Fontenoy

Fontenoy, a village (pop. 857) of Belgium, 5 miles SE. of Tournay, was the scene of a battle (11th May 1745) in the war of the Austrian Succession, between the French, 60,000 strong, under Marshal Saxe, and the allies (English, Dutch, and Austrians), in nearly equal force, under the Duke of Cumberland. After a hard-fought fight the allies were forced to retreat, the loss on each side being about 7000 men. The victory was in great measure due to the courage of the 'Irish Brigade' in the French army, as much be-sung by Irish poets.