Laffelt 1747

What was possible on the mid-eighteenth-century western European battlefield within the limitations of early modern warfare? The Battle of Laffelt, 2 July 1747, in the waning years of the War of the Austrian Succession, is described and analysed in detail in Laffelt 1747, using unique contemporary battle maps and unpublished eyewitness accounts for the first time.
 
The armies engaged are examined in terms of their composition, operational practices, actual battle strength, and command and control. The earlier careers of opposing commanders Saxe and Cumberland are summarised, and their generalship at Laffelt is considered. Included are examinations of the local region and the topography of the battlefield – in particular, the mostly irregular nature of the fighting for that era, which occurred in the critical hamlet of Laffelt. This bloody struggle, which took place over the course of four hours, is recounted in detail for the first time.
 
Laffelt 1747 also addresses the aftermath, casualties, and the historiography of the battle over the last two and a half centuries; these, along with the tactical questions that arise, are presented in the final section of the book. What emerges from this study is the advantage of a unitary army opposed to a coalition army with conflicting national interests.