Upper Rhine France Southern Italy North Germany and Scandinavia Pyrenees Americas Naval battles The Battle of Salzbach, or Sasbach, took place on 27 July 1675 during the Franco-Dutch War, when an Imperial army under Raimondo Montecuccoli confronted a French force commanded by Marshal Turenne.

When the Franco-Dutch War began in May 1672, French troops quickly overran much of the Dutch Republic, helped by English naval support.

By July the Dutch position had stabilised, while concern at French gains brought support from Brandenburg-Prussia, Emperor Leopold, and Charles II of Spain.

In August 1673, an Imperial Army entered the Rhineland; facing war on multiple fronts, Louis XIV abandoned most of his gains in the Netherlands to focus elsewhere.

[2] After completing the reconquest of Franche-Comté in June, the main French army under Condé won a narrow victory over a combined Dutch-Spanish force under William of Orange at Seneffe in August.

'[5] Despite being significantly outnumbered, he fought Bournonville to a standstill at Entzheim in early October, then won a decisive victory at Turckheim in January 1675.

However, his move was nothing more than a feint designed to draw Turenne north, away from Strasbourg; the Imperial army pulled back to the east bank on 4 June.

At last, lack of forage forced Montecuccoli to withdraw north to entrench his army along the Rench River, 10 miles from Strasbourg.

In response, Turenne moved most of his army to face the new Imperial position while keeping a garrison in Willstatt.

Seeing no hope of victory along the Rench, Montecuccoli ordered a retreat to the Black Forest, instructing Caprara to abandon Offenburg and join the main Imperial army.

On the morning of 27 July the French found the Imperial army entrenching around the village of Salzbach, behind a stream of the same name, on a small plain at the foot of the mountains.

Montecuccoli took advantage of hedges and woods in protecting his troops, and placed musketeers in the village church and an old castle on his right flank.

This officer was slow in arriving, though, because the presence of the French army had forced him to take a long detour through the foothills.

[12] The French army formed line of battle south of the Salzbach Stream, with infantry to the front and cavalry behind.

[13] At about 2:00 p.m., Saint Hilaire asked Turenne to inspect a battery he was siting to suppress fire from Imperial guns commanded by Margrave Hermann of Baden-Baden.

It has been suggested that the fire was especially hot because Saint Hilaire wore a red cloak, providing a good target.

According to one source, Turenne agreed to be cautious, reportedly saying "je ne veux pas être tué aujourd'hui" ("I do not want to be killed today.").

A volunteer with the army stated later that Turenne's plan of campaign died with him, and that the generals who took over from him were considered worthy of reward merely for safely getting back across the Rhine to await orders from the royal court.