Battle of Melle
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Melle was a small meeting engagement
fought on 9 July 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession
, between forces of the Pragmatic Allies
and the French following the battle of Fontenoy
that would have serious consequences for the Pragmatic Army of the allies and Flanders
. The allies, under Lieutenant General
Moltke, were attempting to send more troops to defend the city Ghent
, one of their major supply depots. The French, commanded by Lieutenant General Du Chayla, had sent their force to establish a crossing and a post south of the river Scheldt
around the town of Melle to begin isolating Ghent.
, Marshal Saxe began to exploit the weakness of the allies and maneuvered so as to threaten Brussels
and Brabant
, Ghent and Flanders
forcing Duke of Cumberland, over-all commander of the allies, to choose which places to defend. Of the allies' two major magazines, Ghent and Brussels, Ghent was of more value as the supplies there had been reserved while those in Brussels had been used. However, Cumberland decided to defend Brabant and Brussels with the field army
while sending some troops to increase the garrison of Ghent and issuing orders to transport the supplies out of Ghent.
Saxe sent Du Chayla on a reconnaissance in force to Melle, a small town between Ghent and the town of Alost. His command consisted of two infantry brigades, Normandie and Crillon, each consisting of four battalions; a detachment of Grassins, light infantry
, and three brigades of cavalry: Berry, Royal Étranger and Du Roy, some twenty four squadrons. There were about twenty small battalion guns and twenty pontoon
s in a camp being established on and around the road that ran between the town of Alost and Ghent. Parts of the Normandie brigade, some two battalions, were dispersed in various posts along the Scheldt and the road to Ghent as was the some of Crillon. Du Chayla sent his light troops, the Grassins, towards Alost to reconnoitre.
Moltke had orders from Cumberland to throw as many troops as possible from Alost into Ghent to reinforce the garrison. Moltke's force was made up of a brigade commanded by Brigadier Thomas Bligh
of three British infantry regiments: the Royal Scots, or 1st Foot; Bligh's
20th Foot and Handasyde's 16th Foot; three squadrons of a British cavalry regiment, Rich's 4th Dragoons; two squadrons of Hanoverian cavalry: one of the Leib-Regiment and one of Adelebsen's Dragoons; five or six squadrons of Dutch cavalry from Slippenbach's Dragoons; and two or three squadrons of Austrian cavalry: de Ligne's and Styrum's Dragoons and some 300 Austrian Hussars.
On July 9 the light troops of the Grassins advanced east towards Alost and occupied the Château de Massenem, a strong walled complex some eight miles west of Alost near Melle. Moltke sent the Royals to drive them off and a vigorous fire-fight broke out, but without artillery the Royals were unable to dislodge de Grassin and his men. The 1st Foot then rejoined the rest of the force and it was decided by Moltke, without informing Bligh, to leave the Grasssins in the rear and advance as instructed down the raised causeway road to Ghent.
Despite some notice of the allied advance from messengers sent by de Grassin, Du Chayla's force was fairly dispersed in various posts along the route and in the process of making camp. The twenty artillery pieces were in park along the road facing north, baggage wagons and pontoon wagons in rows behind them. A stone bridge on the road crossing the Gontrode Brook, a stream that flowed into the Scheldt, was unguarded and a walled priory flanking the road only lightly occupied. One battalion of the Normandie brigade was posted in the town of Melle another well to the west of Melle. The battalions of Crillon brigade were also dispersed around the area, some taking post or billeting in the various chateaus and farm houses with one battalion astride the road west of the bridge. Both sides were surprised by the contact, the French by the sudden arrival of the allies in force while the French were in the process of establishing their camp and the allies by the size and positions of the French force.
Moltke, with the Royal Scots, led the advanced guard column of about 1,700 troops consisting of some 650 infantry of the Royal Scots and about 1,050 cavalry. They crossed the bridge, charged and dispersed the Crillon battalion commencing the action at about 7 p.m.. They then rushed up the road and overran the artillery park briefly capturing the guns. However, as the guns were unlimbered in park, not for action, the Royals were unable to use them against the French. The Duc de Laval and his battalion of the Crillon brigade then came up behind the pontoons and wagons engaging the Royal Scots soon to be followed by two more battalions led by Le Marquis de Crillon . The nature of the terrain was unfavorable to cavalry and the allied cavalry was unable to aid the Royals. During the ensuing musketry duel, Moltke decided to take the Hussars and Rich's Dragoons and some Hanoverian cavalry and make a dash for Ghent. A small detachment of Du Berry's cavalry held them up as some of the Normandie brigade arrived forcing Moltke off the causeway onto other tracks. A French battalion cut the road behind them. Now Moltke broke off with the entire force and headed for Ghent running a gauntlet of fire from the various French posts along the roads and ways and abandoning the rest of the column, losing about one half of this force, including nearly 400 of the Royal Scots.
During this time, Bligh came up the road with his regiment, the 20th Foot, with some of the Dutch cavalry following. Next came Handasyde's 16th with the rest of the cavalry. With Moltke gone, Bligh assumed command of the nearly 1,450 infantry and some 1,000 cavalry. The ground around the road was unfavorable to the cavalry of both sides and would not permit full deployment with the French firing from front and flank, so Bligh fell back to better position in a field south of the road behind the Gontrode Brook rivulet with most of his center and his left behind some woods and his right on the raised causeway on the other side from priory. This covered him from the fire of a couple of companies of French grenadiers behind the wall of the priory and gave him a defensible front of rough terrain that prevented any cavalry actions. The regiments formed a line of battle with the cavalry in support advancing on and engaging the French that came up. Du Chayla counter-attacked, perhaps now five battalions: Laval, two of Crillon and two of Normandie from Melle, about 2,000 strong, with a battery of artillery and most of the French cavalry in support. While the two sides were locked in a fire-fight, the Grassins that had been bypassed by the allies earlier in the day now arrived in Bligh's rear capturing all the baggage and supplies and cutting the line of retreat down the road to Alost.
Bligh, seeing that he was now in danger of losing his whole force, withdrew at about 9 p.m., in some disorder, through the woods and fields to the south-east, staying off the road until he was near to Alost where he arrived with considerable loss, including all the baggage.
with another 15,000 troops to complete the investment of the city. Lowendal opened the trenches and the Dutch governor surrendered. The city of Ghent
, with an immense amount of supplies and material along with its garrison consisting of Dutch and some 700 British troops from the Royals 1st Foot, the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers and most of Rich's surviving dragoons fell to the French on July 11 and the citadel on July 15. This was soon followed by the capture of Bruges and Oudenarde on July 19.
Meeting engagement
A meeting engagement, a term used in warfare, is a combat action that occurs when a moving force, incompletely deployed for battle, engages an enemy at an unexpected time and place.-Description:...
fought on 9 July 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, between forces of the Pragmatic Allies
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was an edict issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to ensure that the throne of the Archduchy of Austria could be inherited by a daughter....
and the French following the battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
that would have serious consequences for the Pragmatic Army of the allies and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. The allies, under Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Moltke, were attempting to send more troops to defend the city Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, one of their major supply depots. The French, commanded by Lieutenant General Du Chayla, had sent their force to establish a crossing and a post south of the river Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
around the town of Melle to begin isolating Ghent.
Preliminary maneuvers
After the French victory at the battle of Fontenoy and the capture of the city of TournaiTournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
, Marshal Saxe began to exploit the weakness of the allies and maneuvered so as to threaten Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, Ghent and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
forcing Duke of Cumberland, over-all commander of the allies, to choose which places to defend. Of the allies' two major magazines, Ghent and Brussels, Ghent was of more value as the supplies there had been reserved while those in Brussels had been used. However, Cumberland decided to defend Brabant and Brussels with the field army
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
while sending some troops to increase the garrison of Ghent and issuing orders to transport the supplies out of Ghent.
Saxe sent Du Chayla on a reconnaissance in force to Melle, a small town between Ghent and the town of Alost. His command consisted of two infantry brigades, Normandie and Crillon, each consisting of four battalions; a detachment of Grassins, light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
, and three brigades of cavalry: Berry, Royal Étranger and Du Roy, some twenty four squadrons. There were about twenty small battalion guns and twenty pontoon
Pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...
s in a camp being established on and around the road that ran between the town of Alost and Ghent. Parts of the Normandie brigade, some two battalions, were dispersed in various posts along the Scheldt and the road to Ghent as was the some of Crillon. Du Chayla sent his light troops, the Grassins, towards Alost to reconnoitre.
Moltke had orders from Cumberland to throw as many troops as possible from Alost into Ghent to reinforce the garrison. Moltke's force was made up of a brigade commanded by Brigadier Thomas Bligh
Thomas Bligh
Thomas Bligh was a British soldier, best known for his service during the Seven Years' War when he led a series of amphibious raids, known as "descents" on the French coastline...
of three British infantry regiments: the Royal Scots, or 1st Foot; Bligh's
Thomas Bligh
Thomas Bligh was a British soldier, best known for his service during the Seven Years' War when he led a series of amphibious raids, known as "descents" on the French coastline...
20th Foot and Handasyde's 16th Foot; three squadrons of a British cavalry regiment, Rich's 4th Dragoons; two squadrons of Hanoverian cavalry: one of the Leib-Regiment and one of Adelebsen's Dragoons; five or six squadrons of Dutch cavalry from Slippenbach's Dragoons; and two or three squadrons of Austrian cavalry: de Ligne's and Styrum's Dragoons and some 300 Austrian Hussars.
The battle
Despite some notice of the allied advance from messengers sent by de Grassin, Du Chayla's force was fairly dispersed in various posts along the route and in the process of making camp. The twenty artillery pieces were in park along the road facing north, baggage wagons and pontoon wagons in rows behind them. A stone bridge on the road crossing the Gontrode Brook, a stream that flowed into the Scheldt, was unguarded and a walled priory flanking the road only lightly occupied. One battalion of the Normandie brigade was posted in the town of Melle another well to the west of Melle. The battalions of Crillon brigade were also dispersed around the area, some taking post or billeting in the various chateaus and farm houses with one battalion astride the road west of the bridge. Both sides were surprised by the contact, the French by the sudden arrival of the allies in force while the French were in the process of establishing their camp and the allies by the size and positions of the French force.
Moltke, with the Royal Scots, led the advanced guard column of about 1,700 troops consisting of some 650 infantry of the Royal Scots and about 1,050 cavalry. They crossed the bridge, charged and dispersed the Crillon battalion commencing the action at about 7 p.m.. They then rushed up the road and overran the artillery park briefly capturing the guns. However, as the guns were unlimbered in park, not for action, the Royals were unable to use them against the French. The Duc de Laval and his battalion of the Crillon brigade then came up behind the pontoons and wagons engaging the Royal Scots soon to be followed by two more battalions led by Le Marquis de Crillon . The nature of the terrain was unfavorable to cavalry and the allied cavalry was unable to aid the Royals. During the ensuing musketry duel, Moltke decided to take the Hussars and Rich's Dragoons and some Hanoverian cavalry and make a dash for Ghent. A small detachment of Du Berry's cavalry held them up as some of the Normandie brigade arrived forcing Moltke off the causeway onto other tracks. A French battalion cut the road behind them. Now Moltke broke off with the entire force and headed for Ghent running a gauntlet of fire from the various French posts along the roads and ways and abandoning the rest of the column, losing about one half of this force, including nearly 400 of the Royal Scots.
During this time, Bligh came up the road with his regiment, the 20th Foot, with some of the Dutch cavalry following. Next came Handasyde's 16th with the rest of the cavalry. With Moltke gone, Bligh assumed command of the nearly 1,450 infantry and some 1,000 cavalry. The ground around the road was unfavorable to the cavalry of both sides and would not permit full deployment with the French firing from front and flank, so Bligh fell back to better position in a field south of the road behind the Gontrode Brook rivulet with most of his center and his left behind some woods and his right on the raised causeway on the other side from priory. This covered him from the fire of a couple of companies of French grenadiers behind the wall of the priory and gave him a defensible front of rough terrain that prevented any cavalry actions. The regiments formed a line of battle with the cavalry in support advancing on and engaging the French that came up. Du Chayla counter-attacked, perhaps now five battalions: Laval, two of Crillon and two of Normandie from Melle, about 2,000 strong, with a battery of artillery and most of the French cavalry in support. While the two sides were locked in a fire-fight, the Grassins that had been bypassed by the allies earlier in the day now arrived in Bligh's rear capturing all the baggage and supplies and cutting the line of retreat down the road to Alost.
Bligh, seeing that he was now in danger of losing his whole force, withdrew at about 9 p.m., in some disorder, through the woods and fields to the south-east, staying off the road until he was near to Alost where he arrived with considerable loss, including all the baggage.
Aftermath
The defeat cut off Ghent from any further support. Saxe sent Ulrich Frédéric Woldemar, Comte de LowendalUlrich Frédéric Woldemar, Comte de Lowendal
Ulrich Frédéric Woldemar, Comte de Lowendal was a German-born French soldier and statesmen. Born in Hamburg, he served in the armies of several countries, but is best known for his service in the French army during the War of the Austrian Succession. In the French campaign in the Austrian...
with another 15,000 troops to complete the investment of the city. Lowendal opened the trenches and the Dutch governor surrendered. The city of Ghent
Fall of Ghent
The Fall of Ghent occurred on 15 July 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession when a 5,000 strong French force under Ulrich Frédéric Woldemar, Comte de Lowendal surprised and captured the town of Ghent in the Austrian Netherlands. The Allied garrison offered little resistance.Coming in the...
, with an immense amount of supplies and material along with its garrison consisting of Dutch and some 700 British troops from the Royals 1st Foot, the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers and most of Rich's surviving dragoons fell to the French on July 11 and the citadel on July 15. This was soon followed by the capture of Bruges and Oudenarde on July 19.