The Queen’s Regiment
of Horse breaking through on the right flank; seen here capturing the
kettle-drummer of the Bavarian Electoral Guards.
Map of the Low
Countries during the War of the Spanish Succession. The village of Ramillies
lies near the Mehaigne, a tributary of the Meuse.
Date
May 23, 1706
Location
Ramillies, north of Namur in the Spanish Netherlands (today
Belgium)
Opponents
(1) British, Dutch,
Danes
(2) French
Commander
(1) John Churchill,
First Duke of Marlborough
(2) Marshal
François de Neufville, Duc de Villeroi
Approx. # Troops
(1) 62,000
(2) 60,000
Importance
Allows the allies to overrun much of the Spanish Netherlands
The Battle of Ramillies was an important allied victory
against the French during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) and a
personal triumph for the principal allied general, John Churchill, First Duke
of Marlborough. Following the splendid allied victory at Blenheim in August
1704, a stalemate developed in the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium),
where Marlborough saw his desire for offensive operations frustrated by caution
on the part of the Dutch. Operations along the Rhine and in northern Italy were
inconclusive. This situation prevailed throughout 1705.
In May 1706 French marshal François de Neufville, Duc de
Villeroi, believing that Marlborough intended to seize Namur in the province of
Brabant in the Spanish Netherlands, moved there with about 60,000 men.
Villeroi’s army was intercepted north of Namur at Ramillies by Marlborough’s
allied force of about 62,000 British, Dutch, and Danish troops. The French took
up position on high ground and partially entrenched, their center on Ramillies.
The French position, however, was dangerously overextended.
The battle occurred on May 23, 1706. Marlborough feinted an
attack on the French left. To meet this threat, Villeroi shifted his reserves
and pulled some units from his right wing, whereupon Marlborough launched his
main attack on that weakened sector. Although the French soldiers on the right
flank fought well, the men were simply outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Sensing that the entire French line was near collapse,
Marlborough ordered a general advance, aided by the aggressive action of the
Danish cavalry. The French fled in disorder. Marlborough ordered a vigorous
pursuit, and indeed his forces inflicted most of the casualties in this phase
of the battle. The pursuit ended some 20 miles from Louvain. Total French
casualties amounted to some 13,000 killed or wounded and 6,000 captured. Allied
losses were only 1,066 dead and 3,633 wounded.
The Battle of Ramillies had significant consequences,
allowing the allied forces to overrun the Spanish Netherlands. During
June–October, Marlborough took a dozen important fortresses in the Netherlands
and north-eastern France, including Antwerp, Dunkirk (Dunkerque), Menin,
Dendermonde, and Ath. The allies also captured an additional 14,000 prisoners.
In August, King Louis XIV ordered Marshal Louis Josef, Duc de Vendôme, north
from Italy to replace Villeroi and also put out tentative peace feelers.
References: Chandler, David G. Marlborough as Military
Commander. London: Batsford, 1973. Churchill, Winston S. Marlborough: His Life
and Times, Vol. 2. London: Harrap, 1934. Hugill, J. A. C. No Peace without
Spain. Oxford, UK: Kensal, 1991. Jones, J. R. Marlborough. New York: Cambridge
University Press, 1993.
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