Battle of Minden
On 1 August 1759, a combined British and Hanoverian force of approximately 45,000 under the command of Ferdinand of Brunswick confronted a French army of similar strength under the Marquis de Contades at Minden in Westphalia. In one of the war's most remarkable episodes, six British infantry regiments — allegedly misunderstanding or creatively interpreting their orders — advanced on foot directly into the French cavalry, halting to deliver successive volleys that broke the horsemen's charges. The infantry's discipline held as French horse rode down on them repeatedly; the cavalry routed and the French army collapsed. Lord Sackville, commanding the British cavalry, failed to advance when ordered to pursue and was subsequently court-martialled and dismissed from the army — one of the most public disgraces in British military history. British and Hanoverian losses were roughly 2,700; French casualties exceeded 7,000.
- Year: 1759 CE
- Category: Military
