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Battle of Dettingen 1743. |
 | Dettingen
 | In the long list of valorous deed performed by British Infantry
the stubborn fight in the trap at Dettingen stands out.
Well-fed troops have often done much, but when Englishmen,
Scotsmen and Irishmen are fighting, not only for their King, but
for their dinner, they have, in the words of Carlyle, "the
depths of potential rage almost unquenchable". The war
of the Spanish succession found England helping Maria Theresa
against France and Spain, but, more important still, fighting for
the Colonial Empire to be, that "half the world
industrial", then locked up under the seal of bigotry and
oppression. Frederick of Prussia had joined the two
Continental Powers, and so it fell out that in 1743 an English
army under Lord Stair, with George II and his son, afterwards to
be known as "The Culloden Butcher" was encamped at
Aschaffenburg, in Central Germany. Opposed to this body of
16,000 British and 24,000 Hessians and Hanoverians, were 70,000
French under the Marshal de Noailles. Outmanoeuvred and
provisionless, it became necessary to Stair to fall back on Hanau,
his depot. Agincourt was repeated. A body of 25,000 of
the enemy was drawn across the Maine between Dettingen and Hanau,
under the command of the nephew of De Noailles, the fire-eating De
Grammont. De Noailles had planned that De Grammont should
await the British as they struggled desparingly through the morass
and the stream, between him and them, and that those who escaped a
withering cross-fire should be destroyed to a man. No
generalship seemed more certain in its reckoning. With
blind, unthinking courage George and his men advanced on what
appeared assured destruction. The sight of a King and his
army delivered into his hands was, however, too much for De
Grammont, surrounded by firebrands as impetuous as himself.
He could not wait, and bustled from his fastness through the
stream and across the swamp that should have been so impassable to
his foe. The British, too, continued their forward movement,
and presently there was the shock of battle. First the light
squadrons of the British cavalry met the heavier enemy, and fell
back on their own infantry still doggedly plodding on. Not
until this sturdy wall of men was within sixty paces of the French
did they open fire. On they went, mowing down the foe, and
the De Grammont hurled his whole force of cavalry at them.
The first files were ridden over, but, opening their ranks, the
British raked the doomed horsemen through and across.
Finally, as a last resort, De Grammont commanded the French Guards
to make a flank attack. But, panic stricken, they flung
their arms away and rushed madly into the river. 6,000 of
the French were killed or wounded and De Noailles' hopes
shattered. In the fight George's horse bolted and dismounted
him, whereupon the brave King said he would remain on foot and
trust his legs not to run away with him. Wolfe, as a young
subaltern of sixteem, was present at this fight. |
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The Scots Greys during the Battle of Dettingen
Their next tour
of active service came in 1742, when they were ordered abroad. George II
was assisting Austria against Bavaria, France and Prussia. Lord Stair upon
whom the mantle of Marlborough had certainly not descended, managed to get
himself shut up in a regular trap. The army was closed in on nearly every
side in a narrow valley, a sort of gut between the river Maine and the
hills, cut off from forage and supplies of all sorts by the French
Marshal, Noailles. It was at this critical juncture that George himself,
with his son the Duke of Cumberland, who was soon to gain unenviable
notoriety as the "Butcher of Culloden", joined his army. Nothing
could be done except to retreat to Hanau, in order to join hands with the
Hanovarians and Hessians who were there. Accordingly the army moved away,
silently and stealthily. But the French received notice of the movement,
and a large force was drawn up directly in their path, with orders to
engage the English until the main body of the French could cross the river
and fall upon them. The French tactics were simple - tremendous volleys
musketry fire followed by cavalry charges. The Greys, now wearing the
high-pointed grenadier caps, supported the infantry for a time, but
chafing at their restraint, the colonel, James Campbell, a splendid leader
let them loose at the enemy. Uttering a tremendous yell, the Greys charged
like a whirlwind, and so admirably was the distance calculated, that they
fell at just the right moment upon the French and Prussian armour-clad
horsemen, whom they hurled back and chased to the very rear of their line.
The blood of officers and men alike was at fever heat. Nothing could
withstand their onslaught. With renewed impetus they dashed at the French
Household mailed warriors, utterly swept them off the field, and captured
their standard - a magnificent affair, made of white damask, richly
embroidered with gold and silver - and the field of Dettingen was won. The
most amazing circumstance in connection with the prominent part which the
regiment took in the battle was the extremely slight casualty list. One
officer and a few troopers were wounded, and only four horses were killed,
and two wounded.
Excerpt from the Navy and Army Illustrated January 15th
1897 by G F Bacon
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King George II Knighting Trooper Brown After the Battle of Dettingen by J P Beadle.
Private Thomas Brown of the 3rd kings own regiment of Dragoons, is knighted by King George the II, (The last reigning British Monarch to be at a Battle) Brown had recaptured the regimental guidon from the French during the battle
Open edition print. Image size 30 inches x 13 inches (76cm x 33cm). Price £45.00
Open edition print. Special Promotion : This print is 30% off for a limited time only! Image size 23 inches x 9 inches (58cm x 23cm). Price £31.92
Open edition print. Special Promotion : This print is half price off for a limited time only! Image size 12 inches x 6 inches (31cm x 15cm). Price £7.80
ITEM CODE DHM0322
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Battle of Dettingen by John Wootton.
Depicting King George II overlooking the Battle of Dettingen. He was the last British monarch to be at a battle.
Open edition print. Image size 13 inches x 10 inches (33cm x 25cm). Price £8.00
ITEM CODE VAR0208
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Charge of the Third Dragoons, Battle of Dettingen by Harry Payne.
Open edition print. Image size 8 inches x 12 inches (20cm x 31cm). Price £13.00
Original chromolithograph plate published by Raphael Tuck and Sons, 1915. Plate image size 7.5 inches x 5.5 inches (17cm x 14cm), paper size 10 inches x 7 inches (25cm x 17cm). Price £42.00
ITEM CODE VAR0607
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Battle of Dettingen, 1743 by Henry Dupray. (P)
Original antique print c.1890, mounted on card at the time. Some surface scratches and spotting on left hand edge. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £75.00
ITEM CODE HD0007
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