The Irish standard., 1886-10-16
At FAR-FAMED FONTENOY.
dow the Field Where the Irish
Brigade Became Immortal
Looks TODAY.
FOUGHT ON MAY nth, 1745.
How LITTLE the People Who Live Near the
Place Where the Battle was
Fought Know About Il.
dublin Freeman, September rs. /,

dublin Freeman, September :,j.l
Ever since first read Davis ''Fon-
tenoy,'' and that is a good many years
ago, wished to visit the scene Of the
battle which lie SD vividly describes. 1t
was one Of those wishes held somewhat
inde6mte]yand impracticaliy. However,
this year, travelling OH the continent,
determined to grat;fyjt. My historical
studies have not led me to entertain
much sympathy for the causes in Which
the Irish brigade principally figured,
least Of all the wars Of Louis XIV and
Louis Nv. But they were my country
men. driven into the service OF COnti-
mental powers by cruel oppression a.
home. l can never forget their history
or their bravery, how
more:
For OF, far distant fields, from nun|lirk to Bel
grade,
Lie the soldicrs and chiefs Of the Irish Brigade.
Returning, then, last week from Ger
many, via Cologne, we lett the main
line at Liege: went on TO Namur. and
had a delightful run up the valley OF
the Meuse to Givet. The scenery is
pleasing, and we hope some time to
explore it, perhaps taking Dinant as q
centre. Giyet is a bright little French
town, strongly fortified, overlooked by
a great citadel, and guarded by out
works on the opposite side Of the river.
AS we ratified over the drawbridge and
through The Notifications we thought
Of Peter Simple and O:Brien's escape
therefrom. II hope many OF your read
ers have taken as much enjoyment out
Of Marryat's novel as I have. Next
day we passed through the forest OF
the Ardennes, and reached Tournay in
time for dinner. Fontenoy is four
miles from Tournay. We drove there.
1t WAS d line afternoon. To,lrnay is
the centre Of q pottery aud tile indus
try. We passed I. number Of manufac-
tories and some fine villas. Crossing
the Escaut, up which some Of those ex-
QuisitelY neat and gaijy painted Dutch
boats were being towed by teams Of
horses, we entered the small town Of
ST. Antoine. There the Prince de
I4igne has {. chateau, the tower Of
which must command q view of the
surrounding cou:ltry. We called Oh his
steward to obtain permission to ascend
the tower, but were informed that as
the Prince was then at home such per-
mission could not be accorded. Half d
mile OF open cultivated country separ-
ates st. Antoine from Fontenoy. There
we interviewed sundry Of the lnhabi-
tants-tne smith working at his forge:
an old man leading a COW drawing a
harrow. a ploughman, a peasant girl
who kept the neat public house, and
who left her sewing machine TO answer
our questions. ALI we could get out of
any OF them was that a great battle had
been fought there-that this was Fon-
tenoy, that that was St. Antoine, and
lis wood. We then called OH the cure;
he was very civil but could not tell us
much more, SO We had TO fall back OH
the meager information afforded in a
'Iournay Guide,'' which we had
bought in the town, and on my recol
lection OF Davis poem.
The battle Of Fonteuoy was fought on
the 18th of May .1745. between the French
and the Irish Brigade under Louis AV.,
and the combined armies OF the Hall
ovarialls, Dutch and English. The inn
mediate object OF the battle was the
possession Of Tournay. The French
army was drawn up behind Fontenoy,
with st. Antoine on its right and the
wood on it's left. We have all read Of
the amenities with which tile contest
opened. "Gentlemen of the French
Guard cried Lord Hoy to the enemy
Fire Fire yourselves: we Leyer
fire iirst,' rejoined Count Auteroche,
commanding the French Grenadiers.
The assaults on the French position 10y
the allies were at first unsuccessful
Theu She British, advancing, in q
square, carried all before them, and the
day would have been lost but for The
intrepidity of the Irish Brigade and the
French reserves In preparation to the
number engaged, it was one of the most
hotly contested and bloody battles OF
the time. 1t is said to Louis XV's
credit that, wishing to inspire the
Dauphin with a horror Of var, he
brought him over the field in the even
ing and said, See, my son, what a
miserable thing is a victory
Let us now turn to Davis, al d quote
such lines from his poem as l can throw
light upon: fs
Thrice at the huts of Fontenoy the English
column failed.