Battle of Minden

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Battle of Minden

Date	August 1, 1759
Location	Minden, North Germany
Result	British-Hanoverian-Prussian victory

Combatants

Great Britain, Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia

France

Commanders

Prince Ferdinand

Louis Georges Érasme de Contades

Strength

60,500

56,000

Casualties

2,800

10,000-11,000

Seven Years' War: European theatre
Minorca – Lobositz – Reichenberg – Prague – Kolin – Hastenbeck – Gross-Jägersdorf – Moys – Rossbach – Breslau – Leuthen – Krefeld – Domstadtl – Zorndorf – Hochkirch – Bergen – Kay – Minden – Kunersdorf – Hoyerswerda – Maxen – Meissen – Landshut – Warburg – Liegnitz – Torgau – Villinghausen – Kolberg – Burkersdorf – Lutterberg – Freiberg

The Battle of Minden was a battle fought on August 1, 1759 during the Seven Years' War. A Prussian-Hanoverian-British army under Prince Ferdinand fought a French army.

Contades placed his artillery in the center protected only by the cavalry. His infantry were placed on either flank, an exception to the norm of the era in which the cavalry were usually placed on the flanks and the infantry in the centre.

The battle began on the French right flank, where Marshal de Broglie, who commanded the reserve, began an assault on the allied left. In the centre, due to a misunderstanding of orders, a brigade of British infantry, supported by the Hanoverian Guards, actually advanced to attack the French cavalry. Decimated by French shot and canister, these stalwart infantry actually succeeded in driving off repeated French cavalry charges with musket fire and inflicted serious casualties on Contades' horsemen.

Supported by the well-served British and Hanoverian artillery, the entire allied line eventually advanced against the French army and sent it fleeing from the field. The only French troops capable of mounting any significant resistance were those of Broglie, who formed a fighting rear guard.

This crowning victory for the allies was only marred by the conduct of Sir George Sackville, Ferdinand's cavalry commander. Sackville ignored repeated positive orders to bring up his troopers and charge the enemy until it was too late to make a difference. For his conduct at the battle he was later tried by court martial and declared "...unfit to serve His Majesty in any capacity whatsoever."

Prince Ferdinand's army had nevertheless won the day, suffering 2,800 fatalities; the French lost between 10,000 and 11,000 men.

The father of the Marquis de La Fayette was killed in this battle. Marshal de Contades was subsequently relieved of his command and replaced by the Duc de Broglie, mentioned above, who had commanded the reserve on the French right flank.