Editing Battle of Tourcoing (section)

==Plans==
{{further|Tourcoing order of battle}}
[[File:Frederick, Duke of York 1800-1820.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.6|alt=Painting of a heavy-set, clean-shaven man with a cleft chin. He wears a red military uniform.|Duke of York]]
[[File:TourcoingPlan.png|thumb|Map showing the French and Allied positions on 16 May, the day before the battle, as well as the Allied plan of attack for the battle of Tourcoing. Coburg planned to use a heavy attack from his left flank to outflank and cut the French army off from their base at Lille, while Clerfayt would close the trap from the north and surround the French.]]
On 16 May, staffs of the Coalition army drew up a battle plan. Coburg's chief-of-staff Mack called it the ''Vernichtungsplan'' (Annihilation Plan). Mack is usually credited with its development, but the strategic concept may have been York's. The plan's stated goal was, "to act upon the enemy's communications between Lille and Menin and Courtrai, to defeat his armies that he has advanced upon [[Lys (river)|the Lys]] and to drive him out of Flanders".{{sfn|Brown|2021|p=136}} The battlefield was bounded on the north by the Lys River and on the east by the [[Scheldt]] River. The [[Marque (river)|Marque River]] flows north from [[Pont-à-Marcq]] until it empties into the [[Deûle]] which is a tributary of the Lys. The Marque could only be crossed by bridges because of its soft bottom and swampy banks. The Spiere brook rises near Roubaix and flows eastward into the Scheldt at [[Spiere-Helkijn|Spiere]]. The land is mostly level, but there were many villages and farmhouses enclosed by hedges. It was difficult to move off-road, but roads were plentiful in the region and the main roads were wide. The terrain was not favorable for cavalry operations, giving the French an advantage.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|pp=110–111}}

[[File:AduC 079 Souham (J., 1760-1837).JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.6|alt=Black and white engraving of a curly-haired man wearing a dark military uniform|Joseph Souham]]
According to [[John Fortescue (historian)|historian John Fortescue]], the Allies divided their 62,000-man army (including 12,000 cavalry) into six columns. Bussche led 4,000 Hanoverians{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=111}} in 5 battalions and 8 squadrons. These included 2 battalions of the 1st Infantry Regiment, the 1st and 4th Grenadier Battalions, and 2 squadrons each of the 1st and 7th Cavalry and the 9th and 10th Light Dragoon Regiments.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=79}}<ref group=note>In this article, battalions always refer to infantry units and squadrons refer to cavalry units.</ref> Otto commanded 10,000 men in 12 battalions and 10 squadrons. York directed 10,000 soldiers in 12 battalions and ten squadrons.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|pp=111–112}} York's column included the following British troops: [[1st Foot Guards|1st]], [[2nd Foot Guards|2nd]], and [[3rd Foot Guards]], Guards Flank Battalion, [[14th Foot]], [[37th Foot]], [[53rd Foot]], Flank Battalion, [[7th Light Dragoons|7th]], [[15th The King's Hussars|15th]], and [[16th Light Dragoons]].{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=79}} Kinsky led 9,000 men in 10 battalions and 16 squadrons and Charles commanded 14,000 men in 17 battalions and 32 squadrons. Clerfayt had 16,000 troops{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|pp=111–112}} in 25 battalions and 28 squadrons.{{sfn|Cust|1859|p=198}} In addition, a cavalry reserve of 16 British squadrons under Erskine was assembled near Hertain.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=112}}

[[Ramsay Weston Phipps]] stated that the Allies employed 73,350 soldiers. Five columns would attack from the Tournai area and were numbered from north to south. Bussche's first column consisted of 4,000 Hanoverians and was ordered to move north from [[Pecq|Warcoing]] to Dottignies, then west to [[Mouscron]].{{sfn|Phipps|2011|pp=296–297}} However, one-third of Bussche's column was sent on a subsidiary mission toward Courtrai.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=112}} Otto's second column counted 10,000 soldiers and was sent northwest through [[Leers]], [[Wattrelos]], and [[Tourcoing]]. York's third column numbered 10,750 troops and was directed to advance abreast of Otto's column from Templeuve through [[Lannoy, Nord|Lannoy]], [[Roubaix]], and [[Mouvaux]]. Kinsky's fourth column had 11,000 men and would start from [[Marquain]] and force its way across the [[Marque (river)|Marque River]] at [[Bouvines]]. Charles' fifth column was 18,000-strong.{{sfn|Phipps|2011|pp=296–297}} Starting from Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, it would march to Pont-à-Marcq{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=113}} while sending a detachment to preserve contact with Kinsky. It was ordered to force a passage across the Marque and turn north, join Kinsky's column, and finally join hands with York near Mouvaux.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=112}} The sixth column under Clerfayt counted 19,600 men and was instructed to move south from Tielt to [[Wervik]], cross the Lys, and press southeast toward Tourcoing.{{sfn|Phipps|2011|p=296}}

On 13 May, Pichegru left the scene to pay a visit to his right wing, leaving Souham in temporary command.{{sfn|Phipps|2011|p=299}} The Army of the North included the divisions of Souham (28,000), Moreau (22,000), Bonnaud (20,000) and Pierre-Jacques Osten (10,000), altogether 82,000 soldiers. Osten's soldiers were posted at Pont-à-Marcq. Bonnaud's men bivouacked at [[Sainghin-en-Mélantois]] with detachments at Lannoy and [[Tressin|Pont-à-Tressin]]. Souham's and Moreau's troops were on the south bank of the Lys between Courtrai and [[Aalbeke]]. Jean François Thierry's brigade was located at Mouscron. [[Louis Fursy Henri Compère]]'s brigade occupied Tourcoing to preserve the connection with Bonnaud.{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=111}} As recently as 10 May, Souham's division consisted of the following brigades: [[Étienne Macdonald]], [[Herman Willem Daendels]], [[Jan Willem de Winter]], [[Henri-Antoine Jardon]], and Philippe Joseph Malbrancq. Compère and Thierry each led independent brigades.{{sfn|Brown|2021|p=131}}<ref group=note>Winter's brigade was not mentioned by Cust, Fortescue, or Phipps.</ref> Bonnaud's division was made up of the brigades of [[Jean-Baptiste Salme]], [[Nicolas Pierquin]], and Pierre Nöel, while the cavalry was grouped under Antoine-Raymond Baillot-Faral.{{sfn|Brown|2021|p=132}} Moreau had only the brigades of [[Dominique Vandamme]] and Nicolas Joseph Desenfans, and the latter unit was observing Ypres and not in close contact.{{sfn|Phipps|2011|p=300}} Fortescue credited Vandamme with 8,000 troops,{{sfn|Fortescue|2016|p=127}} while Steve Brown stated that he commanded 12,000 troops.{{sfn|Brown|2021|p=150}}