The
Battle of Villinghausen (or Vellinghausen
) was fought on 15 and 16 July 1761 between a large
French army and a combined Prussian
-Hanoverian-British
force led by Prince Ferdinand of
Brunswick.
Two French
armies, under two Marshals, Duc de Broglie and
Prince de
Soubise met up in July 1761, intending to force Prince
Ferdinand out of Lippstadt
, an important town. The allied
Prussian-Hanoverian-British forces lined up along a series of
hills, with their left anchored by the Lippe River
(in the north), and the Ahse
River in their centre. The French army advanced on 15
July, and Broglie's troops in the north made progress against
German troops under Wutginau. However, British troops under
Granby just south
of Wutginau held their ground and the French assault stalled.
Reinforcements for both sides arrived that night and Ferdinand
strengthened his left at the expense of his right.
The next morning, Broglie continued his attack on the Allied left,
expecting Soubise to attack the weakened Allied right. However,
Soubise only ordered a few small actions against the right, due in
part that both French commanders were the same rank and reluctant
to take orders from the other. Allied reinforcements under
Wolff soon arrived along the Lippe River and attacked
the French flank, halting Broglie's attack and forcing his men to
withdraw. By about noon, the French were in full retreat and the
battle was over.
Notable Officers and Regiments
Notable officers on the Prussian-Hanoverian-British side include:
- Colonel John Manners, Marquess of
Granby, 21st Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Royal
Forresters)
- Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Cornwallis,
2nd Earl Cornwallis , 12th Regiment of Foot
- Major General George Townshend, 4th
Viscount Townshend , possibly the 24th Regiment of Foot
- Pierre-François,
Marquess of Rougé, lieutenant-general, who died in action at
this Battle, such as his cousin the Duke of Croÿ-Havré
See also
References
Sources
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