Revolutionary Wars 1775–c.1815 (eBook)

Wars of the French Revolution/Napoleonic Wars 1792–1815

War of the First Coalition 1792–1800

■ VERDUN, 20 AUGUST–2 SEPTEMBER 1792
A small French force fought an invading army of Prussians and fell back into the fortress in Verdun, France. The Duke of Brunswick then led 60,000 Prussians in a successful siege of Verdun.

■ VALMY, 20 SEPTEMBER 1792
A Coalition force of Prussians and Austrians under the Duke of Brunswick invading France was confronted by French forces under Kellermann and Dumouriez, astride the Coalition lines of communication. Brunswick moved west with 35,000 troops to attack the French positions. Many of the French units consisted of new recruits and partially trained volunteers. Kellermann commanded the French front line of 36,000 men on high ground, while Dumouriez was in reserve with another 18,000 French soldiers ready for action. French artillery at Valmy consisted of 40 cannon manned by veterans and exchanged fire with 54 Prussian cannon throughout the battle. Brunswick attempted two tentative infantry attacks, but halted them when the French troops held steady. Expecting an easy victory, Brunswick withdrew discouraged. The French victory saved Paris from threat of attack. French losses were 300, Prussian losses 184 men.

■ JEMAPPES, 6 NOVEMBER 1792
A French army under Dumouriez invaded the Austrian Netherlands (present-day Belgium) and attacked an Austrian army in defensive positions on heights near Jemappes. Dumouriez had 40,000 troops, many of them volunteers who had learned to attack in column formations by training on the march. The Austrians, commanded by Saxe-Teschen, numbered only 14,000, although in strong positions, reinforced with 56 cannon.

Dumouriez attacked at dawn on both flanks and the centre. One French column in the centre was led by Louis-Philippe, who would become king in 1830. The French had 100 cannon, but these were not well placed to fire with effect, so the attacks relied mainly on the infantry assaults. These eventually overwhelmed the Austrian defenders, who fell back by 14:00. French casualties were 2000 and the Austrians lost 1300, plus five cannon captured by the French.

■ NEERWINDEN, 18 MARCH 1793
Dumouriez with 45,000 French troops attacked 39,000 Austrian troops under Saxe-Coburg at Neerwinden in present-day Belgium. Dumouriez mistakenly thought that the northern part of the Austrian lines would be strongest, so put most of his strength against the southern part of their lines. The French took some positions, but Saxe-Coburg was able to hold most of his line. Dumouriez withdrew after losing 4000 troops, while the Austrians lost 2000.

A Coalition force of Prussians, Austrians and Hessians under Kalkreuth and Brunswick was reinforced to 44,000 while besieging 23,000 French troops under d’Oyre in Mainz on the Rhine in modern-day Germany. The garrison suffered 4000 casualties during the siege and the Coalition lost 3000 men. The garrison finally negotiated surrender terms, allowing them to return to France, where they were used against the Royalist insurrection in the Vendée.

■ FAMARS, 23 MAY 1793
Prince Saxe-Coburg, with 53,000 Austrian, Hanoverian and British troops attacked 25,000 French troops at Famars in northern France. The French withdrew during the night after losing 3300 casualties, while Coalition losses were 1100.

■ VALENCIENNES, 24 MAY–28 JULY 1793
The Duke of York with 25,000 Austrian, Hanoverian and British troops besieged 9000 French troops under Ferrand in Valenciennes, France. Ferrand surrendered with the honours of war after mines were exploded under French earthworks.

■ ARLON, 9 JUNE 1793
Houchard, with 10,000 French soldiers, attacked 8000 Austrians in strong positions at Arlon in modern-day Belgium. The Austrians were driven out, losses unknown, but including one company captured. French losses were 826.

■ DUNKIRK, 23 AUGUST–8 SEPTEMBER 1793
The Duke of York commanded 35,100 Austrian, Hanoverian, Hessian and British troops, besieging 10,000 French in the northern French port of Dunkirk. The siege was lifted due to the French victory at Hondschoote.

■ TOULON, 7 SEPTEMBER–19 DECEMBER 1793
Republican troops besieged the Royalist port of Toulon on the southern coast of France. The Royalists were supported by a British fleet, plus 20,000 British, Spanish and Neapolitan troops. French besieging forces were 32,000 under Dugommier. Napoleon Bonaparte commanded siege artillery and his plans were adopted by Dugommier. After Toulon fell, Napoleon was promoted to general.

■ HONDSCHOOTE, 8 SEPTEMBER 1793
Houchard with 40,000 French troops defeated a Coalition army of 24,000 Austrians and Hanoverians under Freytag at Hondschoote in northern France. Freytag was wounded and lost 4000 casualties, the French losing 3000.

■ MERIBEL, 13 SEPTEMBER 1793
A French force under Francois-Christophe Kellermann defeated a Savoyard-Sardinian force under Gordon at Meribel, France, near the modern Italian border, securing the former Duchy of Savoy as part of the French Republic.

■ MENIN, 13–15 SEPTEMBER 1793
Houchard with 30,000 French troops defeated 13,000 Dutch troops at Menin, modern-day Belgium, on the border of France. Two days later, Houchard was defeated by a large Austrian army under Beaulieu.

■ WIESSEMBOURG, 13 OCTOBER 1793
Carlenc’s 51,000 French soldiers occupied entrenchments extending 20km along the present-day Franco-German border. The lines were breached at the northern end by Wurmser’s concentrated attack with 42,000 Austrians and Hessians.

■ WATTIGNIES, 15–16 OCTOBER 1793
A French army of 45,000 under Jourdan and Carnot defeated an Austrian army of 23,000 under Saxe-Coburg at Wattignies in northern France. French losses were 1400, the Austrians losing 3000, including prisoners.

■ KAISERSLAUTERN, 28–30 NOVEMBER 1793
Hoche with 30,000 Frenchmen (outnumbered and in rough terrain) attacked 40,000 Prussians under Brunswick at Kaiserslautern in modern-day western Germany. Hoche finally withdrew, having lost 3000 casualties, Prussian losses being 1300.

■ WOERTH, 18–22 DECEMBER 1793
Separate columns from Hoche’s French army of 35,000 defeated deployed detachments of Wurmser’s Austrian, Prussian and Bavarian army of 35,000 in a series of actions from Froeschwiller to Woerth in Alsace, eastern France.

■ GEISBERG, 26 DECEMBER 1793
A French army of 35,000 troops under Hoche defeated 35,000 Austrian and Prussian Coalition soldiers under Wurmser at Geisberg in eastern France. Coalition cavalry counter-attacks failed and Hoche liberated Wiesembourg, France.

■ ACTION OF 22 JANUARY 1794
A British Royal Navy squadron, sent to protect merchant shipping through the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, captured two French privateer ships that were raiding in the area.

■ ATLANTIC CAMPAIGN, APRIL–JUNE 1794
The British and French navies operated against each other across the Atlantic during April and May, from the Bay of Biscay to the Caribbean, without any major engagements. Each side captured some merchant vessels and small warships. Operations centred chiefly around the assembly of a large French merchant convoy of 117 ships on the coast of neutral United States. The convoy loaded badly needed grain supplies to bring to France, which was experiencing near-famine conditions. This convoy had an escort of only five warships under Vanstabel. The main French fleet under Villaret at Brest was to meet the convoy as it crossed the Atlantic and drew closer to France. The main British fleet under Howe manoeuvred to intercept the main French fleet. These operations precipitated the battles of Ushant, which the British fleet won, but the convoy successfully reached France.

■ SECOND ARLON, 17–18 APRIL 1794
Jourdan with a French army of 20,000 moved against Beaulieu’s Austrian army of 16,000 soldiers at Arlon in north-eastern France, near Luxembourg. The French assaulted the Austrian positions on high ground. Lefebvre’s column became overextended and had to withdraw. The next day, Jourdan renewed the attack and Championnet’s column turned the Austrian left flank. The Austrians were routed with losses of 900, French losses being over 200.

■ VILLIERS-EN-CAUCHIES, 24 APRIL 1794
An Austrian and British cavalry force under Otto routed 7000 French troops under Chapuis in northern France. Attacking the surprised French on the flank, Otto successfully charged with only 300 troopers.

■ TOURCOING, 17–18 MAY 1794
Coalition armies including 74,000 Austrians, British and Hanoverians were directed by Mack to converge in six columns and attack the French armies of Souham and Moreau near Tourcoing in northern France. French strength in the area was 80,000, but 70,000 were able to concentrate for the battle. Coalition attacks were repulsed. French counter-attacks were successful, inflicting 4000 casualties and capturing 1500 prisoners and 50 cannon. French losses were 3000.

■ THIRD ARLON, 21 MAY 1794
Austrian Gen Beaulieu, hoping to recapture the city of Arlon in north-eastern France near Luxembourg, marched with 20,000 Austrian troops to capture the city. Beaulieu began the attack, not realizing that French Gen Jourdan was reinforcing Arlon, bringing the total of French troops to 45,000. Once the size of French forces became apparent, Beaulieu extricated his forces and...