Oldendorf

Catholic Imperial Army

CinC: Bonninghausen

Command	General
Right Wing	Gronsfeld
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
League Horse	Trotter	Regular	1	5	S
League Arquebusier	Trotter	Regular	1	4	S
Imperial Arquebusier	Trotter	Regular	1	6	S
Musketeer (Det)	Regiment	Regular	1	2	S

Command	General
Centre	Merode
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
Imperial Horse (Det)	Trotter	Regular	1	2	S
Imperial Infantry	Tercio (L)	Veteran	1	14	p/S
Imperial Infantry	Tercio (L)	Regular	2	7	p/S
League Infantry	Tercio (L)	Regular	2	12,13	p/S
Demiculverin	Artillery		4	4	S

Command	General
Left Wing	Geleen
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
Imperial Cuirassier	Trotter	Veteran	2	4	S
Imperial Arquebusier	Trotter	Regular	1	4	S
Imperial Dragoon	Dragoon	Regular	1	5	S
League Horse	Trotter	Regular	1	4	S
Imperial Infantry	Tercio (L)	Regular	1	7	p/S
Musketeer (Det)	Regiment	Regular	3	2	S

Command	General
Reserve	Bonninghausen
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
Imperial Cuirassier	Trotter	Veteran	2	4	S
Imperial Dragoon	Dragoon	Regular	1	5	S
Musketeer (Det)	Regiment	Regular	1	2	S
Imperial Infantry	Tercio (L)	Regular	2	7	p/S

Protestant Army

CinC: Duke Georg

Command	General
Right Wing	Stalhansk
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
Swedish Horse	Trotter	Veteran	3	4	S
Finnish Horse (Det)	Galloper	Veteran	1	2	S
German Dragoon	Dragoon	Regular	1	5	S
Musketeer (Det)	Regiment	Veteran	4	2	S*
*Battalion guns attached.

Command	General
Centre	Kagge
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
German Infantry	Regiment	Veteran	6	6	p/S*
German Infantry	Regiment	Regular	3	4	p/S*
Demiculverin	Artillery		6	4	S
*Battalion guns attached.

Command	General
Left Wing	Knyphausen
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
Swedish Horse	Trotter	Veteran	1	4	S
Finnish Horse	Galloper	Veteran	1	7	S
German Dragoon	Dragoon	Regular	2	4	S
Life Guard Horse	Trotter	Veteran	1	4	S
German Horse	Trotter	Regular	3	4	S
German Horse	Trotter	Conscript	2	4	S

Command	General
Reserve	Uslar
Unit Type	Tactic	Grade	No. of Units	Strength	Weapon
German Horse	Trotter	Regular	2	4	S
German Infantry	Regiment	Regular	2	5	S

Oldendorf

8 July 1633

The Battle

TheObjective: The Catholic forces have assembled at Minden to march to the relief of the town of Hameln, under siege by Swedish and German forces. On receiving word of the approaching relief force, the Protestant army have taken up a defensive position near the Oldendorf.

The Outcome : Geleen initiated the battle with a cautious probe towards the Swedish right, this was shot down by dragoons and detached musketeers, the attackers were thrown back. This was followed up by a cavalry charge which broke the Catholics. The Swedish army was then ordered to advance. Despite defiant resistance in the centre the Catholic right wing was lost and the Catholic line collapsed after several hours fighting.

Click on image for a bigger picture.

The Catholic deployment. Gronsfeld’s cavalry wing with Bonninghausen’s reserve, moved across to support the front rank cavalry due to the strength of the Swedish opposition.

Knyphausen’s cavalry wing. This powerful force has been reinforced by the cavalry reserve. This was obviously going to be the main Swedish attack.

Knyphausen’s cavalry starts its attack, already the front rank is moving ahead, the attack risks losing its impact.

Geleen’s wing starts to move down from the heights, Stalhansk moves out to meet the threat.

Despite early Swedish success, the arrival of the Imperial Cuirass pushed Knyphausen’s cavalry back. The Swedish attack lacked coordination and was not supported by its rear rank. The Catholic right wing survived the first encounter.

Geleen and Stalhansk’s forces get to grips. Catholic shot detachments fall back providing little support for their cavalry. The first Catholic cavalry regiment routs off.

Knyphausen’s cavalry has regrouped for another attack on the Catholic right flank. Bonninghausen’s cavalry reserve now form part of the Catholic right wing.

Despite repulsing another cavalry attack on their right, the Catholic army is defeated. The critical blow falls on Geleen’s force which is overwhelmed by Stalhansk with strong support from two brigades of veteran infantry. The picture shows the space previously occupied by the Catholic left wing and an Imperial tercio routing from the battle. The Swedish army suffered heavy casualties and were in no position to pursue the retreating Imperials.

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