Battle of Mouscron
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mouscron, fought on 29 April 1794, was a secondary but significant action of the Flanders Campaign
during the War of the First Coalition, between the Austrian corps of Clerfayt and the Republican Armée du Nord under Pichegru
.
In late April 1794 the Allied army under Coburg
lay besieging the fortress of Landrecies
. The overall French strategy was to outflank the Allies by attacking their northern and southern flanks, however delays held up this plan. In the meantime Pichegru made several relief attempts in the centre, but all were repulsed, on 26 April one of the columns commanded by Chapuis
was almost completely destroyed at Beaumont-en-Cambresis
by the Duke of York
. These Republican failures led to the surrender of Landrecies on April 30.
On the French left wing in the north however a diversion in Flanders had more success. On 29 April the two divisions of Moreau
and Souham
, 50,000 men strong, debunked from Lille
and marched against the Allied right wing under Clerfayt. They recaptured the fortress of Kortrijk
and drove Clerfayt back at Mouscron
, enabling them to recapture Menin
. Clerfayt tried unsuccessfully to recapture Kortrijk on 10 May.
The significance of this action was the dilemma placed on Coburg. With the fall of Landrecies the road to Paris
was open, however feeling their flanks threatened the Allies halted, giving the Republic time to launch their flanking movements.
The next significant action of this front was the Battle of Tourcoing
Flanders Campaign
This feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
during the War of the First Coalition, between the Austrian corps of Clerfayt and the Republican Armée du Nord under Pichegru
Charles Pichegru
Jean-Charles Pichegru was a French general and political figure of the French Revolution and Revolutionary Wars.-Early life and career:...
.
In late April 1794 the Allied army under Coburg
Prince Josias of Coburg
Prince Frederick Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was a general in the Austrian service.-Biography:...
lay besieging the fortress of Landrecies
Landrecies
Landrecies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the site of a skirmish between the British I Corps under Douglas Haig and the German Fifth Army on 25 August 1914.-Heraldry:-People:...
. The overall French strategy was to outflank the Allies by attacking their northern and southern flanks, however delays held up this plan. In the meantime Pichegru made several relief attempts in the centre, but all were repulsed, on 26 April one of the columns commanded by Chapuis
Charles Bertin Gaston Chapuis de Tourville
Charles Bertin Gaston Chapuis de Tourville , Divisional General during the French Revolution and the First French Empire.He became Field Marshal on 12 July 1792 and divisional general on 8 March 1793. He died on 22 November 1809....
was almost completely destroyed at Beaumont-en-Cambresis
Battle of Beaumont (1794)
The Battle of Beaumont-en-Cambresis 26th April 1794 was an action forming part of a multi-pronged attempt to relieve the besieged fortress of Landrecies, during the Flanders Campaign of the French Revolutionary War...
by the Duke of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
. These Republican failures led to the surrender of Landrecies on April 30.
On the French left wing in the north however a diversion in Flanders had more success. On 29 April the two divisions of Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
and Souham
Joseph Souham
Joseph Souham was a French general who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was born at Lubersac and died at Versailles.-French revolutionary years:...
, 50,000 men strong, debunked from Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
and marched against the Allied right wing under Clerfayt. They recaptured the fortress of Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
and drove Clerfayt back at Mouscron
Mouscron
Mouscron is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. The Mouscron municipality includes the old communes of Dottignies , Luingne, and Herseaux .-Middle Ages:...
, enabling them to recapture Menin
Menin
Menin may refer to:*Menin , office in Ancien Régime France*Umberto Menin, Italian artist*The French name for the Belgian town of Menen *Menin, a tumor suppressor associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1....
. Clerfayt tried unsuccessfully to recapture Kortrijk on 10 May.
The significance of this action was the dilemma placed on Coburg. With the fall of Landrecies the road to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was open, however feeling their flanks threatened the Allies halted, giving the Republic time to launch their flanking movements.
The next significant action of this front was the Battle of Tourcoing