1762 - French campaign in Western Germany

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The campaign lasted from March to November 1762

Description of Events

This article rapidly becoming quite large has been split into five distinct articles:

1. Preliminary operations (March 10 to June 4, 1762) describing the general situation at the beginning of the year and the minor operations who took place before the opening of the campaign.
2. Allied reconquest of Hesse (June 6 to July 15, 1762) describing the Allied approach on Kassel, the battle of Wilhelmsthal and the progressive retreat of the French Army of the Upper Rhine out of Hesse.
3. French manoeuvres to make a junction of their two armies (July 16 to August 31, 1762) describing the manoeuvres of the Army of the Upper Rhine and those of the Reserve arriving from the Lower Rhine till their junction after the combat of Nauheim.
4. French attempts to relieve Kassel (September 1 to November 2, 1762) describing the French manoeuvres to turn Allied lines and relieve Kassel, including the combat of Amöneburg.
5. French evacuation of Germany (November 3 to December 31, 1762) describing events during the peace negotiations in Fontainebleau.

References

This article is essentially a compilation of texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:

• Fortescue, J. W.; A History of the British Army Vol. II, MacMillan, London, 1899, pp. 547-557
• Jomini, Henri; Traité des grandes opérations militaires, 2ème édition, 4ème partie, Magimel, Paris: 1811, pp. 160-187
• Pajol, Charles P. V., Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. V, Paris, 1891, pp. 306-466