The ‘Cordon System’ in Flanders, winter 1793-94
translated by Geert van Uythoven
Source: “Feldzug der verbundenen Armeen in Flandern, im Jahre 1994” by ‘von D.’, which appeared in ‘Neues Militairisches Journal’, 9.Band 18. Stück (Hannover 1798) pp. 169-212.
Behaviour of the several cantonments of the English army in case of an enemy attack
About 10 or 12
March, new dispositions for the English army were issued in case of an enemy
attack. We will list them here, as they give in insight in the principles of
the tactics in this war, and as such have a military interest. According to the
way these dispositions are written, it is probable that the Duke of York
received them from the Austrian headquarters, and that it is an extract of the
general disposition for all armies in the Low Countries.
If because of all
signs there are suspicions, that the enemy would be able to cross the Lis with
a substantial force without being noticed by our outposts, he will probably
have the intentions, if his goal would not be the capture of a separate post,
to disperse our cantonments, and to defeat them separately. To reach this goal,
he will probably:
1. use
part of his troops to cover the corps of Hessen-Cassel around Ypern, to cut off
their communications with the remaining cantonments;
2. attack
Cheluwe with a second body, capture the place, and then advance further against
our cantonments on this side of the Heule to try to disperse them;
3. advance
to Menin with a third body, not trying to capture this place but to keep it in
check.
As such, it will not be important to prevent the enemy occupying greater or smaller part of the terrain occupied by the cantonments of the English combined army, but to prevent that we will not be defeated in detail. Therefore, the following has to be done.
As soon as the
outposts of Zandvoorde are attacked in force, and when it is found out that a
substantial force has crossed the Lis and advances on Cheluvelt: from the
latter post a report has to be send to Lieutenant-General von Wurmb (at Ypern,
commander of the Hessian troops). After having received this report, all
Hessian troops around Ypern will have to move to Menin, without letting
themselves be delayed by a feint attack which the enemy could execute against
Messine or Bailleul. If this feint attack would appear to be too strong; an
advance here would always end before Ypern, and as such the only gains of the
enemy would be the capture of some villages which in any case would not be
defensible, without any more serious results to us.
When the enemy
already would have occupied Cheluvelt, Lieutenant-General von Wurmb will not
let himself scared off by this. He would have to counterattack this post, to
open communications with Menin again. Then he would have to continue his march,
in order to attack the resisting enemy and to push him back against Menin. This
will be of no bad consequences for us, as the garrison of Menin will also try
to open communications again, which thus will only be cut off for a short
period.
The post of
Cheluvelt will have to defend itself as long as possible, and in order to do
that they will be supported by the cantonments at Becelaer, of which the troops
also will have to advance to Cheluvelt. In case that the post at Cheluvelt will
not be able to hold its position any longer against the attacking enemy, it
will have to retreat slowly and in good order, defending the much intersected terrain
in this area pace after pace, over Becelaer and Dadizeele to the rallying-place
of the remaining Hanoverian troops. If this post would be able to maintain
themselves though until the Hessian troops arrived; which is very probable, the
troops would join the advance in the direction of Menin.
The post of
Cheluwe has to hold their position as long as their retreat route will not be
cut off, and in any case not retreat until all outposts along the Lis were able
to rejoin.
If these posts
however would be forced to retreat in the face of a much superior force, the
retreat would have to be executed with the greatest order, defending the
terrain pace after pace, along the road from Cheluwe backwards to the chaussee from
Menin to Ledeghem, behind the small brook cutting through the plains of Menin,
further along the chaussee if the enemy would force them, to Ledeghem and the
general rallying-place of the Hanoverian troops.
The rallying-place
of the remaining Hanoverian cantonments is situated behind the Heule brook,
between the area Dadizeel and Moslede, where they will wait for further orders.
General Graf von
Wallmoden is authorised, when made necessary by the circumstances, to send
supports in the direction of the retreating post of Cheluwe, or when the
opportunity would arise, to fall on the marching enemy with his cavalry, and to
exploit every gain that could be made, as I am convinced of his caution and
abilities, and not afraid that he will undertake something which could cause a
partial rout of our troops.
Menin in the
meanwhile is occupied in such a way, that it cannot be treated by the enemy as
a mere field entrenchment which can be passed carelessly. They will not be able
to take this city by a coup-de-main. Therefore, the troops inside can wait
patiently, as their line of communications will stay open with either Ledeghem;
or the rallying-place of the Hanoverians; or Whewelghem as the rallying-place
of the English; and in all cases the troops of Hessen-Darmstadt. The task of Menin
will limit itself to a place were General Abercromby, when the superiority of
the enemy will be so great that he would not be able to oppose them in the
open, could retreat in great order too, and to occupy the defences, and to
await the arrival of the remaining troops.
It is abundant to
remember Major-General that an enemy attack of this kind will have to be reported
to me with all speed.
All English troops
which are cantoned outside Menin, concentrate near Bisseghem behind the
Nederbeeke, and wait for further orders.
All troops of
Hessen-Darmstadt wait for further orders at their stations, prepared for march,
which will be given to major-general von Düring for all his subordinate troops.
This General will make all preparations to execute these orders.
Except for the usual
reports from all posts trough the usual canals, for the cantonments the
following alarm-signals are fixed:
- Three cannon shots from Menin to Ledeghem, are in Ledeghem the signal for the Hanoverian troops. This signal will be repeated with an interval of three minutes, and in addition to Wewelghem and Courtrai, for the English and Hessen-Darmstadt’s cantonments, after which everyone will march to their rallying-places.
- These
three cannon shots will be repeated in Cheluvelt for the Hessian troops in
Ypern, which will act to this signals as the above mentioned troops will do accordingly,
and as has laid down in the detailed disposition above.
- General
Abercromby, with under his command all troops present in Halluin, has to ascertain
the situation in case of an enemy attack, and decide accordingly if his troops
would advance into Menin, when he would not be able to support the post of
Halluin himself, or to retreat along the Lis, to the bridge build near
Whewelghem, which movement would be very disadvantageous, only to be made when
in the greatest distress.
© Geert van Uythoven