Washington Journal., 1942-05-29

liant, though indecisive victories.
In the War Of the Austrian Succession
In 1744, when France proceeded more ag-
gressively in the War of the Austrian Sue
c~ession, the L0wendal regiment, still fighting
in Flanders, prominently shared in the
French sieges and captures of Menin, Ypres
and Furnes. Presently the campaign shifted
to the Alsace, where Count LOwendal's regi-
ment brilliantly stormed the village of Augen-
helm, defended by superior numbers Of Aus
trian grenadiers and Hungarian hussars.
Late in 1744 de Kalb shared in the French
conquest Of the Breisgau in Baden and
in November Of the same year took part with
his regiment in the storming of Freiburg
there. 1t was a bloody affair, wherein no
less than 10000 of the French army fell,
among them many Germans OF the regiment
L0wendal.
In the following year the regiment rejoined
Marshal Moritz Of Saxony's troops in the
Netherlands, where Count L0wendal com
manded the French reserves. His regiment,
together with other German and Irish merce-
naries, helped win the Battle of Fontenoy ON
May II, 1745. 1t was the famous affair where
the French royal musketeers by way Of open
ing the engagement swept their plumed hats
low to the opposing front ranks of English
men and invited their fire, shouting: "Tires,
I6S VTCUtttfS, w 6SSt6WTS t6S hNtytUCo! Il IdyJ
shoot first, English gentlemen).
After that victory came the French cap
lures of Sieges, Client, Ostende, Newport and
after further warfare those of Ecluse, Sas de
Gand and Bergen op Zoom, whereupon a mar
shal's baton was conferred upon Count
L0wendal. The war ended for the French
with the siege and storming of Maestricht,
leading to the Peace of AK la Chapelle,
called Aachen by the Germans.
In all those engagements, sieges, marches
and conference.-the de Kalb evidently gave
a good account Of himself, for he was twice
promoted on the battlefield to First Lieuten-
ant and then to Captain, presently rising to
the grade of Regimental Adjutant. 1t was
a high privilege for him to have learned the
art of war under two such renowned COM
manders as Marshals Lowendal and Prince
Moritz Won Sachsen, who as "Marechal de
SAKE" made himself a name as one of the
foremost modern military leaders in Europe.
Count L0wendaI's Right Bower
After the conclusion Of peace Count Lowen-
dial appointed de Kalb as "0facaer de detail"
to the virtual command of the regiment dur
ing the Counts and his lieutenant ~colonel's
prolonged absences at the Court of Versail-
les. De Kalb could not have won SO respon-
sible a post, had he not proved himself a
brave leader in battle as well as a trustworthy
and tactful executive officer.
AS Officer de Detail he ably managed the
affairs of the famous regiment during gar
rison duties at Pfalzburg in the Palatinate
and Cambray in Flanders. Because of his
humane intercession for a soldier Of his regi-
ment, whom a courtmartial had condemned
to death, he was called to Paris for a con
ference with the Minister Of War, Count
~d'Argenson. The Count approved not only of
de Kalb's action and obtained a royal pardon
for the condemned man, but took so warm
a liking to de Kalb that he mentioned him
favorably to King Louis XIV.
De Kalh profted by his personal acquaint-
ance with the Minister Of War presently to
submit to him a new plan for a future inva-
sion of England or some of her colonies by
means of Dutch and Irish sailors and marines
to be employed in the French fleet, together
with the Irish regiments already in the French
Army. He had been prompted to formulate
this ambitious project while serving under
the Mar6chal de SAKE, when that marshal
together with the Scotch Pretender, Prince
Charlie, was attempting an invasion of Eng
land from Dunkirk. In the strategic plan
submitted to the Minister by de Kalb he critic
ally analysed the reasons for the recent
failure Of a French attempt to capture
Jamaica and also for the French loss to the
English of Fort st. Louis on Santo Domingo.
His ~critique showed that he had made a
special study of French and English military
mistakes in America.
In the Seven Years War
Though de Kalb was repeatedly summoned
to Paris to confer with high officers concern
ing his plan, it's execution hung fire and finally
came to nothing because of the outbreak of
the Seven Years War. The only immediate
result for de Kalb was his promotion to
Major.