The Irish standard., 1886-08-14
THE BATTLE OF FONTEN0Y.
The Causes Which Led to the Memorable
Battle Of l745, and the Result !
Great Victory for the Irish. ..
THE REPULSE OF THE ENGLISH.

iitL I'LL OLOl VI tili- t-HAllSih
"Cumimhnigidh ar Luimneac Agus ar fheile
na Sacsanach," (Remembsr Limerick
and British Faith.)
. Upon the death of Charles VI, En-
peror Of Austria, in 1740, his daughter
Maria Theresa, discovered that the
sovereigns of Europe, instead Of being
true to their oaths and to her, made
immediate claims upon her territories,
and prepared to enforce them to open
hostilities. In short time the cues
tion became a European quarrel, TO be
settled only by the doubtful issue Of
war. M.
Louis XIV. of France, and Frederick
the Great opposed her, while England,
Holland, Hungary, Bavaria and Han
over aided her in the protection Of those
rights which had been guaranteed to
her.
In prosecution of this war an army
Of 1000 men, commanded by Marshal
SAKE, aud encouraged by the presence of
both King and Dauphin, laid seige to
Tournay, early in May, l745. The
Duke of Cumberland advanced at the
head of $1,000 men, chiefly English and
Dutch, to relieve the town.
AT the Dukes approach, Sake and
king advanced a few miles from Tour
nay with $4,000 men, leaving $4,000 to
continue the seige, and 5000 to guard
the Scheld. Sake posted his army
along a range Of slopes thus: his center
was On the village of F'ontenoy, his left
stretched Off through the woods of Bar
ri. his right reached to the town Of
st. Antolne, close to the Scheld.
He fortified his right and center by
the villages of Fontenoy and St. An
tome, and redoubts near them. His ex-
treme left was also strengthened 10y a
redoubt in the woods Of Barri, but his
left center between that wood and the
village Of Fontenoy, was not guarded
bv anything save slight lines.
Cumberland had the Dutch, under
Waldeck, on his left, and twice they at
tempted to carry St. Antoine, but were
repelled with heavy loss. The same
Fate attended the English in the center,
who thrice forced their way to Fonte-
noy, but returned fewer and sadder
men. Ingoldsby was then ordered to
attack the wood of Barri with Cuinber~
lands right.
He did so, and broke into the wood.
when the artillery of the redoubt sud-
denly opened on him, which, assisted
by constant fire from the French tir-
ailleurs (light infantry,) drove him back.
The duke resolved to make one great
and final effort. He selected his best regi-
ments, veteran English corps, and
formed them into a single column of
5000. AT it's head were six cannon, and
as many more on the fanks, which cid
good service. Lord John Hay COM
manded this great mass.
Every thing being now ready, the
column advanced slowly and evenly: as
if on the parade ground.
1t mounted the slope of Saxe's posi-
ton, and pressed on between the wood
OF Barri and the village of Fontenoy.
In Going SO, it was exposed to cruel
FIRE Of artillery and sharp shooters; but
it stood the storm and got behind For
tenoy.
The moment the object Of the column
was seen, the French troops were 1,,ir-
riei in upon them. The cavalry
charged; but the English hardly paused
to offer the raised bayonet, and then
poured in fatal Ere. They disdained
to rush at the picked infantry of France.
On they went till within a short dis
tance, and then threw in their balls
with great precision, the officers actual
ly laying their canes along the muskets,
to make the men fire low. Mass after
mass of infantry was broken, and on
went the column, reduced, but still ap-
parently invincible.
DUO Richelieu had four cannons bur
ried to the front, and he literally bat
tered the head of the column, while til
household cavalry surrounded them,
and, i'll repeated charges, wore down
their strength; but these French were
fearful sufferers. Louis was about to
leave the field. &.
In this juncture SAKE ordered ,up his
last reserve-the Irish Brigade. Itcon-
sisted that day of the regiments of
Clare, Lally, Dillon, Berwick, Roth and
Buckley, with Fitzjames;s horse.
D'Brien, Lord Glare, was in command. |
Aided by the French regiments in
n Normandy and Vaisseany. they were
ordered to charge upon the flank of the
with fixed baYonet without fir
ng. Upon the approach of this splen-
lid. body Of men, the English were
matted on the slope of a hill, and up that |
,lope the brigade rushed rapidly and in
ine order. 4.
They were led to Immediate action,