The Battle of Saalbach or the Battle of Saasbach is a battle that took place on July 27, 1675 near the city of Saasbach during the Dutch war between the French and the imperial army under the command of Raymund Montecuccoli . In this battle, the illustrious French commander, commander of the French army, Henri Thurenne, died.
| The Battle of Salzbach | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Conflict: Dutch War | |||
 The death of Turenne | |||
| date of | July 27, 1675 | ||
| A place | Zasbach ( Germany ) | ||
| Total | undefined result | ||
| Opponents | |||
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| Commanders | |||
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Content
- 1 Background
- 2 battle
- 3 Consequences
- 4 Literature
Background
After the Battle of Turkheim in January 1674, the Count of Montecuccoli, at the head of the imperial forces, left Alsace and went to the right bank of the Rhine . However, the path to Strasbourg was blocked by the French army of Marshal Turenne. Then the imperial army moved towards the city of Zasbach , which was on the road from Offenburg to Rastatt. In order to force him to retreat further, Tyurenn repeatedly maneuvered, threatening the Imperials on their left flank and creating supply problems for them.
Battle
For some time, both armies were facing each other by the River Renh . The French entered into several skirmishes and occupied the villages of Renchen, Waghurst and Gamshurst (now part of the city of Ahern ). On the eve, General Kaprara arrived with his corps in Offenburg. Montecuccoli's army was 30,000 soldiers, of which, however, half were cavalry. The imperial army began to move along the stream to occupy the swampy positions favorable for defense.
Turenn put up a 25,000-strong army against the Imperials. Artillery was close to the edge of the ravine and placed in the second row of infantry. A shootout began on both sides. The French attack on imperial positions on the move failed: the Imperials took refuge behind a brick cemetery fence surrounded by a moat filled with water and mud. During the day, the imperial convoy was sent to the mountains, and Turenn suspected that Montecuccoli was about to depart with the arrival of darkness. He sent a scout to observe the movements of the imperial army. Turenn was about to pursue the enemy, but was killed in the afternoon by a cannonball fired from a battery commanded by Margrave German of Baden.
Consequences
After receiving the news of the death of Turenne, Montecuccoli decided to return to the battlefield. But instead of going on the offensive, he ultimately chose to maintain his position. The French had no instructions on who should take command in the event of the death of the Marshal, and Generals Wobren and Lorges quarreled over how to proceed. The French departed on the night of July 29-30 in the direction of Neuris . Montecuccoli followed them.
Literature
- (German) EO Schmidt: Deutschlands Schlachtfelder , S. 76-78, Digitalisat
- (German) Carl du Jarrys de La Roche: Der deutsche Oberrhein während der Kriege seit dem westphälischen Frieden bis 1801 , S. 23ff. Digitalisat
- (German) Martialischer Schau-Platz / Des Lustreichen und zuglich blutigen Rhein-Strohms S. 102-103, Digitalisat