John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, was the most successful English soldier, England ever produced. He won every battle he fought, and took every city and fortress he besieged. His greatest victory was at Blenheim, one of the great Providential battles of history, which led to immediate and important results in the history of Europe.

Background

The war of the Spanish succession, in which John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough was to distinguish himself as one of the great captains of military history, concerned the matter of who would inherit the Spanish throne, vacant after the death of the late king of Spain, Charles II, of the Spanish Hapsburgs. Charles II, the last of the Spanish Hapsburgs was the rather pitiful result of centuries of inbreeding among the Spanish royal family. God’s law had prohibited such close inbreeding, but the Spanish Hapsburgs, not wishing their line corrupted, had chosen to spurn such divine prohibitions, and genetic mutations began to multiply in their offspring. In Charles II, close inbreeding over many years resulted in his being born with an elongated lower jaw, dubbed the “Hapsburg jaw” for its commonality among the Spanish Hapsburgs. But this was not his only genetic mutation. His tongue was too large for his mouth, and more seriously, one testicle was shriveled. The remaining testicle didn’t work, and Charles II was impotent, a serious matter, because he was the last of the Spanish Hapsburg line, and his death would bring about the extinction of the male line of the family, lest he not produce an heir. It was a matter that concerned not merely the Spanish, but all Europe. The Spanish Empire at this time comprised not only Spain, but also a large part of the Netherlands, Sardinia, Sicily, Naples, the principality of Milan, most of Central and South America, much of the West Indies, the Philippines, and of course Mexico, and most of what is today the American Southwest. Naturally, the fate of such an empire weighed heavily on European minds.

King Charles II in his will provided that his crown was to go to the Elector of Bavaria, a selection that was acceptable to the powers of Europe, but the Elector’s death in 1699 caused serious consternation among the European powers.

On March 13^th, 1700, the European powers met at Hague. England, France, and Holland being in attendance. France was to be given Naples, Sicily, Guipuscoa, and Loraine, while the Spanish colonies were to divided between Holland and England, and Archduke Charles was to receive Spain, the Low Countries and the Indies.

Despite the large size and extent of the Spanish dominions, Spain was at this time in a period of decline, and France was the strongest power in Europe. Her king Louis XIV, was an ambitious man. Not satisfied with being ruler of the most powerful nation in Europe at the time, he wished to make himself absolute monarch of the Spanish Empire too. Accordingly, though a signatory of the 1700 treaty, he leaked the news to Charles II, who was naturally alarmed at the plan to divide the Spanish empire among the European powers at his death.

The kingdom of France alone among the powers of Europe had the strength to avert the dividing up of the Spanish empire among the European powers, a fact that was pointed out to King Charles II when he called his council of state together to submitted the matter to them. Therefore, the states – general determined that the interests of France and Spain would unite by appointing the Duc d’Anjou, grandson of the French King, as the sole heir to the Spanish throne. King Louis XIV could not have been happier with the decision. He had schemed to acquire the Spanish Empire ever since he had married into the Spanish royal family in 1659.

The news that the French and Spanish empires would be combined under the French royal line was greatly alarming to the rest of Europe, which began to arm for war to prevent this. King Louis XIV knew that if his grandson accepted the crown, it would mean war, but he was not deterred, for he had been preparing for war for decades. “Go,” he told his grandson, “There are no longer any Pyrenees.” King Charles II died thereafter, and the Duc d’Anjou went to Madrid and was crowned King of Spain, Philip V, in 1701 at Madrid.[1]

England’s foreign policy was to keep any single European power from becoming too powerful, lest it challenge England for supremacy, and it was in England’s foreign interests to limit the power of France, already the most powerful nation on the continent. King William III therefore, began to put together a coalition of nations to contest the matter with arms. A league was formed between England, Austria, and Holland, and was soon joined by the kings of Portugal, Prussia, Denmark, and the Duke of Savoy. Austria especially was howling mad, being the principal claimants for the Spanish throne along with the French House of Bourbon. On her side, France had Spain of course, and also Bavaria, along with Italy and Flanders.

The death of William III in 1702 seemed to throw a spanner in the works, but Queen Anne, his successor to the English throne, quickly announced to the House of Lords, her intention to support the measures planned by her predecessor.

The death of William III was quite possibly the best thing that ever happened to John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.

John Churchill’s first appointment had been due, not to some ability on his part, but rather because his sister had been the mistress of the Duke of York. His early career was varied, serving with the Royal Navy and crushing the Monmouth Revolt for James II, the last of the Stuart Kings. But Churchill had no loyalty, and when he saw that the winds were blowing against James II, he switched sides and deserted him during the Glorious Revolution. For this reason, he was never fully trusted by William III. During William’s reign, Churchill saw more service in Flanders and Ireland, but though William III never trusted him, he did admire his military abilities, which had even been recognized by the renowned French tactician Henri Turenne. William III had thus recommended to Queen Anne during his final illness, that she could do no better than to put Churchill in command of the armies, and Queen Anne consented, though it should also be pointed out that Churchill’s wife was a favorite of Anne’s. But whether by merits or favoritism, it was a superb choice, Because, the Duke of Marlborough, (a title he gained in 1703) would become a military general of the highest order.

Marlborough was at first only made captain-general of the English armies, but due to the authority of England in the Grand Alliance that he was made commanding general of all the Allied armies, a role in which he excelled, not only due to his military merits, but to his diplomatic skills, necessary to hold together a multi-nation coalition.

On May 4^th, 1702, war was declared by the allies against France, and the theater of operations was in Flanders, the Upper Rhine, and North Italy. Marlborough saw action in the Flanders during the first two years of the war, and wrested some towns from the enemy, but no decisive actions occurred. Nor did decisive action take place in Italy. But between the mouth of the Po river and the Scheldt, the French alley of the Electorate of Bavaria made strong gains by capturing the fortress of Ulm and effecting a junction with the French armies on the Upper Rhine river. The French troops were thus enabled to penetrate into the very heart of Germany. By autumn of 1703, the combined armies of Bavaria and France had defeated the Imperialists there, and took over Augsburg and Passau, and the French armies on the Upper Rhine had been victorious against their adversaries. Revolts broke out in Hungary and Austria, completing the alarm of the Austrian Hapsburg emperor, Leopold.

King Louis XIV intended to knock the Holy Roman Empire out of the war by capturing Vienna.

Encouraged by his campaigns thus far, he ordered his French armies in the Netherlands to act only on the defensive, confident that his fortresses were so many and so strong that no serious gains would be made by the allies on the front during one campaign. Large detachments were to be made from these armies under the command of Marshal Villeroi, a French general, to the Moselle and the Upper Rhine. The French army, already in this area, under Marshal Tallard, another French general, were to march through the Black Forest, and join the Elector of Bavaria and the French troops already with the Elector under Marshal Messin. The French army of Italy meanwhile was to march through the Tyrol into Austria, and all the French forces were to combine between the Danube and the Inn. A strong body of troops would be detached to aid the insurgents in Hungary, and the French grand army was then to advance upon Vienna, where with irresistible might, they would force the emperor to sue for peace.[2]

Marlborough’s March

Marlborough had watched the progress of the war thus far with deep anxiety. Knowing the futility of carrying on a war of posts and sieges in Flanders, while the Holy Roman Empire was being knocked out of the war on the Danube, he resolved to let the war in Flanders languish and to hurry toward the “central scene of operations” with all the forces he could muster. Marlborough used his great diplomatic skills to get permission for this advance from the Dutch, who had the most to lose from his plan, since it involved moving the bulk of the allied troops from the Dutch frontier which they were protecting. It helped Marlborough that the Dutch statesman Hesenius, was firmly on Marlborough’s side, and Marlborough also communicated his plan to Prince Eugune of Savoy, whom the Austrian cabinet had recalled from the Italian frontier to take command of one of the Holy Roman Emperor’s armies in Germany.

Marlborough began his march on May 19^th, leading his army, which had been assembled by his brother, and comprised sixteen thousand English troops, fifty-one battalions of foot soldiers, and ninety-two squadrons of cavalry. Marlborough was to rezdevous with the troops of Prussia, Luneberg and Hesse along the way, and the Dutch at Rothweil. Reaching the Rhine at Coblentz, he crossed that river and marched along its right bank to Broubach and Mentz. His advance paralyzed the French and had already relieved the Austrians from French pressure even before any blow was struck. Villeroi was completely bewildered by Marlborough’s movements, and was unable to figure out where Marborough meant to attack. Therefore, he kept back his men and wasted away the early part of the summer between Flanders and the Moselle without accomplishing anything. Marshall Tallard, who commanded 45,000 men at Strasburg, and who had been directed by King Louis to march into Bavaria, thought Marlborough’s advance was preliminary to an attack upon Alsace, and the French general kept back his men to support France in that quarter. The Elector of Bavaria and Marshal Messin correctly guessed Marlborough’s intention, and to deal with his threat, they neglected to press the Austrians in combat, or to send troops into Hungary, but guarded their communications with France. Thus, when Marlborough left the Rhine and marched toward the Danube at the beginning of June, the numerous French armies and their allies were unable to coordinate and check him.

Crossing the Neckar River, Marlborough marched southeast to Mundelsene, where he met for the first time with Prince Eugune, destined to be his colleague in arms on multiple fields of battle in the future. Marlborough now continued his march against the Bavarians, and encountered them at Schullenberg, where he defeated them, and took over the Elector’s dominions.

Now appraised of Marlborough’s intentions at last, Marshal Tallard crossed the Rhine and rendezvoused with Marshal Messin’s troops and what remained of the Bavarians after the drubbing Marlborough had given them. . Marlborough meanwhile recrossed the Danube and on August 11^th, combined his army with the Austrians under Prince Eugune. Marlborough’s army occupied a position near Hochstadt, while, a little farther to the east, the French marshals and the Elector took position between the villages of Blenheim and Lutzingen, the stream of the Nebel, dividing the two armies.

Prelude

Marlborough had thus far foiled the advance of the French army in Italy into Austria and warded off the threat to Vienna, but the situation was still extremely serious. It was imperative that Marlborough attack Villeroi, lest the French marshal march into Franconia, where the Allies drew their main supplies, and worse yet, rezdevous with Tallard’s large army.

Yet the risks of the forthcoming battle would be great and in case of defeat, the consequences would be fatal. Yet Marlborough had little choice. Tallard and Messin’s army comprised 45,000 Frenchmen, all veterans, while Marlborough’s army was a conglomeration of soldiers from different nations and different cultures, speaking different languages. But Marlborough did not flinch. Instead he explained:

“I know the danger, yet a battle is absolutely necessary; and I rely on the bravery and the discipline of the troops, which will make amends for our disadvantages.”

The Nebel stream runs north to south into the Danube immediately in front of the village of Blenheim. The French occupied the rising ground west of it, with the village of Blenheim on the extreme right of their position. The village of Lutzingen, three miles north, formed the Franco-Bavarian left. Both villages were strongly entrenched and palisaded, and barricades made of overturned carts and furniture taken from the houses were thrown up at all the entrances, while heavy cannon was placed in the villages as well.[3] Marshal Tallard, the French commander in chief, took station at Blenheim, while Marsin, and the Elector commanded on the left. Both of these men held on the left twenty-two battalions of infantry, and thirty-six squadrons of cavalry in front of Lutzingen. The center was held by fourteen battalions of infantry, included the celebrated Irish brigade. These were posted in the little hamlet of Oberglau, between Lutzingen and Blenheim, which lies nearer to the former place than the latter, while eighty squadrons of cavalry and seven battalions of infantry were placed between Oberglau and Blenheim. The French position was thus strong on both flanks, but weak in the center. The danger was serious, for should the Allies break through the weak center, held principally by the cavalry, the infantry in both villages would be divided and unable to reunite, and the strong force in Blenheim would in grave danger of being surrounded without possibility of retreat, because the Danube river was unfordable. But the French marshals paid little attention to what they do should the day turn against them. They remained confident in their troops, which were equal in number to the Allies, but greatly superior in artillery, and occupying a strong position.

The Allied army was likewise divided into two commands; the largest division was under Marlborough, and was intended to act against Tallard, forty-eight battalions and eighty-six squadrons strong, while Prince Eugune’s seventy-four squadrons of cavalry and eighteen battalions of infantry was intended to oppose Marsin and the Elector. The British contingent, in Marlborough’s command was fourteen battalions and fourteen squadrons. The plan was to cut the French line between Oberglau and Blenheim. Prince Eugune would commence the attack, and when he had crossed the rivulets in front of the French left, Marlborough would then advance. Marlborough drew up the troops under his command in four lines, the infantry being in front and the cavalry behind, in order that the infantry would precede the cavalry and crossing the stream first, cover the formations of cavalry as they crossed, since the cavalry might be more impeded in crossing.

As they approached the enemy, Marlborough’s division formed the left and center of the Allied army, while Eugune’s formed the right of the army. Early on the morning of August 13^th, the allies departed their own camp and marched toward the enemy under a thick haze which covered the ground. Not until the right and center of the army had advanced nearly within cannon shot of the Franco-Bavarians did Tallard realize what was going on. The shocked Frenchman was taken aback by Eugune’s advance. So smug were the French marshals in the superiority of their own troops, and the strength of their position that they had made up their minds that Marlborough had been about to retreat with his composite army. Alarm guns were fired, officers galloped off in every direction, and Tallard and Marsin, hastily mounting their horses, did their utmost to get their troops in readiness to resist attack.[4]

Battle: Attack on Blenheim

The Franco-Bavarian preparations were hasty, but they were effective to the point that about 8:00 am, Tallard opened fire with artillery on the advancing British left wing from his own right wing. Marlborough ordered up some of his batteries to reply to the French fire, and while he formed up his own men, a brisk exchange of cannon fire was kept up by both sides. Getting the Allied artillery into position was not easy, for the ground was traversed by rivulets, and was treacherous, and it was not until mid-day before Eugune could get his troops in position opposite Lutzingen. In order to get his guns across, it became necessary to fill the rivulets and fascines before they could be crossed by the artillery. The Allied artillery was not as effective as the French, which was on higher ground and commanded the whole field.

During the interval, Marlborough ordered divine service to be performed by the army chaplains at the head of each regiment. Riding along the lines, he found both officers and men in the highest spirits as they waited impatiently for the signal to attack. At length, an aide-camp galloped up from the right with the welcome news that Eugune was ready. Marlborough now sent Lord Cutts, a subordinate, with a strong infantry brigade to assault Blenheim, while he led down the main body down to the eastward slope of the Nebel valley and prepared to cross the Nebel stream. The front line of Lord Cutts brigade was led by General Rowe, another subordinate, comprising five English battalions and four Hessian ones, and was supported by Cutts with eleven battalions and fifteen squadrons. Advancing through heavy artillery fire, Rowe’s troops reached within thirty yards of the palisade before the French infantry opened fire. A tremendous volley was poured into the Allies, and a large number of officers and men were shot down. Still, they moved forwards, and Rowe, marching in line with his men, ordered them to demolish the palisade.

Desperately, the British attempted to knock it down, and then attack the defenders within with the bayonet, but it was too strong, and they galled by the French fire that tore through their ranks. Half of Rowe’s men fell, and he himself was badly wounded, falling before the palisade. His lieutenant colonel and major were both killed in attempting to carry him off. Most of his officers had been shot down as well, and in this predicament, just when things appeared so bad that they could not get much worse, they did, as some squadrons of French cavalry fell upon their flank and threw them into confusion, seizing the regiment’s colors. To the rescue came the Hessians, who fell upon the French and recovered the colors. But fresh squadrons of French cavalry came up, and Allied cavalry were sent in some squadrons to Rowe’s assistance. With a cheer, the dragoons engaged the French, slashing, stabbing, and slashing, and the French gave way before the onslaught, despite the fact that they outnumbered the Allied cavalry. Fresh squadrons of French cavalry reinforced them, however, and heavy musketry fire was pouring up from the palisade around Blenheim, cutting down great numbers and so leaving many of their number behind them, dead and wounded on the ground, the British were at last obliged to retreat, both cavalry and infantry.

Battle: Crossing the Nebel

Marlborough now saw that Blenheim could not be taken and he was thus obliged to make his great effort to break the French line between Oberglau and Blenheim, as planned. He resolved to bring all his cavalry across the Nebel and conduct a general attack on the weak point of the Franco-Bavarian line between Blenheim and Oberglau. Some temporary bridges had been prepared and by the aid of these and a little stone bridge which crossed the Nebel, Marlborough succeeded in getting some several squadrons across the stream, despite the fact that the steam was divided into several branches, and the ground was soft, and in some places, little better than a marsh.

But the French artillery was not idle. The French gunners sent their cannonballs plunging unceasingly into the advancing squadrons of the allies, and bodies of French cavalry rode frequently down from the western ridge to charge them before they could form up on the firm ground. Only by supporting his men with fresh troops and by bringing up infantry, who checked the enemy cavalry with their steady fire, was Marlborough able to keep his army at this quarter of the field from a repulse, which considering the repulse already suffered in trying to seize Blenheim would have probably have resulted in an Allied defeat.

But while Marlborough had his hands full here, his subordinate, General Churchill, with a division of infantry, attacked the village of Unterglau which lay between Blenheim and Oberglau. The French had only lightly garrisoned the place, and finding themselves outmanned, they fired the village and pulled back. Churchill’s men rushed through the burning village, crossed the bridge, and began to spread out on both sides.

Little by little, the cavalry struggled over the bloody stream, the infantry was brought across, and held in check the French troops in Blenheim, who no longer being attacked from the front, had begun to attack them on the left flank. Having now brought up the whole left wing of the army beyond the Nebel, he was about to press forward with it, when he was called away with news of a disaster elsewhere on the line. This disaster had occurred in the center of his line. The Prince of Holstein-Beck, with eleven Hanoverian battalions, had crossed the Nebel opposite Oberglau. Before his men could form up in good order on the opposite side of the Nebel, the Irish brigade, who held the place, charged out of the village, and fell on the Hanoverians, who were decimated by the quick and well directed volleys of the Irish. Utterly routed, the prince of Holstein Beck taken prisoner, the Hanoverians were driven back with great slaughter. The Irish kept on, breaking through the Allied center, and communication between the right and left wing of the Allied army was on the verge of being broken. But at this moment, Marlborough rode up, and with some squadrons of cavalry and three battalions of infantry, he was in a position to correct the situation. The cavalry charged the flank of the Irish, throwing them quickly into confusion. As the Irish reeled back from the onslaught, Marlborough’s three battalions of infantry, which he posted advantageously, raked the Irish column through and through. The Irish were driven back into Oberglau, and worse yet, some squadrons of cavalry, which Marshal Marsin had sent to their relief, were repelled by the fire of a battery of artillery which Marlborough brought up, and by some Holy Roman horsemen which he stationed on its flank. The danger on the center of the line was now over, and the army was not cut in two as it seemed it would be. Having achieved this success, Marlborough returned to his cavalry between Oberglau and Blenheim, and found it firmly established on solid ground on the other side of the Nebel. He sent off to learn how Prince Eugune was faring against Marsin and the Elector, and to inform him of his own success.

Prince Eugune’s Progress

But Prince Eugune’s success had not been as good as Marlborough’s. On the extreme right, he had crossed the Nebel in front of Lutzingen. He first attacked with the Danes and Prussians, which succeeded in overrunning a battery of six guns. The Holy Roman cavalry broke the first line of French cavalry, but upon advancing in disorder upon the second line, they were repulsed, driven back across the Nebel, and the guns retaken by the French. The Danes and Prussian infantry, were now isolated and charged furiously on each flank, at the same time that a heavy fire was shaking their line from the front. Only with difficulty did they regain their original ground on the other side of the stream. Undaunted by this reverse, Eugune rallied his cavalry again, and led them again in a charge. Though at first successful, they were at length checked by the Bavarian cavalry, bravely headed by the Elector of Bavaria himself, and thrown back in disorder. A second time, Eugune reformed his cavalry and led them to the charge, but this time, unnerved by their previous repulses, their line was speedily broken, and again fled, completely routed, across the Nebel. Leaving subordinates to rally the horsemen, an utterly despaired Eugene galloped off to put himself at the head of the infantry, which had advanced with the cavalry.

Bravely, the infantry stood their ground with “heroic resolution.” But the enemy charged them with “desperate hardihood.” Prince Eugune himself had a very narrow escape. A Bavarian dragoon took aim at him from a few paces, but before he could fire, he was cut down. It was due to the remarkable steadiness of Prussians, who stood immovable under the thundering charges of horsemen, the front-rank kneeling to ward off the Bavarian cavalry with the bayonet, while the rear maintained a ceaseless rolling fire, that the Bavarians, wearied by the vain efforts drew off, leaving the ground covered with their dead, wounded, and dying.

Decisive Moment of the Battle

But in the center, Marlborough’s cavalry was now drawn up in two lines directly in front of the enemy, 8,000 strong, the infantry in their rear drawn up in battalions to support them if repulsed and to keep in check the large masses of the French infantry in Blenheim. Tallard, seeing the weakness of his line resulting from a lack of infantry, drew nine battalions from the reserve and posted them behind the horsemen, in the center behind the Blenheim and Oberglau. In a corresponding movement, Marlborough matched this maneuver of Tallard by bringing up three Hessian battalions. Then drawing his sword, he ordered the trumpets to sound the advance, he himself leading it. Jut after five in the afternoon, Marlborough’s decisive movement started, as the Allied cavalry moved up the gentle slope in two lines, at first slowly, but gradually more quickly, supported by infantry and by artillery. The spectacle was “indescribably grand,” as the cavalry moved in “compact order” and “finest array.” The French cavalry, ten thousand strong, stood their ground. The French responded with very hot artillery and musket fire. So hot was it, that the cavalry advance was checked, and they fell back sixty paces, while the battle was continued for a few minutes only by artillery fire. But gradually however, the French fire slackened, and Marlborough, taking advantage of the lowered rate of fire, led his cavalry once more to the charge. Soon the crest of the ridge was gained. The hearts of the French now failed them; they lost their nerve. Discharging their carbines at a considerable distance and without effect, the French cavalry wheeled about and spurred their mounts from the field. That left the nine infantry battalions Tallard had brought up to augment his cavalry.  The Allied cavalry now rapidly surrounded them, cut them to pieces, or captured them. The French resisted nobly, but it was in vain. The battle had now been won.

The effects of this disaster on the right spread. Marsin’s cavalry, its flanks uncovered, now had no alternative but to fall back to avoid being turned. Tallard and Marsin, separated from each other, thought only of retreat. Tallard drew up the squadrons of cavalry he had left, in a line extended toward Blenheim, and sent orders to the infantry there to leave it and join him without delay. But it was too late. Marlborough’s cavalry swooped down on his squadrons before his orders could be executed, and swept part into the Danube, where great numbers were drowned in the water, and the remainder were taken prisoner on the bank.  The other part of Tallard’s cavalry fled into the village of Sonderheim, where they soon surrounded by the victorious Allies, and forced to surrender. Tallard himself was one of these, and he delivered up his sword to the Prince of Hesse.

As for Marsin, Eugune had renewed his attack on the Franco-Bavarian left, and Marsin, finding Tallard in retreat and his own right uncovered, prepared to retreat. They set fire to the buildings of Oberglau and Lutzingen, and prepared to evacuate them. The Danes and Prussians seeing this, wasted no time, in pushing forwards against the villages. After a stubborn fight, Lutzingen was seized, and the Bavarians pushed out to a fresh position in the rear. Their ranks preserved, they prepared to hold their ground, but Marsin gave orders for the general retreat of his wing of the army.

A subordinate named Hanpesch with thirty squadrons of cavalry pursued the flying enemy and captured three battalions of infantry on the way, and did not stop until the French were fleeing for their lives in utter disorder. Marsin and the Elector succeeded in withdrawing a good part of their troops in tolerable order to Dillingen, as a planned pursuit was canceled when the Bavarian and French troops were mistakenly identified as Eugune’s men in pursuit by Marlborough and his staff in the smoke and gathering darkness of dusk. And thus, due to this mistake, were Marsin and the Elector permitted to escape with a good portion of their men.

But for the French troops cut off in Blenheim, there would be no escape. Marlborough now turned his attention to them. He speedily occupied all the outlets from the village with his victorious troops. The queen’s regiment cut off their escape to the east, and captured several hundred Frenchmen attempting to escape that way. Other outlets were sealed, and more captured. Two regiments of infantry now assailed the village, but the French made so vigorous a resistance, that the British were obliged to retire. Marlborough now brought up his artillery and opened fire on the village. Soon several houses were set afire, and in the red light of the flames over the sky, the gunners aim could not miss. Their commander fled, and the troops, despairing of hope and entirely cut off, surrendered at discretion. Twenty-four battalions and twelve squadrons, with their officers, laid their arms down, and became the prisoners of the Duke of Marlborough.

Aftermath

The Battle of Blenheim was now over. The Allied army of Marlborough and Eugune lost 11,000 men, 6,000 being from Eugune’s wing, and 5,000 from Marlborough’s wing. The French and Bavarian losses were naturally higher. They lost 12,000 killed and wounded, along with 1200 officers and 13,000 men taken prisoner, along with thirty-four pieces of artillery, and twenty-five standards, ninety stands of colors, and their total loss, including desertions during the retreat through the Black Forest, was not less that than forty thousand men. It was a terrible defeat, the likes of which the French were not to see again until Waterloo over a century later. And it was Marlborough’s greatest victory, the first in a series of victories that would crown him the greatest military captain of his age.

The results of the battle were naturally profound in their strategic and tactical results. Ulm, with 250 cannons, Landau, Treves and Tresbach surrendered to the Allies before the close of the year, and Bavaria submitted to the Holy Roman Empire, while the Hungarians laid down their arms. The battle completely saved Germany from the French, and the military ascendancy of the allies was firmly established by this battle. Prior to Blenheim, the war had been going the French way; after Blenheim, the French fought on the defensive. It was at Blenheim that the dreams of universal domination of the continent and as much of the world as he could grab were shattered for Louis XIV.

The Duke of Marlborough lost no time in requesting men and money to march into Paris in the next campaign and bring the war to an end, but the British government would not agree, and so the French were permitted to recover from their disaster, which prolonged the war for years, and cost the country many more lives and much money, as well as securing for Marlborough more victories and more glory.

But if the results of the battle of Blenheim were not capitalized on, and the success was allowed to slip out of the Allied fingers, at least the French never came as close to winning as they did before Blenheim, and the world saved from a union of France and Spain, a union of two papist countries which would have been devastating to the Protestants of Europe. God in his providence had other plans than those of Louis, and at Blenheim he put an end of them, for his glory and to his purposes in the world.

Bibliography

Edward Shepherd Creasey The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, (Los Angels, California: Enhanced Media, 2016) [1851 Reprint]

Archibald Wilberforce The Great Batttles of All Nations (New York, New York: Peter Fenelon, Collier and Son, 1899)

Archibald Alison The Military Life of Marlborough (New York, New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1848)

G.A. Henty The Cornet of Horse: A Tale of Marlborough’s Wars (New York, New York: Silver Scroll Publishing, 2015) [1902 Reprint]

 

 

[1] Archibald Wilberforce The Great Batttles of All Nations (New York, New York: Peter Fenelon, Collier and Son, 1899) p. 386

 

[2] Edward Shepherd Creasey The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, (Los Angels, California: Enhanced Media, 2016) [1851 Reprint] p. 162-163

 

[3] Archibald Alison The Military Life of Marlborough (New York, New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1848) p. 86

[4] Ibid p. 88