies, had concealed her identity and enlisted in the army as a man in 1693.] As a preliminary to the attack, Marlborough’s artillery commander, Colonel Holcroft Blood, pounded the enemy from a position near Berg; each salvo countered by d’Arco’s guns from Gustavus’s fort and from just outside the Boschberg.

General d’Arco now ordered de la Colonie’s French infantry into reserve on top of the Heights (above the breastworks manned by the Bavarians), ready to plug any gaps in their defences at the appropriate time. However, due to the flatness of the summit, this position offered his men limited protection from the Allied guns. This exposure was noted by Colonel Blood who, sighting his guns upon the summit, was able to inflict serious casualties upon de la Colonie’s men. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 179] De la Colonie later recorded – "They concentrated their fire upon us, and with their first discharge carried off Count de la Bastide … so that my coat was covered with brains and blood." [La Colonie: "The Chronicles of an Old Campaigner", p. 182] Notwithstanding this barrage, and despite losing five officers and 80 grenadiers before firing a shot, de la Colonie maintained it was absolutely necessary that the French regiment stayed at their post. [La Colonie: "Chronicles of an Old Campaigner, 1692–1717," p. 183. De la Colonie was determined to maintain discipline and ensure his regiment would be in good order when called into action.]

Marlborough's first assault

In the van of the main Allied attack was the ‘forlorn hope’. This force of 80 English grenadiers from the 1st English Foot Guards, led by Viscount Mordaunt and Colonel Richard Munden, was designed to draw the enemy fire to enable the Allied commanders to discern the places where the enemy was both at its strongest and at its weakest. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 179. Spencer states 50 men] Although Mordaunt and Munden survived the day, little more than a handful of the forlorn hope were not killed. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 179. Spencer states 10 men, and Falkner p. 39 states 17 men of the ‘forlorn hope’ survived the day.]

At 18:00, close behind the forlorn hope, the main force began its advance. The disciplined march of the attackers up the hill shortly turned into a furious assault, shouting at the top of their voices as they pressed forward. "The rapidity of their movements, together with their loud yells, were truly alarming", recalled la Colonie, who, in order to drown out the shouts and hurrahs, ordered his drummer to beat "charge".La Colonie: "The Chronicles of an Old Campaigner", p. 184]

As the range closed, the Allies became easy targets for the Franco-Bavarian musket- and grape-shot; the confusion exacerbated by fizzing hand-grenades thrown down the slope by the defenders.Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 34] To aid their assault, each Allied soldier carried a bundle of fascines (earlier cut from the Boschberg wood), with which to bridge the ditches in front of the breastworks to speed their passage. However, the fascines were mistakenly thrown into a dry gully – formed by the recent summer rains – instead of the Bavarians’ defensive trench. Nevertheless, the Allies continued to push forward joining battle with the Bavarians in savage hand-to-hand fighting. Behind the defences the Elector’s Guards and la Colonie’s men bore the brunt of the attack so that, "The little parapet which separates the two forces became the scene of the bloodiest struggle that could be conceived." However, the Anglo-Dutch forces failed to penetrate the defences and were forced to fall back to their lines. General Van Goor, who had led the attack, numbered among the Allied fatalities in the assault.

Marlborough's second assault

The second assault proved no more successful. The Allied brigade and regimental commanders had the greatest difficulty in bringing their troops forward again.La Colonie: "Chronicles of an Old Campaigner, 1692–1717", p. 186] Requiring from them another concerted effort, they personally led the men from the front into a second torrent of musket-shot and grenades. [La Colonie states the defenders had ‘several wagon loads’ of grenades.]

Again the Allies left many dead and wounded at the enemy palisade including Count von Styrum who had led the second assault. With broken ranks, and in confusion, the attacking troops fell once more back down the hill. With the Allies repulsed for a second time, the exultant Bavarian grenadiers, with bayonets fixed, poured over their breastworks to pursue the attackers and drive them to defeat. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 35] However, English guardsmen, aided by Lumley’s dismounted cavalrymen, prevented a total rout, compelling the Bavarians back behind their defences. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 180]

Baden’s assault

At this moment, after the Allies had twice failed to storm the enemy’s defences on the Schellenberg, Marlborough received intelligence that the defences linking the town walls with the breastwork on the hill were now sparsely manned (Marlborough's unsuccessful attacks had drawn d’Arco's men away from other parts of the defences, leaving his left flank almost defenceless and highly vulnerable). [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 36. This intelligence was discovered by a soldier who had drifted off to the right of the attack. De la Colonie states a lieutenant and 20 men were sent off to reconnoitre the area.] The other Allied commander, the Margrave of Baden (who had entered the battle half an hour after Marlborough), also noticed this opportunity and was soon hurrying with his grenadiers from the hamlet of Berg, and across the Haiback stream to assault the position.Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 36]

Critically, Donauwörth’s garrison commander had withdrawn his men inside the town, locked the gates, and could now only offer scattered shots from its walls. [La Colonie: "Chronicles of an Old Campaigner, 1692–717," p. 187. De la Colonie states the commandant thought this was the best way to secure the town, however " … the result was our ruin."] Baden’s Imperialist troops (now supported by eight of Marlborough's reserve battalions), easily breached these now weakened defences, defeated the two battalions of infantry and a handful of cavalry still defending the area, and were able to form up at the foot of the Schellenberg, interposing themselves between d’Arco and the town.

Noticing the danger, Count d’Arco hurried to the rear to summon his dismounted French dragoons (held back in the lee of the hill) in an attempt to stem the advancing Imperialists marching up the glacis. However, three companies of Baden's grenadiers confronted them with concentrated volleys, forcing the cavalry to retire. This action subsequently left d’Arco out of position and out of contact with his main force fiercely resisting on the crest of the hill. D’Arco headed for the town and, according to de la Colonie – " … had some difficulty in entering owing to the hesitation of the commandant to open the gates."La Colonie: "The Chronicles of an Old Campaigner", p. 190]

Breakthrough

Aware that the Imperialist troops were entering into the Schellenberg, Marlborough launched a third assault. This time the attackers formed a broader front, requiring the defenders to spread their fire, thus reducing the deadly effectiveness of their musketry and grenades; but the defenders, including la Colonie, (unaware that the Imperialists had penetrated the defences on their left and that d'Arco had retreated to Donauwörth), [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 182. Spencer states that d’Arco had assumed the rest of his men had preceded him into the town but in this, he was mistaken.] were still confident in their ability to repel the enemy – "We remained steady at our post; our fire was regular as ever, and kept our opponents in check."

Shortly after Baden’s breakthrough, the Franco-Bavarian forces fighting on the hill became conscious of lines of greyish-white uniformed infantry approaching from the direction of the town. Many of the French and Bavarian officers, including de la Colonie, initially thought that the advancing troops were reinforcements from DuBordet’s garrison in Donauwörth, but it soon became apparent that they were in fact the forces of Baden’s Imperialists. De la Colonie described the scene – "They [Baden's Imperialist grenadiers] arrived within gunshot of our flank about 7:30 in the evening, without our being aware of the possibility of such a thing. So occupied were we in defence of our own particular post … " Baden’s forces, after establishing themselves at the summit of the Heights on the Allied right, now fired upon the surprised defenders of the Schellenberg, compelling a re-alignment in the Franco-Bavarian forces to meet this unexpected threat. Consequently, Marlborough’s assaulting troops on the Allied left, supported by a fresh echelon of dismounted British dragoons, were able to scramble over the now weakly defended breastwork and push the defenders back to the crown of the hill. The enemy fell into confusion. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 37]

The outnumbered defenders of the Schellenberg had resisted the Allied assaults for two hours but now under pressure from both Baden's and Marlborough's forces, their stalwart defence was over. As Panic spread through the Franco-Bavarian forces, Marlborough unleashed 35 squadrons of cavalry and dragoons to pursue the fleeing troops; ruthlessly cutting down the enemy soldiers. There was no easy escape route however (a pontoon bridge over the Danube had collapsed under their weight), and many of d’Arco’s troops, most of whom could not swim, drowned trying to cross the fast-flowing river.Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 39]

Aftermath

"See also: ‘Prelude’, Battle of Blenheim"

De la Colonie was one of the few to escape but the Elector of Bavaria had lost many of his best troops, the destruction of which had a profound effect on the ability of the Franco-Bavarian forces to face the Allies in the rest of their campaign. Very few of the men who had defended the Schellenberg rejoined the Elector’s and Marsin’s army. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 183] However, included amongst this number were the Comte d'Arco and his second-in-command, the Marquis de Maffei, both of whom later defended Lutzingen at the Battle of Blenheim.

Of the 22,000 Allied troops engaged, some 5,000 had become casualties, overwhelming the hospitals that Marlborough had set up in Nördlingen. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 184. Spencer states about 6,000] Amongst the Allied fatalities were six lieutenant-generals, four major-generals and 28 brigadiers, colonels and lieutenant-colonels including Count von Styrum, reflecting the exposed positions of senior officers as they led their men forward in the assaults. No other action in the War of the Spanish Succession claimed so many lives of senior officers. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 184]

The victory produced the usual spoils of war. As well as capturing all the guns on the Schellenberg, the Allies captured all the regimental colours (apart from de la Colonie’s Grenadiers Rouge Régiment), their ammunition, baggage and other rich booty. However, the large casualty figures caused some consternation throughout the Grand Alliance including the Dutch in The Hague. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 191] Although the Dutch cast a victory medal showing Baden on the obverse and a Latin inscription on the other side, there was no mention of the Duke of Marlborough. [Coin translation: "The enemy defeated and put to flight and their camp plundered at Schellenberg near Donauwörth, 1704."] The Emperor, though, wrote personally to the Duke: "Nothing can be more glorious than the celerity and vigour with which … you forced the camp of the enemy at Donauwörth". [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 192]

With the town of Donauwörth abandoned that night by Colonel DuBordet, the Elector, who had arrived within sight of the battle with reinforcements only to see the flight and massacre of his best troops, drew his garrisons out of Neuburg and Ratisbon, and fell back behind the river Lech near Augsburg. The position of the Elector and his co-commander Marshal Marsin was now less secure, and were desperate for Marshal Tallard’s reinforcements currently "en route" through the Black Forest.

Marlborough’s options were limited after the taking of Donauwörth because he lacked large siege guns – he could take neither Augsburg nor Munich, but nevertheless he was determined to lure the Elector into battle before Tallard arrived. [Chandler: "Marlborough as Military Commander," p. 136. The Imperialist siege train had fallen into enemy hands the previous year. Other guns had been held up at Mainz and Nuremberg.] However, since Schellenberg, neither Allied commander could agree on their next move and a protracted siege of Rain ensued with the town eventually falling on 16 July. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 212. Both commanders felt that the action at Schellenberg was primarily his victory.]

Throughout July Marlborough sent his troops deep into Bavaria on raids of destruction, burning buildings and destroying crops, trying to lure the Elector into battle or convince him to change his allegiance back to Emperor Leopold. This spoliation in Bavaria, causing privation to the peasantry, led to entreaties from the Elector’s wife, Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska, for him to rejoin the Imperial cause and divest himself of the French alliance; Leopold also hoped that the Elector would return to the Imperial fold and offered a full pardon, as well as subsidies and restoration of all his territories. [Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 217. The emperor also offered additional lands of Pfalz-Neuburg and Burgau.] Although the Elector wavered somewhat in his allegiance to King Louis, his resolve to continue fighting against Leopold and the Grand Alliance was stiffened when news arrived that Tallard’s reinforcements of 35,000 men would soon be in Bavaria. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 44. Tallard was unimpressed that the Elector had dispersed his men in response to Marlborough's spoliation in the region. Spencer p. 216 states the Elector's did this only to protect his own assets.] However, reinforcements were also heading to bolster Marlborough's and Baden’s forces: Prince Eugene, shadowing Tallard, was heading south with 18,000 men. [Falkner: "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory," p. 44. Falkner states 20,000.]

On 5 August the three Allied commanders – Marlborough, Baden and Eugene – met to decide their next move. A plan by Baden to besiege the city of Ingolstadt on the Danube, with a force of 15,000 men, was enthusiastically agreed to by Marlborough and Eugene, despite leaving the Allied army numerically inferior. [ Spencer: "Blenheim: Battle for Europe," p. 220. Marlborough and Eugene were keen to have rid of their ally. They knew the coming days would be fast and furious and the more cautious nature of Baden would be a hindrance.] This Allied army, totalling 52,000 men, now without the commander who led the Imperialist forces on the Schellenberg, would meet the Franco-Bavarian forces, numbering 56,000 men, in and around the small village of Blindheim on the Danube river. The engagement, fought on 13 August 1704, would become known in Europe as the Battle of Höchstädt, and in Britain, as the Battle of Blenheim.

Cultural references

* Joseph Addison's poem [http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/5419 "The Campaign"]

Notes

References

Primary

* La Colonie, Jean Martin de. "The Chronicles of an Old Campaigner", (trans. W. C. Horsley), (1904)

econdary

*Chandler, David G. "Marlborough as Military Commander". Spellmount Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-86227-195-X
*Churchill, Winston. ", Bk. 1, vol. ii". University of Chicago Press, (2002). ISBN 0-226-10633-0
*Falkner, James. "Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory". Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2004. ISBN 1-84415-050-X
*Spencer, Charles. "Blenheim: Battle for Europe". Phoenix, 2005. ISBN 0-304-36704-4
*Tincey, John. "Blenheim 1704:The Duke of Marlborough's Masterpiece". Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2004. ISBN 1-84176-771-9