Battle of Corbach

Part of the Seven Years' War

Date	10 July 1760
Location	Korbach, present-day Germany
Result	French victory

Belligerents

Hanover

Great Britain

Brunswick

Hesse-Kassel
(or Hesse-Cassel)

France

Commanders and leaders

Hereditary Prince of Brunswick

St. Germain

Strength

15,000 to 20,000:

8,000 to 8,500 Hanoverian infantry
3,500 to 3,800 British infantry
2,500 to 2,700 Hessian infantry
1,000 to 1,200 Brunswick infantry
600 Hanoverian cavalry
300 British cavalry
250 Hessian cavalry
13 British Guns
8 Hanoverian Guns

400 to 500 with Luckner

7,000 to 12,000: initially, rising to 20,000
1000 to 1200 cavalry
24 Guns

Casualties and losses

800 to 1,000 dead, wounded or captured
18 guns lost

700 to 800

15,000 to 20,000:

The Battle of Corbach, or Korbach, a Hanseatic town of Waldeck-Frankenberg in northern Hesse, Germany, was fought on 10 July 1760 during the Seven Years' War. Corbach was the first battle of the campaign of 1760 and was a victory for the French over the Hanoverians, the British and their allies.

The town of Corbach is sited on the heights of Corbach that rise to some 400 meters above the surrounding plain and extend about one mile east of Corbach to the woods of Berndorf, while several roads intersect at the town itself. Numerous large forces from both sides were concentrating in this area. The main French force under Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie marshal of France was about 18 miles to the south at Frankenburg while the main allied force under Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick was at Sachsenhausen 6 miles to the east. De Broglie had been ordered to advance on Hanover north through Hesse and the French at Corbach were only 25 miles west of Cassel the capital of Hesse.

Corbach itself had been previously seized on 9 July by General Nicolas Luckner, the Hanoverian light cavalry commander, but his small force of 4 squadrons and a battalion of Hessian Jägers was driven off very early on the 10th by the vanguard of St. Germain. Ferdinand sent Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, the Hereditary Prince, the Erbprinz of Brunswick, with a mixed force of British, Hanoverians, Hessians and others with the intent to retake Corbach, defeat St. Germain's corps and prevent the junction of two French armies at that point. Leaving Lord Granby in command at Sachsenhausen, Ferdinand marched with a large force to Wildungen. The Erbprinz marched from Sachsenhausen and arrived before the heights of Corbach by 9 in the morning.

The British portion under the command of Major General John Griffin of the allied force is stated to be at least four battalions of foot; including: Hodgson's 5th, Cornwallis' 24th, Carr's 50th, Brudenell's 51st; five squadron's of horse including three of Bland's Dragoons and 2 of Howard's; and a brigade of 18 pieces of artillery under Captain Charlton. The balance of the allied force was some nineteen battalions of Hanoverian, Hessian and Brunswick foot and fourteen squadrons of cavalry. Additionally, Luckner was still in the vicinity.

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Wikipedia