Battle of Arlon (1794)
Encyclopedia
In 1794 the Battle of Arlon covers two separate episodes of the French Revolutionary Wars
, one in April and the other in May, both at the stronghold of Arlon (also fought over at the First Battle of Arlon
the previous year). Both engagements pitched the French general Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
against the Austrian general Johann von Beaulieu.
on 19 March 1794 to take command of the Army of the Moselle
in place of Hoche
. The first orders he received from the Committee of Public Safety
were to take 20,000 men in front of Longwy
as far as Bouillon to intercept enemy movements from Namur
and Liège
towards Luxembourg
, and at the same time to detach 20,000 others under general Hatry
to make an incursion into Luxembourg and take Arlon.
On 17 April he presented himself before this position, whilst his right (linked to a division of the Army of the Rhine) attacked the Austrians at Merzig
near Trier
. The heights of Arlon were defended by 16,000 Austrian soldiers under Beaulieu. This general's vanguard
was forced to retire at the bridge in Aubange
by Lefebvre
who, ignoring his orders and pursuing the enemy as far as the heights of Bubange, suddenly found himself in front of Beaulieu's forces that stopped his advance. Jourdan was forced to demote Lefebvre so as not to leave him exposed to a bombardment that would be as murderous as it would be useless, and the affair was postponed until the following day.
On 18 April Lefebvre, Morlot
and Hatry made a frontal assault on the Austrian redoubts
, but at the moment they had formed up for a bayonet charge, the division under Championnet, which had turned the enemy left in taking the heights of Toernich
, threw the Austrian ranks into such disorder that they fled on the road to Luxembourg. Many were killed by the light artillery under general Debelle
, whose batteries had followed Championnet's movement. On this occasion Championnet was made chef de brigade
(colonel). The left of the Army of the Moselle set up base in Arlon, but Beaulieu returned in force on 29 April and surprised Hatry and Championnet who, at their turn, had to retreat in disorder to Aubange
and Longwy.
During these days these positions were the theatre of bloody fights that had no decisive result for either side, which both returned to their original positions afterward.
and the Army of the North, then having difficulties around Charleroi
. He set off on 21 May 1794 with 45,000 men and camped around Arlon. Unaware of the extent of this advance, Beaulieu rashly advanced on Bouillon on 17 May. Given the French numbers, he then retired behind the River Meuse via Dinant
, but Jourdan was able to attack his rearguard
on his way to Arlon.
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, one in April and the other in May, both at the stronghold of Arlon (also fought over at the First Battle of Arlon
Battle of Arlon (1793)
The Battle of Arlon was an episode at the stronghold of Arlon on 9 June 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars.- Campaign :...
the previous year). Both engagements pitched the French general Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, 1st Comte Jourdan , enlisted as a private in the French royal army and rose to command armies during the French Revolutionary Wars. Emperor Napoleon I of France named him a Marshal of France in 1804 and he also fought in the Napoleonic Wars. After 1815, he became reconciled...
against the Austrian general Johann von Beaulieu.
17, 18 and 29 April
General Jourdan arrived in MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
on 19 March 1794 to take command of the Army of the Moselle
Army of the Moselle
The Army of the Moselle was a French Revolutionary Army. Originally known as the Armée du Centre, it was renamed by decree of the National Convention on 1 October 1792 and kept under that name in the decrees of 1 March and 30 April 1793...
in place of Hoche
Lazare Hoche
Louis Lazare Hoche was a French soldier who rose to be general of the Revolutionary army.Born of poor parents near Versailles, he enlisted at sixteen as a private soldier in the Gardes Françaises...
. The first orders he received from the Committee of Public Safety
Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety , created in April 1793 by the National Convention and then restructured in July 1793, formed the de facto executive government in France during the Reign of Terror , a stage of the French Revolution...
were to take 20,000 men in front of Longwy
Longwy
Longwy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are known as Longoviciens.-Economy:Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraine iron mining district. The town is known for its artistic glazed pottery.-History:Longwy initially...
as far as Bouillon to intercept enemy movements from Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
and Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
towards Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, and at the same time to detach 20,000 others under general Hatry
Jacques Maurice Hatry
Jacques Maurice Hatry was a French general.A colonel on the outbreak of the French Revolution, he rose to général de division in 1794 and fought with distinction in the armée du Nord, des armée des Ardennes and Armée de la Moselle at the Battle of Fleurus and blockade of Luxembourg Jacques Maurice...
to make an incursion into Luxembourg and take Arlon.
On 17 April he presented himself before this position, whilst his right (linked to a division of the Army of the Rhine) attacked the Austrians at Merzig
Merzig
Merzig is the capital of the district Merzig-Wadern, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Saar, approx. 35 km south of Trier, and 35 km northwest of Saarbrücken.-Municipalities:...
near Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. The heights of Arlon were defended by 16,000 Austrian soldiers under Beaulieu. This general's vanguard
Vanguard (military tactics)
The vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.- Medieval origins :...
was forced to retire at the bridge in Aubange
Aubange
Aubange is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg....
by Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre, First Duc de Dantzig was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon....
who, ignoring his orders and pursuing the enemy as far as the heights of Bubange, suddenly found himself in front of Beaulieu's forces that stopped his advance. Jourdan was forced to demote Lefebvre so as not to leave him exposed to a bombardment that would be as murderous as it would be useless, and the affair was postponed until the following day.
On 18 April Lefebvre, Morlot
Antoine Morlot
Antoine Morlot was a French general, notable for his participation in the battle of Kaiserslautern. He is buried at the cimetière du Père-Lachaise....
and Hatry made a frontal assault on the Austrian redoubts
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
, but at the moment they had formed up for a bayonet charge, the division under Championnet, which had turned the enemy left in taking the heights of Toernich
Toernich
Toernich is part of the Belgian town of Arlon in the Walloon region in the province of Luxembourg. It formed a commune of its own until the communes merger of 1977....
, threw the Austrian ranks into such disorder that they fled on the road to Luxembourg. Many were killed by the light artillery under general Debelle
Jean-François Joseph Debelle
Jean-François Joseph Debelle was a French general and soldier. He fought at the battle of Fleurus , headed the Armée d'Italie's artillery in its retreat to France after the battle of Novi, and participated in the Saint-Domingue expedition, on which he died aged 34 of yellow fever...
, whose batteries had followed Championnet's movement. On this occasion Championnet was made chef de brigade
Chef de brigade
Chef de brigade was a military rank, equivalent to colonel, in the French Revolutionary army, in command of a demi-brigade. Both that unit and that rank were created at the same time, in 1793. The two designations disappeared just before the institution of the French Empire, in 1803, with the...
(colonel). The left of the Army of the Moselle set up base in Arlon, but Beaulieu returned in force on 29 April and surprised Hatry and Championnet who, at their turn, had to retreat in disorder to Aubange
Aubange
Aubange is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg....
and Longwy.
During these days these positions were the theatre of bloody fights that had no decisive result for either side, which both returned to their original positions afterward.
21 May
The following month saw more fights at this location. Jourdan received orders to bring assistance to the Army of the ArdennesArmy of the Ardennes
The Army of the Ardennes was a French Revolutionary Army formed in 1792 by splitting off the right wing of the Army of the North, commanded from July to August that year by La Fayette...
and the Army of the North, then having difficulties around Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
. He set off on 21 May 1794 with 45,000 men and camped around Arlon. Unaware of the extent of this advance, Beaulieu rashly advanced on Bouillon on 17 May. Given the French numbers, he then retired behind the River Meuse via Dinant
Dinant
Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...
, but Jourdan was able to attack his rearguard
Rearguard
Rearguard may refer to:* A military detachment protecting the rear of a larger military formation, especially when retreating from a pursuing enemy force. * Rear Guard , a computer game released in 1982...
on his way to Arlon.