Editing Battle of Lens (section)

==Battle==
===Preliminaries===
[[File:Battle of Lens.jpg|thumb|The Battle of Lens. Contemporary illustration, oil on canvas.]]
Condé saw the strength of the Spanish position and decided not to attack it head-on. His army had been in battle array the entire previous day and had not eaten. There was no food, fodder or water in the place, so he decided to retreat to the village of Neus some two hours march away. There he could obtain supplies from [[Béthune]], where he had left his baggage train, and be in position to intercept the Spanish army's movements.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=164}} At least two officers from Condé's army reported that Condé retreat was a planned [[feigned retreat|feint]] to draw the Spanish into the open for battle.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|pp=192–193}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}}

===Beck's attack===
At 5 a.m. six guns from Cossé's artillery park fired a volley on the Spanish and the French began to retreat while still in battle formation, with the right-wing making up the [[rearguard]].{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|pp=191–193}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}} General Beck's Lorrainers suddenly attacked the isolated, 10-squadron-strong French rearguard under Villequier and Noirmoutier and routed them. Condé's [[Page (servant)|page]] was wounded and captured and Condé himself only narrowly escaped being killed or captured.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}} The Picardie infantry regiment came up to support the French rearguard and helped to rally them.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}} At 6:30&nbsp;a.m., Beck advised the Archduke to attack with all haste and crush the French.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|pp=191–193}} The cautious Archduke at first refused and reaffirmed his express order to Beck to take no risks. Beck told him there was no risk on the open plain and the Spanish officers of the army told the archduke that he was giving up an opportunity to avenge the [[Battle of Rocroi|defeat of Rocroi]].{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}} The Archduke then gave permission to start the battle, armed himself, confessed to his [[Jesuit]] priest and fled the field, leaving his army to its fate.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}}

Condé and Gramont ordered the French main body to turn around and form up for battle.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}} By 8 a.m. the armies were ready for action. The nimble and well-handled French guns fired while moving on the advancing Spanish who were easy targets on the forward slope, while the French infantry and cavalry marched forward to the sound of [[trumpet]]s and the crash of [[Military drums|drum]]s.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}} Condé frequently called a halt to the advance to keep the lines in order and maintain spacing to prevent the formations from bunching up. The Spanish artillery had trouble hitting the French.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}} The Spanish were marching down the hill and arraying for combat simultaneously, which was a difficult task.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}}

===Cavalry struggle on the wings===
At 8:30 Bucquoy's Walloon cavalry on the Spanish right, situated five paces behind the crest of a small [[hillock]], were approached by Gramont's cavalry squadrons.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|pp=192–193}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}} At 20 paces, the Walloons discharged their carbines, killing or wounding almost everyone in the French first lines.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}} The following ranks of the French cavalry nevertheless charged through the Walloons' formation, throwing it into disorder and rapidly causing a rout.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}} The second echelon of Walloons then charged to help their comrades but a violent French cavalry charge sufficed to rout them. Only Gramont's Guards Squadron took heavy losses in this struggle with the second echelon.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=161}}

Ligniville's Lorrainers advanced at a [[trot]] to meet the French right-wing cavalry under Condé, who were advancing at a walk. Both sides halted at [[pistol]]-shot, and neither side made a move for a time. Prior to the battle, Condé was impressed by the fire discipline of the German cavalry who never fired first and used their enemy's helplessness while reloading to charge and rout them.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=164}} He therefore told his cavalry commanders to hold their fire as well to prevent the Germans from gaining an advantage.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=164}} The Lorrainers eventually opened fire and killed, wounded or threw from their horse everyone in the French first lines. Condé gave the signal for his squadrons to open fire and then led the Gassion squadron on a charge, crushing the Lorrainer squadron opposite him.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}} Six more French squadrons followed their General's lead and beat the rest of the Lorrainer line.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}} The French cavalry reserve under Erlach came up and enveloped the exposed Lorrainer left, shattering them from the flank.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|p=192}}

===Battle in the center===
Attacking at 9 a.m., the Spanish infantry in the center enjoyed strong success with its assault and broke 4 of the 12 French infantry battalions.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|pp=192–193}} Condé's order for his cavalry to hold their fire was taken as a point of honor by the [[musketeer]]s who refused to fire first as well and before the enemy was at [[point-blank range]].{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=163}} The [[Gardes Françaises|French Guards]] fired first, while the Picardie and Erlach battalions were more patient.{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}} The French Guards and [[Scots Guard]] regiments were subsequently surrounded and the French Guards overwhelmed by the Bonifaz and Bentivoglio infantry battalions.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|p=192}} This achievement meant little as both of the Spanish cavalry wings were fleeing from the field. The French center rallied around the Picardie regiment and the Spanish infantry was soon encircled and attacked from all sides by the French cavalry and infantry, much like at Rocroi.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|p=192}}{{sfn|Thion|2008|p=165}} There was no replay of the Spanish last stand at Rocroi, the surrounded Spanish battalions choosing not to fight to the last extremity but to capitulate instead.{{sfn|Guthrie|2003|p=192}}