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The Battle of Lincelles
By Geert van Uythoven.
Source: Journaal der Armée onder de orders van zyne Doorlugtige Hoogheid den Heere Generaal Erfprince van Orange etc. ['Journal of the army, commanded by his royal highness the hereditary
Prince of Organe]; headquarters, 18 August 1793:
"His
Royal Highness having agreed upon attacking the enemy posts Lincelles
and Blaton, the following disposition was carried
out, in agreement with the Duke of York, and planned by the Hereditary Prince
in cooperation with Lieutenant-Colonel Gomez and Colonel Schöller
in Imperial [i.e. Austrian] respectively Prussian service. The Duke of York has
given the assurance that, if necessary, he would support the attack with troops.
Therefore in
the morning, commanded by Major-General Van Drachstädt,
from Werwick marched the 1st bat/Waldeck
Regiment No.1 [German] with its battalion guns and the howitzer present there,
beside the 1st squadron/Cavalerie Regiment ‘(Van der Duijn) van ‘s Gravemoer’, one light infantry company of the Korps van Béon [French émigrés],
and the Jagers van Bylandt
[light infantry].
These received
the order to be in position on the height near the windmill of Blaton at five o’clock in the morning. At the same time,
the following troops had to be present there: the Infanterie
Bataljon Nassau-Usingen
[Walloon], [the Infantry Regiment] ‘May’ [Swiss] and Infanterie
Regiment No.1 ‘De Schepper’ [one battalion each],
beside two squadrons of the Regiment Garde Dragonders [guard dragoons]. These troops march from the
army under command of Major-General van ‘s Gravemoer,
crossing the Lys using the pontoon bridge at Boesbeck.
This whole column is commanded by Lieutenant-General Fuerst
of Waldeck, destined to capture the Blaton post. Attached to this column would, beside the battalion
guns, two howitzers and two 12-pdr cannon.
The main
column, commanded by the Commander in Chief General the Hereditary Prince of
Orange, consisted of the battalion Hollandsche Gardes [Dutch Guards], the Garde Zwitsers [Swiss Guards], and the grenadier battalions ‘Van Breydenbach’ and ‘Van Plettenberg’;
beside a battalion of the Infanterie Regiment No.6
‘Van Welderen’, with its battalion guns, to which was
attached two howitzers, two 12-pdr cannon, beside the Lijf-Eskadron
[Life-squadron] of the Regiment Garde Dragonders, three squadrons Hollandsche
Gardes te Paard [Dutch Horse Guards], and one squadron of the dragoon
regiment ‘Hessen-Kassel’. To this main column the
volunteers of Captain Matthieu were attached, to form
the advance guard and the flank patrols, in addition Lieutenant-General van Mönster, and the Major-Generals Van Golowkin,
Trebra, Rouse, Saumaise,
and Van Nostitz. The main column was destined to
capture the Lincelles post, and for this purpose they
left their encampment near Menin at half past four in
the morning, passing through this city and through Halluin
village, en then to the right to Lincelles.
The jaeger, hussars and infantry march with their cannon from
the post at Ronck under the command of Colonel Count
Van Bylandt; he has to take up position on the heights
near Blanc four, in an effort to try to cut off the enemy from Lincelles, and further to detach jaeger
with some infantry on the road from Lincelles to Bonduës. The main post of this column however has to remain
on the chaussee of Ronck,
to prevent the enemy to debouch from Bonduës.
The column of
the Prince van Waldeck has become master of Blaton without encountering much resistance. However, the
main column attacking Lincelles met with more
resistance. The Battaillon Hollandsche Gardes was deployed to the left, and except for its
battalion guns to support its attack on the entrenchments, for which it was destined, it received a 12-pdr cannon and a howitzer. The
Battaillon Garde Zwitsers
was more to the right, and received orders to turn Lincelles,
while the Hollandsche Gardes
marched straight towards the village. After having fired heavily, the enemy was
forced to retreat because both battalions broke into the village; one through
the entrenchments, the other from behind, and according to the received reports
enemy loss was substantial. While this attack was executed, the three remaining
battalions were deployed in order of battle on a height between two windmills,
beside part of the cavalry, while the other part was send out on patrol.
The column commanded
by the Count van Bylandt, after having left behind a
strong detachment on the height, advanced further and pursued the enemy up to Bonduës, after having already forced two entrenchments. Arriving
in front of the third however they were obliged to retreat, because the canon
was not capable to pass the second one.
Lincelles and Blaton both taken, in the first place the
grenadier battalions ‘Van Breydenbach’ and ‘Van Plettenberg’, and the battalion of the Infanterie
Regiment No.1 ‘De Schepper’, beside two squadrons of
the Regiment Garde Dragonders,
remaining there beside their battalion guns two 12-pdr and two 6-pdr cannon,
all under command of Major-General van Nostitz. To
this an engineer and a few labourers were attached, in order to erect entrenchments
to the side of the enemy, and to demolish those on our side.
At Blaton remained Major-General Van Drachstädt,
with the 1st bat/Waldeck Regiment No.1 and the Infanterie Bataljon Nassau-Usingen with their battalion guns, two 12-pdr cannon and
two howitzers, beside one squadron of the dragoon regiment ‘Hessen-Kassel’,
and one of the Cavalerie Regiment ‘(Van der Duijn) van ‘s Gravemoer’.
His Royal
Highness beside the other generals and the remaining troops returned to Menin. But in the afternoon His Royal Highness [at Menin] received message that Lincelles
and Blaton were attacked again, with such superior
force that, if no support was send, a retreat would be inevitable. Lord the
Duke of York was requested to send some of his troops, after which three battalions
English Guards marched to Lincelles. When the Prince
of Orange arrived at Lincelles the post was abandoned
again, being stormed and captured by the troops mentioned.
In the
meantime His Royal Highness as support had send back to Lincelles
the battalion of the Swiss Infantry Regiment ‘May’, the battalion of the Infanterie Regiment No.6 ‘Van Welderen’,
and two squadrons of the Hollandsche Gardes te Paard.
They arrived in time to support the English, the battalions staying there with
the English during the night.
The post Blaton, which was attacked at the same time by a
numerically very superior enemy, was also evacuated by our troops.
(…)
List of
officers which had the opportunity to distinguish themselves by their ardour
and bravery during the affair on 18 August 1793, the battalions having executed
their attacks with much order and undaunted, especially the Hollandsche
Gardes, the Swiss Guards, the 5th battalion Van Waldeck and ‘Van Welderen’ No.6.
Lieutenant-General Baron Van Mönster
Major-General Van Golowkin
Colonel Van Kretschmar van Wyck, major of the
Hollandsche Gardes,
commanding the battalion
Colonel
Constant, major of the Swiss Guards, commanding the battalion
Colonel C. Bentinck, major of the Hollandsche
Gardes
Colonel Van Straubensee,
Infanterie Regiment No.6 ‘Van Welderen’
Colonel Van
Horn, 5th battalion Van Waldeck
[Lieutenant-]Colonel Von Haake, 5th battalion
Van Waldeck
Colonel Muyson, Hollandsche Gardes te
Paard
Colonel Yvoy, Hollandsche Gardes te
Paard
Colonel d’Oultremont, Regiment Garde Dragonders
Major Prince
Von Solms, with the grenadier battalion ‘Van Plettenberg’
Captain Matthieu, of the volunteers
Lieutenant Lasberg, of the volunteers
Captain Von Lowenstern, 5th battalion Van Waldeck
Lieutenant Fagel of the Hollandsche Gardes, as adjutant with General Lake
Lieutenant Zwicky of the Swiss Guards, has stormed the battery first
Lieutenant Torxicella, of the Infanterie Bataljon Nassau-Usingen
Cadet Kerseboom, of the Hollandsche Gardes te
Paard, serving with the English patrols
Cadet de Jong, of Infanterie Regiment No.1 ‘De Schepper’, with the Infanterie
Regiment No.6 ‘Van Welderen’ during the second attack
on Lincelles
Cadet Hartjelief, of Infanterie Regiment
No.18 ‘Van Wartensleben’
Sergeant Krieg, Willekes, and Werth, of the Hollandsche Gardes
Was signed,
W.F. Hereditary Prince of Orange
P.S.: All
officers of the battalions of the Hollandse Gardes and Swiss Guards, and those of the volunteer Corps
of Matthieu have behaved outstandingly, and cannot be
singled out.