Editing Battle of Dettingen (section)

==Battle==
{{Location map many|Germany Hesse|caption = The Battle of Dettingen; key locations. Note river line (in blue)|relief=yes|border = black| width = 250| float = right
|label = Mainz |pos=bottom |lat_deg=50|lat_min =00|lon_deg = 8|lon_min = 15
|label2 = Frankfurt |pos2=top |lat2_deg=50|lat2_min =7|lon2_deg = 8|lon2_min = 41
|label3 = Aschaffenburg |pos3= bottom|lat3_deg=49|lat3_min = 58|lon3_deg = 9|lon3_min = 9
|label4 = Hanau |pos4=right|lat4_deg=50|lat4_min = 08|lon4_deg = 8|lon4_min = 55
|label5 = Wiesbaden |pos5=left|lat5_deg=50|lat5_min = 05|lon5_deg = 8|lon5_min = 14
|label6 = Dettingen|pos6=right|lat6_deg=50|lat6_min =03 |lon6_deg = 9 |lon6_min = 01
|label7 = Kassel|pos7=left|lat7_deg=51|lat7_min =19 |lon7_deg = 9 |lon7_min = 30}}

Around 1:00 am on 27 June, the Allies left Aschaffenburg in three columns, and marched along the north bank of the Main, heading for Hanau.{{sfn|De Périni|1896|p=296}} The French position at Dettingen was extremely strong; De Gramont's infantry held a line anchored on the village, and running to the [[Spessart]] Heights, with the cavalry on level ground to their left. Noailles instructed de Vallière to place his guns on the south bank of the Main, which allowed them to fire into the left flank of the Pragmatic army.{{sfn|Vallière, Joseph-Florent de}}

Inadequate reconnaissance was a problem for the Allies throughout the war, and the French presence in Dettingen took them by surprise. Their danger became clear when Noailles sent another 12,000 troops over the River Main at Aschaffenburg, into the Allied rear; he had high hopes of destroying their entire army. Ilton, commander of the Allied infantry, ordered the British and Hanoverian Foot Guards back to Aschaffenburg, while the remainder changed from column of march into four lines to attack the French position. As they did so, they were fired on by the French artillery, although this caused relatively few casualties.{{sfn|Brumwell|2006|p=30}}
[[File:The Battle of Dettingen.jpg|thumb|242x242px|The fighting at Dettingen, on 27 June 1743]]
Despite being ordered three times by Noailles to hold their position, around midday the elite [[Maison militaire du roi de France|Maison du Roi]] cavalry charged the Allied lines.{{sfn|Duffy|1987|p=19}} Who initiated it is disputed, de Gramont being the most common choice; French historian De Périni suggests the Maison de Roi, who had not seen action since [[Battle of Malplaquet|Malplaquet]] in 1709, saw an opportunity to win the battle on their own and led by the [[Anne Pierre d'Harcourt|duc d'Harcourt]], they broke through the first three lines, throwing the inexperienced British cavalry into confusion.{{sfn|Morris|1886|p=126}} 

They were followed by the [[Gardes Françaises]] infantry, in a disjointed and piecemeal attack which forced de Vallière to cease fire for fear of hitting his own troops, allowing the British infantry in the fourth line to hold their ground.{{sfn|Périni|1896|p=298}} A Hanoverian artillery battery began firing at close range into the French infantry, while an Austrian brigade took them in the flank. After three hours of fighting, the French retreated to the left bank of the Main, most of their casualties occurring when one of the bridges collapsed.{{sfn|Mackinnon|1883|p=358}} The Pragmatic Army continued towards Hanau; although it has been suggested that they could have exploited their victory, they were in no shape to attempt a contested river crossing.{{sfn|Mallinson|2009|p=83}} Their precarious position was demonstrated by the need to abandon their wounded in order to move faster.{{sfn|Périni|1896|p=300}}