Battle of Valenciennes (1656)

Battle of Valenciennes
Part of the Franco-Spanish War
Don Juan José de Austria, commander of the Spanish army.
Date June 29 - July 16, 1656 Location Valenciennes, Spanish Netherlands Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
France	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Vicomte de Turenne Maréchal La Ferté  (POW)	Juan José de Austria Prince of Condé
Strength
30,000 soldiers	20,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
7,000 dead or wounded 4,000 prisoners	500 dead or wounded

The Battle of Valenciennes (16 July, 1656) was fought between the Spanish troops commanded by Don Juan José de Austria against the French troops under Marshal Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne, in the outskirts of the town in the Spanish Netherlands, during the Franco-Spanish War. It was the worst of only a few defeats that the French Marshal Vicomte de Turenne suffered in his long career campaigning and is regarded as Spain's last great victory of the 17th century.

On 18 May 1656 the French troops, commanded by Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne began to close in and surround the fortified town of Valenciennes which was defended by a Spanish garrison under the command of Francisco de Meneses. The well organised siege began to exhaust the defenders. Towards the end of June, Don Juan José de Austria, the governor of the Spanish Netherlands, took the decision to come to the aid of Valenciennes as its situation was becoming unsustainable.

The French army, consisting of 115 cavalry divisions and 31 of infantry, was divided into a further 2 divisions on each side of the river Scheldt, one of which was under the command of Turenne and the other, under Henri de La Ferté-Senneterre, with the communication problems that this caused.

On the night of 15 July just as the fortress was about to surrender, the Spanish army arrived consisting of 81 squadrons of cavalry and 27 of infantry. Don Juan's army dug in about a league from the enemy, preparing to launch an offensive. Four attacks were organised:

Condé came down on Marshal's section with such vigour it surprised and destroyed the French resistance. Don Juan José de Austria stood out due to his brave action, unleashing his might on the French quarters.Turenne then repelled a false attack from the Spanish on his quarters, and went to the aid of Maréchal La Ferté but it was in vain, so he felt obliged to retreat as far as Quesnoy, where he reorganised his forces.

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Wikipedia