April 15, 1450 · Normandy Theater
April 15, 1450
At Formigny, the French used field artillery to solve the English longbow problem. French culverin cannon were placed to enfilade the English defensive line, forcing the archers to abandon their positions and charge the guns. As they did, French cavalry caught them in the open. The English army was annihilated. Of roughly 4,000 English soldiers, nearly all were killed or captured. It was the worst English defeat in France since the start of the war.
Commanders