{{Infobox military conflict
|image=
|caption=General map of Duke Ferdinand of Brunswicks campaigns in 1762, Berlin 1872
|conflict=Battle of Wilhelmsthal
|partof=the Seven Years' War
|date= 24 June 1762
|place=Castle of Wilhelmsthal near Calden, Northwestern Germany
|result=Allied victory
|combatant1=
Kingdom of Great Britain
Prussia
Hanover]]
[[File:Wappen Braunschweig.svg|24px Brunswick
Hesse-Kassel
|combatant2=
Kingdom of France
|commander1=
Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick |commander2=
Prince de Soubise and Duc d'Estrées
|strength1=50,000
|strength2=70,000
|casualties1=707[1]
|casualties2=over 1,500 killed or wounded
several thousand prisoners
}}
| |||||
The Battle of Wilhelmsthal (sometimes written as the Battle of Wilhelmstadt) was fought on 24 June 1762 during the Seven Years' War between on one side the allied forces of British, Prussian, Hanover, Brunswick and Hessian troops under the command of the Duke of Brunswick against the French. Once again, the French threatened Hanover, so the Allies manoeuvered around the French, surrounded the invasion force, and forced them to retreat. It was the last major action fought by Brunswick's force before the Peace of Paris brought an end to the war.
Background[]
France had made a number of attempts to invade and overrun Hanover since 1757, hoping to occupy the Electorate and use it as a bargaining counter to exchange for the return of French colonies captured by the British. The Allied army under the Duke of Brunswick had prevented them from taking Hanover - and by 1762, aware that the war was likely to draw to a close, the French had decided on a final thrust to try to defeat Brunswick and occupy Hanover.
The battle[]
Ferdinand had advanced and outflanked the French on both flanks, nearly encircling them. An attack on the French center held by Stainville's command was particularly effective, with one column engaging his front, another striking his rear causing some 1500 casualties[2] and forcing some regiments to surrender.
Aftermath[]
The result is viewed as victory for the Allied forces. It ended the last French hopes of overunning and occupying Hanover before the armistice that ended the war, and the Treaty of Paris. The Anglo-German forces advanced and captured Cassel in November, but by then the premilaries of peace had been signed.
See also[]
References[]
External links[]
The original article can be found at Battle of Wilhelmsthal and the edit history here.