"That the realm of France doth by little and little run into decay, and is near to a great overthrow, unless God of his goodness uphold it. Also, that as yet there be some remedies to raise it up again in case they may be with speed accepted.."
Francois de la Noue
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Spanish Fury, Battle! 2nd Edition
PISTOLADO II
That 2500 Pikemen and 1500 Harquebusiers may more easily retire three French leagues in a plain field than 2000 Lancers
Among all military actions accounted notable, this hath the first place as one of the most difficult, as also it is a great testimony of the sufficiency of the Captain that can understand and accomplish it. And as there are few willing to undertake it, for fear of failing: so peradventure shall we find fewer that will believe that it may be done, because it is a thing that happens so seldom. Neither would I reprove their opinion if they meant that in the weakness wherein our infantry now consists it were impossible to attain to effect. For having no use of the pike & void of discipline, I do not think that 10000 Harquebusiers taken from thence dare show themselves in the plain before 600 lancers. But with the 4000 men of who I mean to speak, all of our own nation and of no other, reduced into good order and obedience, and in their ancient arms, I will uphold that the retreat propounded may be performed.
Such as will gainsay (of whom there are many) will propound an argument gathered of experience, saying, that no Historiographer sets down any such example, at the least none of those that have written of the wars happened since the year 1494. hitherto, which have been very notable: also that these proofs appeared only in the time of the Romans. Whereto for my answer, since they beat against me with experience, I will defend my self by the same and say, that it makes no more against me, than with me. For regarding what is past, we may note such happenings as verify my proposition not to be impossible.
First I will allege the brave retreat of Don Alvarez in Africa. He had, as I have heard, 4000 Spaniards, soldiers of great valour, and to come where he purposed, he was to pass a plain of four or five miles, which (trusting to his men) he adventured to do. But he was not so soon set forward, but eighteen or twenty thousand horse of the Moors were at his heels, who coveted to catch him in this bad advantage. He then having ordered his battle and exhorted his men, went forward on his way where all these horse did five or six times set upon him, but he bore their brunt and so bravely repulsed them, that with the loss of 80 men at the most, he brought the rest into safety, and slew seven or eight hundred of the enemy. Some will say, that they wanting armour did not pierce so sharply as do the Christian horsemen, who do far surpass them in courage. I grant ours are more valiant, but theirs did not assail very slackly, or else they had not lost so many. And by this exploit it appears, that footmen resolute and well led may surpass any anywhere. Guicciardine also in his history reported a gallant retreat of 2000 Spaniards after the Frenchmen had broken their army at Ravenna: for being joined again into their body, although the horsemen did follow and charge them, yet did they save themselves, and even slew Gaston de Foix, the conqueror that pursued them.
In these retreats here do appear great determination but small art, which nevertheless is very necessary in such affairs: whereto I will also add the instruction of the soldiers. For when all these three things shall concur in one troop, I doubt not but it may work greater marvels than the former. Some will say, that the Frenchmen can at this day hardly help themselves with the pike, which is true, vneither do I marvel thereat: for in delivering both it and the corselet to any man, men look to no more, but whether he have good shoulders, as if it were to carry some coffer like a mole: and as for the gentry they have quite given it over. This is the reason why I wish the restoring of martial discipline, as also that they would again practise the pike, wherewith to fight up close and in the open, and to leave to the youths and poor soldiers the handling of the harquebus, because they ordinarily fight far off or in cover: for the one is far more honourable than the other. Captains in old time, venturing upon some difficult enterprise, wished to have their soldiers not only well ordered, but also old beaten warriors, because their assurance is the greater. For it were but an oversight to attempt any perilous adventure with new men.
Now will I come to Instruction, which is (as I have said) marvellously requisite in extraordinary matters. And yet we now see that the Soldier condemns it: and the Captain cares not for it, but claim if a Soldier be valiant, and that wheresoever he be placed he will do his duty: think you he will not do it much better, or that he will not fight more resolutely, when before he has by good reasons been persuaded that the horse cannot force a battle in the face: likewise that for the flank they must use such fortification as I will hereafter set down, then if he were utterly ignorant or wish not what might happen? I think no man will deny it: for certainly ignorance is in part cause of the fear that many men of war do oftentimes conceive: For that seeing the enemy in their faces, they think they should, according to the proverb, 'even eat iron chariots' (face the impossible). I know that practise teaches to know the true from the false, but there is much time spent therein, unless it be held by familiar and ordinary documents, which those captains that seek to have the best companies do diligently give to their soldiers.
Concerning the ordering of the battles, I would wish every rank to contain fifty Pikemen, whereof there should be seven at the head, which would make three hundred and fifty, then ten ranks of Harquebusiers, and in the midst of them the rank of Ensigns, afterwards for the tail six ranks of Pikemen, which in all make six hundred and fifty Pikemen and five hundred harquebusiers placed in four and twenty ranks. For the flanks, wherein all the difficulty doth consist, they should be ordered in manner following. I would never place there any Harquebusiers as have been organized previously, but make six ranks of three hundred Pikemen, in each fifty men which should serve to make head on those sides. The enemies being near, they should march otherwise than with pikes at rest, namely close and carrying their Pikes upright leaning against their shoulders, which is now sufficiently in use. Whereas at the heads of the battle, when any thing is to be done, in their march they trail them, which makes much distance between their ranks.
For marching but 80 paces apart and moving consistently in relation to each other, it follows that the head of the battle marked A can hardly be charged, because the side of the battle marked 3 doth flank it, as likewise the said head doth as much for the said flank: by the same reason also one of the heads of the battle marked 2. and the flank of the other marked D do also succour each other by their Harquebusiers, so as it is very dangerous for the horse to assail in such places which flank each other.
Now, these six ranks when the charge is offered, after they stand shall do nothing but make half a turn, and so continue in their array with their face to the enemy, and by my advice, they should take but threescore common paces in length, which properly should be the same which the battle being closed to fight, may have open by the flanks. Thus should they be armed to withstand the horsemen, which cannot be well defeated but with Pikes: for the harquebus shot without cover will easily be overthrown. There remain yet two hundred and fifty Harquebusiers to be placed in the battle, counting the Muskets whom I would wish to be distributed into four parts, in each threescore and some what more to stand as it were loose before the Pikes, and at the charge to arrange themselves under those of the first ranks on the four sides of the battle.
Some will dislike I should make the heads so weak and only of six ranks of Pikemen, thinking them too few to bear the brunt of a whole band of horse. To whom I may say, that if there were ten it were the better, but I have cut my coat after my cloth: howbeit, I think such fronts sufficient to resist the horse, which may easily be done, if the men have courage and will be sure to stand strongly, and few battles have wee seen overthrown by any assault of the horse at the head. As for the flanks which I have described in such sort as before, they be as strong as the heads, so long as they can keep their order. And this order I would wish them to keep in their fight. First, while the horse were far off, it were good the battles did go forward, but seeing them ready to charge, to stay to the end the better to settle themselves in order and with good footing to bear their first brunt.
The first rank of Pikemen to plant the ends of their Pikes sure in the ground, and not to stir though a horse should gore himself thereon: also to hold them about the midst, and under the fore-ends should the threescore Muskets and Harquebuses appointed, arrange themselves, with one knee on the ground to shoot the surer, as also to be somewhat defended. The other ranks of Pikemen to stand upright almost close with the first ranks and to make the body of the battle. Then the horsemen coming to charge, I doubt not but they shall find themselves shrewdly annoyed by the Harquebusiers, which shooting within twenty paces, just in the face of the horse, in my opinion will maim the whole first ranks of the squadron: but if any think them in small surety there; I will answer, that they can no where be better placed at the head then here: for they must be where they may annoy at the first brunt, and although the lances or breasts of the horse do overthrow some four or five on a side, it were but a small loss. For it is most certain that when a Squadron of horse shall see nine or ten horse fall down at the first coming, such as follow will have an eye to their consciences. Thus after the Squadron shall have borne this sharp welcome, it must likewise strike upon the Pikes of the first ranks, or else moderate the first heat, as also because the first gored horses shall be forced to stand, and so stay the rest that follow. And although this defence might somewhat yield, yet should they still find the body of the battle ready to bear their brunt, wherein consists the principal force. And in truth I should think it impossible (if the soldiers would not be afraid) to overthrow such a bar: for we must think that though the horses run with great force, yet a small thing scares them, the smoke and noise of the Harquebusiers frightens them, hurts and stops them, mans conceived fears do make them to pull back, and the cry of the battle hath some effect, notwithstanding the greatest of all proceeds of the resistance of the Pikes. Besides all this, some ranks of Harquebusiers placed in the midst of the battle might likewise shoot over the heads of the Pikes, who bending themselves to the fight do somewhat stoop, whereby part of the horseman’s body may be seen.
Some peradventure will scorn here at and say, that all these small observations were more fit to be practised in Dances and Masks rather then in the war, likewise the old custom have always been best, though we trouble not our selves with so many impracticable novelties. But I am not of their minds, for they put me in remembrance of many of our fathers that laughed at so many intentions for the fortifying of the strongholds, terming them Italian devises, affirming that one good great Rampart would suffice to warrant men from the force of the Canon, upon the which they might defend themselves Pike to Pike. And yet experience hath taught vs that then towns were taken within eight days, where now we consume almost a whole season, so often must we fight before wee can win a Ravelin, then the ditch, then the Rampart, then the inward trench. For if in the should there be one ingenious person and a Soldier withal, such a one as was Captain Bastian in Maastrict, he made them that are without to sweat water and blood. I would think that that which I require in our battle, should not be so hard to practise, since our new soldiers when we train them, do make many more turns and returns for pleasure. Why then should not the olde soldiers labour to learn anything that may breed their honour and safeguard?
Two other objections may yet be here made. The first: that the flanks of the battle shall still be much weaker then the heads: because the cover that I have given them, consisting in so difficult an order, it is easy to be disordered. I confess that the said flanks should be too weak to assail, because the battles do still march forward and not sideways: but strongly to bear a brunt I think that observing the same which I have set down, they shall be able to do it, as well as the heads. To the end likewise the conduct may be the better, I would wish to each flank two Captains, with the pike; and of the best soldiers. The second objection is that the four corners of the battle, though closed, do yet remain somewhat open and weak, as it were for the space of seven or eight steps, where the horse may get entry. Truly this consideration is not amiss, and for the remedy hereof it were requisite in these corners to place seven or eight of the bravest Harquebusiers, who should not discharge but upon great necessity, as also to appoint the Pikemen of the 4th, 5th and 6th ranks that should be nearest thereto to turn their Pikes that way to bear the brunt when they see the enemy approach. The greatest danger to all the said footmen consists in the two first charges of the horse, which it is to be presumed, will be brave: but being borne out, they may conceive great hope, in that they have quenched the first heat of the enemy, and so march forward over the field, casting forth some lose muskets to keep the horsemen aloof, but when they see it come upon them then wholly to close. And bearing themselves thus, I am verily persuaded they may make a gallant retreat.
The better to comprehend this matter, the Colonels who in their regiments have many Pikes, should sometimes prove in feigned things how this order stands with reason, and peradventure they shall find themselves the better satisfied, when they see a picture and lively representation thereof concur with that which they may have imagined, according to this report. Some man will reply that the horsemen may so indiscreetly assail the footmen, that they may indeed save themselves before them, but if they would charge them in small troops (namely of one squadron of 300. to make 3. each of 100. which might follow one after an other it would much shake the battle. For the Harquebusiers having discharged upon the first (as it cannot be denied, but it will greatly damage them) the two other squadrons following shall have great advantage, in being exempt from that danger, and so there is some likelihood that they may shake them. Truly this kind of charge is very good, but it may be provided for: for some of those Harquebusiers that should lie under the first ranks of the Pikes, may have charged again before the second troop comes upon them, also from the two sides that are not charged, or from the one, the harquebusiers may be brought to succour that which may be in danger, as also some of those in the midst may likewise shoot which being handsomely performed, the Pikemen shall still have succour from their Harquebusiers for without this their defence would be but cold. To conclude, I rather fear that we shall want occasion to attempt so brave a retreat, either that we shall scarcely find any Captain that will be the first to prove it, then that I doubt but it may be put in execution.
Having the the number of Footmen a fore mentioned (4000), ready trained and instructed, they should be arranged in this manner:
I would make two battles of them each of 1250 Pikemen, and 750 Harquebusiers: If any man ask why two rather then one, I say, to the end the one to favour the other, as may be seen in the figure hereto adjoined for the better comprehending thereof the ordering of the footmen to withstand the horse in the field.
But may some man say, although the two battles cannot be assaulted but each upon two sides, why is it not as good to make but one only, which cannot be assailed in any more places? For it seems the resistance would be more gallant, because that force united is much greater than when divided. I am of the opinion that in these actions, it is not so requisite to look to the greatness or smallness of the battles, as to the difficulty and hindrance when they find themselves assailed on every side. For it is a great adventure but there will grow some disorder when one body must make defence in four places: but when they need not to look but to two sides, the men do frame themselves thereto with greater ease and much better order. This reason shall content me for the verifying of my speech, notwithstanding I could alleged others
Forming Infantry to Face Cavalry in the Wars of Religion
Taken from the Second Military Paradox of Francois de la Noue's "Discours Militaire et Politique"
first published in 1587.
Miniatures rules for refighting major battle of the Wars of Religion period,
1560-1603
Brought to you by the authors of
Francois de la Noue was one of the great Captains and great men of the period. He was respected for both his prowess and his humanity in warfare. Having gathered vast experience soldiering and commanding soldiers in the late Valois-Hapsburg Wars and throughout the French Wars of Religion, he turned his hand to military theory while imprisoned by the Spanish.
I have taken a excerpt from his writings below, roughly translating some of it from 16th century English into a more modern form where necessary for clarity. The full text in English can be found here.
