Order of battle for the Battle of Fontenoy facts for kids

Battle of Fontenoy with key to French and Allied deployments.

The Battle of Fontenoy happened on May 11, 1745. It was a very important fight during the War of the Austrian Succession. This battle was between two large armies. One was the Pragmatic Army, made up of soldiers from the Netherlands, Britain, Hanover, and a few from Austria. Their leader was the Duke of Cumberland. The other army was the French, led by King Louis XV of France. However, the real commander on the battlefield was Maurice de Saxe.

Both armies had about the same number of soldiers, around 50,000 each. The French had more cavalry (soldiers on horseback), while the Allies had more infantry (soldiers on foot). It's hard for historians to agree on the exact numbers. This is because official records from that time are often incomplete or use different ways to count. For example, many British soldiers first listed as "missing" were later found to be killed or wounded.

The French Army at Fontenoy (1745)

Historians have different ideas about how many soldiers were in the French army. It's tough to know the exact number right before the battle. Experts often guess by multiplying the number of groups (battalions and squadrons) by an average number of soldiers in each. For example, one historian, Skrine, estimated 690 soldiers per battalion and 160 per squadron. But this method can be tricky. Armies often have fewer soldiers than planned due to illness, desertion, or injuries before a battle.

French Army Overview

The French army was led by Marshal Maurice de Saxe. They had about 52,000 soldiers, with around 47,000 actually fighting. This included about 32,000 infantry in 55 battalions and 14,000 cavalry in 101 squadrons. Their total losses were between 7,000 and 7,500 soldiers.

French Infantry Units

Here are some of the main French infantry groups and their losses:

French Cavalry and Artillery

The French also had a strong cavalry force and many cannons.

The Allied Army at Fontenoy (1745)

The Allied army was called the Pragmatic Army. It included soldiers from Britain, Hanover, the Netherlands, and Austria. Their total strength was about 50,000 soldiers. This included 52 infantry battalions and 85 cavalry squadrons. They also had 93 cannons. Overall, the Allies lost about 7,370 soldiers. Many were also captured or went missing.

British Soldiers at Fontenoy

The British part of the Allied army was led by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. They had about 21,000 soldiers. This included 16,170 infantry in 20 battalions and 4,656 cavalry in 26 squadrons. The British lost about 3,879 soldiers and 21 cannons.

British army units had different strengths. A "battalion" was a group of foot soldiers, usually 9 or 10 companies. A "squadron" was a group of cavalry (horse soldiers). The number of soldiers in a unit could change a lot during a war due to sickness, injuries, or new recruits.

British Foot Soldiers

The British infantry was led by Sir John Ligonier.

British Horse and Artillery

The British cavalry was led by Lieutenant General James Campbell. They also had artillery with 47 guns.

Hanoverian Soldiers at Fontenoy

The Hanoverian part of the Allied army was led by General Zastrow. They had about 7,000 soldiers and lost 1,741.

Austrian Soldiers at Fontenoy

The Austrian part of the Allied army was smaller, led by Marshal Joseph Königsegg. They had about 2,000 soldiers and lost 420.

Dutch Soldiers at Fontenoy

The Dutch part of the Allied army was led by Karl August, Prince of Waldeck. They had about 22,000 soldiers and lost 1,541.

Dutch Horse and Artillery

The Dutch cavalry and artillery also played a part in the battle.