In the campaign of 1757, the Prince of Lorraine, who was covering
Prague with the Austrian army, perceived the Prussians threatening, by
a flank movement, to turn his right. He immediately ordered a partial
change of front by throwing back the infantry of that wing, so as to
form a right angle with the rest of the line. But this manœuvre being
executed in presence of the enemy, was not effected without some
disorder. The heads of the columns having marched too quick, caused
the rear to lengthen out, and when the line was formed to the right,
a large interval appeared at the salient angle. Frederick, observing
this error, hastened to take advantage of it. He directed his centre
corps, commanded by the Duke of Bevern, to throw itself into this
opening, and by this manœuvre decided the fate of the battle.
The Prince of Lorraine returned to Prague, beaten and pursued, with the
loss of sixteen thousand men and two hundred pieces of cannon.
It should be observed at the same time, that this operation of throwing
a corps into the intervals made by an army in time of battle, should
never be attempted unless you are at least equal in force, and have
an opportunity of outflanking the enemy on the one side or the other;
for it is then only you can hope to divide his army in the centre, and
insulate the wings entirely. If you are inferior in number, you run the
risk of being stopped by the reverses, and overpowered by the enemy’s
wings, which may deploy upon your flanks and surround you.
It was by this manœuvre that the Duke of Berwick gained the battle of
Almanza, in the year 1707, in Spain.
The Anglo-Portuguese army, under the command of Lord Galloway, came to
invest Villena. Marshal Berwick, who commanded the French and Spanish
army, quitted his camp at Montalegre, and moved upon this town to
raise the siege. At his approach, the English general, eager to fight
a battle, advanced to meet him in the plains of Almanza. The issue was
long doubtful. The first line, commanded by the Duke of Popoli, having
been broken, the Chevalier d’Asfeldt, who had charge of the second,
drew up his masses with large intervals between them; and when the
English, who were in pursuit of the first line, reached these reserves,
he took advantage of their disorder to attack them in flank and
defeated them entirely.
Marshal Berwick, perceiving the success of this manœuvre, threw open
his front, and deploying upon the enemy’s flanks, while the reserve
sustained the attack in front, and the cavalry manœuvred in their rear,
obtained a complete victory.
Lord Galloway, wounded and pursued, collected with difficulty the
remains of his army, and took shelter with them in Tortosa.