d'Artagnan

On June 25, 1673, the legendary d'Artagnan died in bloody battles between French and State troops. On the spot where this captain of musketeers was killed, a statue in bronze was unveiled in 1977. The full name of d' Artagnan is Charles Debatz-Castelmore. The honor of unveiling the statue fell to the then Alderman Debats who, by the way, is not related to the Count.

D' Artagnan was made world famous by writer Alexandre Dumas who described the adventures of three fighting men, members of the Royal French Guard.

The 4 musketeers

In 1673, the battles for the city of Maastricht were fought about five hundred meters outside the Tongersepoort.In addition to a hornwork, three other outworks were located here, of which a half-moon about 250 meters west of said gate occupied a key position for the battle front. The capture of this work was therefore the first target of the besiegers.

Unveiling of the statue for d''Artagnan

After the French artillery shot the defenses storm-proof, on the evening of June 24, 1673, the attack was launched by the Regiment du Roy. Through several breaches in the city wall, the French penetrated the fortifications, in hand-to-hand combat they managed to break the opposition of the State troops.

But the subterranean passages under the fortification remained occupied by State troops. The following day, this gave the opportunity to inflict severe damage to the entrenchment with two gunpowder charges. Completely surprised, the enemy fled to the tip of the entrenchment. Led by several officers, several hundred Statesmen counterattacked. With heavy losses, the French were beaten back outside the gate of Tongeren.

Map

That same afternoon the French took the initiative to counterattack. Recognizing that without deployment of fresh determined troops this would be too difficult a task, an appeal was made to d'Artagnan who spontaneously made himself available with his company.

d'Artagnan

The attack was again launched under cover of artillery by Count De Montberon, as captain of the black musketeers, and d'Artagnan as captain of the white musketeers. When the French were victorious in the last of the battle, as already noted, two assault groups forced the final decision.

Montberon penetrated the entrenchment with his soldiers from the north side. Another division , which included d'Artagnan and musketeers of the first company went around the work and attacked it from behind in order to cut off the Staatsen. This maneuver had the intended success.

Statue of d'Artagnan
Statue of d'Artagnan

It may be assumed according to Morreau that d'Artagnan was killed immediately upon entering the Crescent. After all, when, after the battle was over, sentry Saint-Léger went to investigate with some of his men and found d'Artagnan dead with a musket ball through his throat, they came out from behind the parapet that had now been raised.

They searched eastward from the work, which was then under fire from the Statesmen. They brought his body to their rear lines. On the side of the Statesmen, as well as on that of the French, great losses were suffered.The place where he was shot was not the Jesuit rampart where the present bronze monument stands but a forward crescent west of the Tongersepoort.
The spot where the small statue was erected in the present Waldeck bastion near the half-round bench seems the most obvious historically responsible place. Reason enough to treat this spot with respect and possibly provide it with a memorial.