Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present TimeHarbottle, Thomas Benfield
History
Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present Time
Harbottle, Thomas Benfield
Battles
Fought November 1, 1803, between the British, 10,000 strong, under
General Lake, and Scindhia’s army, consisting of 9,000 infantry and
5,000 cavalry. Scindhia’s veteran infantry made a most gallant defence,
standing their ground until 7,000 had fallen, when the survivors laid
down their arms. The cavalry also suffered heavily. The British loss
amounted to about 800. Seventy-two guns and a large quantity of
ammunition and stores were captured.
Laupen (Burgundian Wars).
Fought June 21, 1339, between 5,000 Swiss of Berne and the Forest
Cantons, under Rudolf von Erlach, and 15,000 Burgundians, under the
Counts of Kiburg and Nidau. Despite their superior numbers, the
Burgundians were unable to withstand the charge of the Swiss, and were
utterly routed and forced to raise the siege of Laupen.
Lautulæ (Second Samnite War).
Fought B.C. 316, between the Samnites, under Pontius, and the Romans,
under Q. Fabius Maximus. The Romans were defeated with great slaughter.
Lawfeldt (War of the Austrian Succession).
Fought July 3, 1747, between the allied Austrians and British, under the
Duke of Cumberland, and the French, under Marshal Saxe. The village of
Lawfeldt was thrice carried by the French and thrice recaptured, but
about noon the British centre was driven in, and defeat was imminent,
when a cavalry charge, headed by Sir John Ligonier, saved the day, and
enabled the Duke to retire in good order. The allies lost 5,620 killed
and wounded, the French about 10,000.
Le Bourget (Franco-German War).
A determined sortie by the French from Paris, October 27, 1870, in which
they carried the village of Le Bourget. They held their ground there
until October 30, when they were driven out by the Prussian Guard Corps,
leaving 1,200 prisoners in the hands of the Germans, who lost 34
officers and 344 men.
Leck, The (Thirty Years’ War).
Fought April 5, 1632, between 26,000 Swedes and German Protestants,
under Gustavus Adolphus, and 20,000 Imperialists, under Count Tilly.
Gustavus had prepared a bridge to cross the river, and immediately after
daybreak his engineers commenced to fix it, the Swedish artillery
meanwhile keeping the Imperialists in check. In the artillery duel Tilly
was mortally wounded, and his troops retired, leaving the Swedes to
effect the passage unmolested.
L’Ecluse (Hundred Years’ War).
Fought 1340, when the English fleet surprised the French in a narrow
channel, and totally routed them, with a loss of 90 ships and 30,000
men.
Leghorn.
Fought off Leghorn March 31, 1653, when six English ships, under
Commodore Appleton, were destroyed by a Dutch fleet of 16 sail, under
Admiral Van Gelen. Only a sloop escaped the destruction. Van Gelen was
mortally wounded during the action.
Legnano (Wars of the Lombard League).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account