Battle of Rijmenam (1578) - The Battle

The Battle

After having spent the night opposite the enemy, Don Juan's army attacked early in the morning of 31 July 1578. The States Army was drawn up in front of the village of Rijmenam, with its flanks anchored in forests on both sides. In front of the army a system of entrenchments had been dug. Don Juan approached these trenches in the hope that Boussu would come out and engage him in the open, but Boussu refused to be drawn. After a wait of three hours, Don Juan ordered a company of musketeers under Alonso de Leyva and three troops of cuirassiers under the Marquis del Monte, to make a feint to the rear of the village on the Spanish left wing. This time Boussu took the bait and ordered Norris to head him off. A skirmish ensued but neither Norris, nor Leyva followed through

However, a few English soldiers had become lost between the lines and this drew in reinforcements from both sides. Both the Scots under Stuart and Spanish infantry under Fernando de Toledo came forward. At the same time the entire Spanish infantry started an advance on the trenches, led by Parma who went ahead on foot, pike in hand. Meanwhile, Toledo pushed Norris back inside the village. Norris directly counterattacked after having set fire to a few houses in the village. This was misinterpreted by the Spanish commanders as an attempt by Boussu to burn his baggage train. Thinking that the States Army was retreating, they now pressed the attack, despite attempts from Don Juan and Parma to stop them. When Leyva and Toledo had reached the center of the village, they discovered they had been lured into a well-laid trap.

It now turned out that the apparent deployment of the States Army in front of the village had been a ruse to draw the Spaniards in. In reality, the reinforced camp of Boussu was located behind the village and his artillery was drawn up in front of the real line. Five hundred Spanish musketeers and six hundred cavalry now found themselves in very perilous circumstances. The Scottish soldiers stripped to the waist, while singing psalms, and attacked the astounded Spaniards. At the same time the States's artillery opened fire. The Spanish troops were in danger of being annihilated. However, Parma personally extricated them by way of a covered path through the village, while executing one of his famous cavalry manoeuvres. This ended the battle, as Boussu did not follow through.

As usual, the reports of casualties differ. According to Dutch historians a loss of 1,000 dead was suffered by the Spanish forces. On the Spanish side no more than 400 dead are admitted and the same number on the other side claimed. Spanish historians admit to more wounded and prisoners lost, however.