August 1, 1759 · Westphalia (Europe) Theater
August 1, 1759
At Minden in Westphalia, six British infantry regiments received confused orders and advanced on foot directly into the massed French cavalry — a move suicidal by any tactical standard. Instead of being destroyed, the British infantry, firing disciplined volleys, broke six lines of French horse. It remains one of the most astonishing infantry feats in military history. The British cavalry commander, Lord Sackville, failed to pursue the beaten French and was later court-martialed for cowardice.
Commanders