A French victory over Imperial forces at Mulhouse in December 1674 that set the stage for expelling the Imperials from Alsace the following month.
Key Facts
- Date
- 29 December 1674
- Region
- Alsace, during the Franco-Dutch War
- Campaign
- Turenne's Winter Campaign
- Preceding engagement
- Battle of Entzheim, 4 October 1674
- Following engagement
- Battle of Turckheim, 5 January 1675
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After the inconclusive Battle of Entzheim on 4 October 1674, the Imperial army under Alexander von Bournonville settled into winter quarters around Colmar, expecting campaigning to pause. Turenne instead split his army, marched it covertly through the Vosges Mountains, and reassembled it near Belfort, achieving strategic surprise against the dispersed Imperial forces.
Caught off guard by Turenne's unexpected winter maneuver, Bournonville dispatched Hermann of Baden-Baden to hold Mulhouse. On 29 December 1674, Turenne attacked and defeated Hermann's detachment there, routing the portion of the Imperial army tasked with blocking the French advance through Alsace.
The French victory at Mulhouse disrupted the Imperial winter dispositions and opened the way for a follow-up engagement. A further French success at the Battle of Turckheim on 5 January 1675 compelled the entire Imperial army to withdraw from Alsace, consolidating French dominance over the region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Turenne.
Side B
1 belligerent
Hermann of Baden-Baden, Alexander von Bournonville.