Fusiliers' Museum,
Lancashire
History : Time Line : The Battle Of Minden.
Battle of Minden and the The Minden Poem
By T D Lawrence. Ensign 20th Regiment
“Here let me tell how Minden’s plain was won,
While feats of arms obscured the noonday sun;
The Gallic steeds obeyed their master’s mind,
Spurn at the thunder, and outstrip the wind;
Their crests refulgent shine, their nostrils wide
With foaming bursts emit the fleecelike tide;
The British foot, by equal files were dress’d,
Their panting hearts with love of fame impress’d;
The dreadful charge perceived, with well-aimed fire,
Their squadrons checked, both man and horse expire;
Resistless force the blazing cannon pours,
Her ponderous ball, or clust’ring grape shot showers;
From right to left, from front to rear, was seen
A dreadful carnage, and a sanguined green.”
By T D Lawrence.
Ensign 20th Regiment
Ensign Lawrence carried one of the Colours of the 20th at the Battle of Minden.
During the Seven Years War, on 1st August 1759 an allied force commanded by Prince Ferdinand, the Duke of Brunswick encountered a large French army under the command of the renowned Marshal Contades. The British commander being George Sackville.
Early on the morning of 1st August the two armies were drawn up just outside the town of Minden and shortly after the allied army had taken up its position, they observed coming over the crest of the hill the massed French Cavalry directed straight at their centre towards the infantry of the line. The six infantry regiments were drawn up for battle; owing to a misunderstanding of orders, instead of standing and trying to hold their ground - an almost impossible task against such a formidable mass of the best cavalry in Europe - advanced towards the mass of enemy horse with drums beating and colours flying. The small force of six infantry battalions advanced at a rapid rate towards the charging enemy to the surprise of the French officers and their Marshal.
When the French Cavalry were almost on top of them they formed line with perfect discipline and fired a withering fire into the enemy. Three times did the French Cavalry charge and three times they were put to rout while the British Infantry continued their advance only pausing to halt to fire into the mass of cavalry. The French Cavalry were eventually decimated and they withdrew.
The casualties of the British were enormous, over three quarters of the original strength, but never once had they broken ranks to lose the formation.
After the battle, Marshal Contades said:
“Today I have seen the impossible, three ranks of British Infantry in line charge and put to rout the massed Cavalry of France.”
On their way to the Battlefield, the British troops passed through the gardens of Minden which were bright with roses. Most of them plucked them as they passed by and put them in their head-dress, therefore, fighting the battle so attired. Ever since, it has been a tradition of Minden Regiments to wear roses in their head-dress every Minden Day.
