Battle of Ekeren
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ekeren, June 30, 1703 was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession
. The French
surrounded a Dutch
force, which barely avoided complete destruction. This battle ended all hopes for a decisive allied victory in the Spanish Netherlands in 1703.
on May 15, Marlborough now wanted to conquer Ostend, Antwerp, or force the French to an open battle. He ordered the Dutch General Coehoorn
to march to Ostend
and lay siege to it. Dutch general Van Sparre would march south west of Antwerp, Dutch General Obdam would march south from Bergen op Zoom
, and Marlborough himself would march on Lier
.
As in the year before, the United Provinces
were not keen to engage the French in an open battle, nor to open the ports of Antwerp and Ostend to English commerce and thus to their competition with the Dutch. Therefore, Coehoorn did not besiege Ostend, but plundered the countryside between Ostend and Antwerp.
Obdam marched on June 28 from Bergen op Zoom to Antwerp, arriving the next day at Ekeren, seven kilometres from Antwerp.
Villeroi
was not misled by Marlborough's diversionary manoeuver, and sent all his troops from Diest
to Antwerp to protect it. Marlborough, hearing of this, tried to warn Obdam and ordered a withdrawal to Lillo, but Obdam reacted too slowly.
s marched from Merksem
and Ekeren
in the direction of Kapellen to cut off the escape route near Hoevenen for the Dutch to return to Breda
and Bergen-op-Zoom. The Marquis
of Bedmar and his Spanish troops were positioned near Wilmarsdonk
. This ensured that the Dutch forces were surrounded on all sides.
Soon Dutch reconnaissance discovered the French dragoons and Obdam immediately sent his cavalry to Hoevenen, but it was too late, the village was packed with French troops. An attempt to conquer neighboring Muisbroek also failed. Then the French attacked, and Obdam tried to take Oorderen
, an attack which was briefly successful before the French retook the village.
The fighting went on for the entire day. By eight o'clock there was no more sign of Obdam, and Slangenburg decided to attempt an attack on Oorderen, this time by a surprise bayonet charge led by Friesheim. Friesheim sent his men wading through the water, appearing where the French had not expected them to. This action enabled the remaining Dutch troops to escape in the darkness towards the Netherlands.
wasn't congratulated at all, he was blamed for letting the chance of a total victory slip through his fingers.
Obdam survived and escaped south in the afternoon with thirty horsemen, disguising themselves as Frenchmen. When he arrived in the Netherlands, he wrote a letter admitting the total destruction of his army. His behaviour was not forgiven by the Dutch military, and his military career was destroyed.
Slangenburg, for his part, was acclaimed as a Dutch hero. He was also furious at Marlborough for being outmanoeuvered by the French and not coming to their aid.
The Dutch lost 1,717 killed, 1,003 wounded, and 694 who were prisoners of war or were missing
.
The French and Spaniards lost 1,750 men.
, Wilmarsdonk
and Lillo, has disappeared under the Port of Antwerp
expansion in the 1960s.
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. The French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
surrounded a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
force, which barely avoided complete destruction. This battle ended all hopes for a decisive allied victory in the Spanish Netherlands in 1703.
Prelude
After taking BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on May 15, Marlborough now wanted to conquer Ostend, Antwerp, or force the French to an open battle. He ordered the Dutch General Coehoorn
Menno van Coehoorn
Menno, Baron van Coehoorn was a Dutch soldier and military engineer of Swedish extraction. He made a number of influential weaponry innovations in siege warfare and fortification techniques...
to march to Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and lay siege to it. Dutch general Van Sparre would march south west of Antwerp, Dutch General Obdam would march south from Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city located in the south of the Netherlands.-History:Bergen op Zoom was granted city status probably in 1266. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a lordship as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate...
, and Marlborough himself would march on Lier
Lier, Belgium
Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier proper and the village of Koningshooikt. On January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per...
.
As in the year before, the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
were not keen to engage the French in an open battle, nor to open the ports of Antwerp and Ostend to English commerce and thus to their competition with the Dutch. Therefore, Coehoorn did not besiege Ostend, but plundered the countryside between Ostend and Antwerp.
Obdam marched on June 28 from Bergen op Zoom to Antwerp, arriving the next day at Ekeren, seven kilometres from Antwerp.
Villeroi
François de Neufville, duc de Villeroi
François de Neufville, 2ème duc de Villeroy was a French soldier.-Biography:Villeroy was born in Lyon into noble family which had risen into prominence in the reign of Charles IX....
was not misled by Marlborough's diversionary manoeuver, and sent all his troops from Diest
Diest
Diest is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Situated in the northeast of the Hageland region, Diest neighbours the provinces of Antwerp to its North, and Limburg to the East and is situated around 60km from Brussels. The municipality comprises the city of...
to Antwerp to protect it. Marlborough, hearing of this, tried to warn Obdam and ordered a withdrawal to Lillo, but Obdam reacted too slowly.
The battle
Early in the morning of June 30, French dragoonDragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s marched from Merksem
Merksem
Merksem is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It has almost 41,000 inhabitants.-History:The history of Merksem goes back to Gallo-Roman times. During that period the region was mentioned as Merk and Heim being part of the diocese Kamerijk...
and Ekeren
Ekeren
Ekeren is a northern district of the municipality of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The suburb celebrated its 850th birthday in 2005; the name of the town was first mentioned in 1155, as "Hecerna"....
in the direction of Kapellen to cut off the escape route near Hoevenen for the Dutch to return to Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
and Bergen-op-Zoom. The Marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
of Bedmar and his Spanish troops were positioned near Wilmarsdonk
Wilmarsdonk
Wilmarsdonk was a village in Belgium, north of Antwerp, which has disappeared under the Port of Antwerp expansion.The village was first mentioned in 1155 and merged into the city of Antwerp in 1927....
. This ensured that the Dutch forces were surrounded on all sides.
Soon Dutch reconnaissance discovered the French dragoons and Obdam immediately sent his cavalry to Hoevenen, but it was too late, the village was packed with French troops. An attempt to conquer neighboring Muisbroek also failed. Then the French attacked, and Obdam tried to take Oorderen
Oorderen
Oorderen was a small Belgian village near the city of Antwerp until 1965. It was demolished because of the extension of the Port of Antwerp.The village was first mentioned in 1116 and merged into the city of Antwerp in 1927....
, an attack which was briefly successful before the French retook the village.
The fighting went on for the entire day. By eight o'clock there was no more sign of Obdam, and Slangenburg decided to attempt an attack on Oorderen, this time by a surprise bayonet charge led by Friesheim. Friesheim sent his men wading through the water, appearing where the French had not expected them to. This action enabled the remaining Dutch troops to escape in the darkness towards the Netherlands.
Aftermath
The battle was a victory for the French, but BoufflersBoufflers
Boufflers is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Boufflers is situated on the D224 road, on the banks of the river Authie, the border with the Pas-de-Calais, some northeast of Abbeville.-Population:...
wasn't congratulated at all, he was blamed for letting the chance of a total victory slip through his fingers.
Obdam survived and escaped south in the afternoon with thirty horsemen, disguising themselves as Frenchmen. When he arrived in the Netherlands, he wrote a letter admitting the total destruction of his army. His behaviour was not forgiven by the Dutch military, and his military career was destroyed.
Slangenburg, for his part, was acclaimed as a Dutch hero. He was also furious at Marlborough for being outmanoeuvered by the French and not coming to their aid.
The Dutch lost 1,717 killed, 1,003 wounded, and 694 who were prisoners of war or were missing
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
.
The French and Spaniards lost 1,750 men.
Modern Location
A large part of the battlefield, including the villages of OorderenOorderen
Oorderen was a small Belgian village near the city of Antwerp until 1965. It was demolished because of the extension of the Port of Antwerp.The village was first mentioned in 1116 and merged into the city of Antwerp in 1927....
, Wilmarsdonk
Wilmarsdonk
Wilmarsdonk was a village in Belgium, north of Antwerp, which has disappeared under the Port of Antwerp expansion.The village was first mentioned in 1155 and merged into the city of Antwerp in 1927....
and Lillo, has disappeared under the Port of Antwerp
Port of Antwerp
The port of Antwerp, in Belgium, is a port in the heart of Europe accessible to capesize ships. Antwerp stands at the upper end of the tidal estuary of the Scheldt. The estuary is navigable by ships of more than 100,000 Gross Tons as far as 80 km inland. The inland location means that the port...
expansion in the 1960s.