Editing Battle of Steenkerque (section)

==Battle==
[[File:Hendrik Casimir II, vorst van Nassau-Dietz, bij een veldslag Hendrik Casimir II (1657-96), vorst van Nassau-Dietz. Als aanvoerder bij een veldslag, SK-C-1226.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, in battle. By [[Huchtenburg|Jan van Huchtenburg]], 1692.]]

Led by the Duke of Wurttemberg the Allied advance guard of infantry and pioneers deployed silently around 5:00 a.m. close to the French encampments.{{Sfn|Childs|1991|pp=201-202}} The day began well for the Allies. After a short firefight, Wurttemberg managed to take control of a hill and forest opposite Steenkerke and then deployed artillery,{{sfn|Van Nimwegen|2020|p=229}} with which he at 9:00 a.m. started methodically cannonading the enemy.{{Sfn|Moreri|1749|p=690}} For further progress, he depended on the arrival of the main force. 

To Württemberg's anger, it took all morning before Lieutenant General [[Hugh_Mackay_(general)|Hugh Mackay]] showed up with the infantry of the first column. Where the other two columns were at the time was unknown to him.{{sfn|Van Nimwegen|2020|p=229}} Whether through bad luck or mismanagement, the cavalry, which had been supposed to follow the infantry, had deployed in front of the infantry, behind Mackay and Wurttemberg, thus preventing the infantry of the columns under Henry Casimir and Solms from reaching the front line.{{Sfn|Childs|1991|pp=201-202}}

[[Charles_de_Montsaulnin,_Comte_de_Montal|Montal]], the extremely experienced commander of the French vanguard, meanwhile, hurriedly formed up his troops.{{Sfn|Moreri|1749|p=690}} William of Orange considered it unwise to wait any longer and despite the delay, loss of surprise and the absence of 2 of the 3 columns, ordered Wurttemberg and Mackay around 1:00 p.m. to finally begin the main attack.{{sfn|Van Nimwegen|2020|p=229}} Their troops captured the first three lines of trenches and came very close to achieving a stunning victory.{{sfn|Atkinson|1938|pp=200-204}} However, Montal held off the initial Allied attack long enough to enable Luxembourg to bring up his main force.{{Sfn|Moreri|1749|p=690}}

[[File:Ferd-wilh-wuertt-neuenst.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Duke of Württemberg]]

The piecemeal deployment of the Allied main body meant little or no attempt was made to engage the French centre. With his troops spread out over the fortifications and under huge pressure from the French, Mackay asked William for permission to withdraw and reorganise. Ordered to continue the assault, he allegedly said 'The Lord's will be done' and taking his place at the head of his regiment was killed with many of his division. Over 8,000 of the 15,000 Allied troops engaged became casualties, with five British regiments almost wiped out.{{sfn|Childs|1991|p=204}} Around 6:00 p.m., William decided to call off the attack. Württemberg raged to [[Jean Philippe Eugène de Mérode|Mérode-Westerloo]], the young adjutant who came to deliver this news, that he would have been able to drive the French out of their positions if the second and third columns had shown up, when now only 14,000 men had been at his disposal. Mérode-Westerloo rode back to the king and later wrote: ''I couldn't restrain myself from saying to the king that a great opportunity had been lost to defeat the French. He smiled under his big hat, but said nothing.''{{sfn|Van Nimwegen|2020|p=229}}

Seeing an opportunity for a decisive victory, Luxembourg committed the elite ''[[Maison Militaire du Roi de France|Maison du Roi]]'' to a frontal assault, reinforced by troops from Enghien under [[Louis François, duc de Boufflers|Boufflers]]. Contesting every step, Wurttemberg's corps plus the remnants of the troops of the first column were driven back.{{Sfn|Lynn|1999|p=227}} The counterattack, however, proved very costly to the French, for the columns of Henry Casimir and Solms had finally reached the edge of the forest and were now getting into combat with the French. The battle only ended with the coming of darkness.{{sfn|Van Nimwegen|2020|p=230}} William then ordered his troops to fall back on their original positions around Halle, covered by a rear-guard under [[Hendrik Van Nassau-Ouwerkerk]]. The French quickly called off the pursuit, having suffered losses of around 7,000-8,000 killed or wounded themselves.{{Sfn|Lynn|1999|p=227}}