Battle of Neerwinden (1793)

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The Battle of Neerwinden took place on March 18, 1793 in the wake of the first coalition war against revolutionary France. It ended with an Austrian victory over the French army.

Prehistory

After the success at the Battle of Aldenhoven on March 1, 1793, the approximately 42,500 -strong Austrian army came under the command of Prince Josias of Saxe- Coburg and Archduke Karl further westward. General Charles François Dumouriez, had taken over the returning French army on March 13 in Leuven and was immediately decided to move back to the counter-offensive. After a series of minor clashes along the road between Liege and Brussels, the Austrians came on March 16 in Tienen back on the enemy, but retreated after a brief skirmish on the strategically favorable position at Neerwinden back. The Prince of Saxe- Coburg had taken his position behind the little Geete, its center stood around Neerwinden. His troops occupied the semi-circular hills between Laer to Neerwinden, also the place Neerlanden had been occupied. The Austrian left under General Clairfayt the southern sector also stood behind the small Gette between Neerwinden and high winds, with the hills of Middle winds between the two places. Against this line attacked in the morning of March 18, the approximately 47,000 -strong French army under Dumouriez.

Battle Record

Dumouriez did march forth from Tienen and divided his army into eight columns of attack, all vorgingen over the small Gette to the east. Dumouriez reckoned that the Austrians had their main force on the right wing in the northern section, and so he decided to attack with his own right wing in the south. On March 18, the two armies clashed and there was a day-long battle. The attack of the right wing under General Comte de Valence on the small Gette took place at 7.00 clock early. The General La Marche Division went on Neer Heylissem on the Geete and threatened after the occupation of Racour the left flank Clairfayts. The division under General Le Veneur took the bridge at Neer - Heylissem and then thrust forward on Over winds. General Valence could also storm the hill in medium winds and Neerwinden. Further north of the General Neuilly, the division had crossed the river at Esmael and began to include from left Neerwinden.

In the center of the battle was the French corps of the Duke of Chartres ( later King Louis -Philippe ), its two divisions attacked head-on Neerwinden to that wanted to keep the Prince of Saxe- Coburg necessarily. The division under General Dirtmann went in Elissem on the Geete and conquered Laer, the other division, under General Dampierre had also attack the contract Esmael on Neerwinden.

On the left wing in the northern section of the battle attacked three divisions under the corps commander General Miranda between Leau and Neerhespen at about the Geete. The Division of General Miaczinsky went in Overhespen over the river and pushed in the direction opposite Neerlanden ago. The Division General Ruault took the bridge in a Orsmael and wanted to advance along the road to St. Trond thereafter. The northern flank division under General Champ Morin should break below Neerlinter on Leau after crossing the Geete.

The Austrian right wing under Archduke Karl covered the road Tienen -Maastricht, in a position immediately to the east of the small Geete. To 9:00 clock the Imperialists were driven back under the Prince of Wurttemberg, the French division Ruault occupied the place Orsmael. The guided by Lieutenant Colonel Josef Smola artillery prevented but for five hours, each additional moving up the French from Orsmael out. At 11 clock led Archduke Charles a successful counter-attack, his second meeting attacked the line Neerhespen, Gutsenhoven and Orsmael into the battle. Meanwhile, the French division Miaczinsky the place Dormael had further south seized. Lieutenant Field Marshal Johann Benjovszki hurried with the Infantry Regiment No. 15 and the Dragoon Regiment 9 the French to snatch the place before the arrival of reinforcements again, while the French generals Ihler and Ruault were seriously wounded. When finally failed and the attack of the Champ Morin Division at Leau, General Miranda was forced to retreat, he withdrew on the Small Geete. The Battle of Orsmael was successfully completed for the Austrians, but in the south wing was the decision pending.

Dumouriez now reached personally at the southern section one, supported by strong artillery fire, he led his columns again on the small Geete. Feldzeugmeister Clairfayt pulled out all the troops of his reserve corps closer to the threatened Racour zoom. The Division of La Marche penetrated massaging action against Over winds, but mingled here with the Division La Veneur, which delayed taking over winds to 14.00. General Neuilly took short Neerwinden that Imperial immediately returned, but were expelled by forces under General Dampierre again, with General Desforetes fell in battle. To support the hard-pressed at Overland winds grenadiers Clairfayt sent the Brigade under Major General Franz Xaver von Auersperg forward. The brigades under Field Marshal Lieutenant Alvinczy and Major General Franz Xaver von Wenckheim steps to counter-attack and eventually forced the withdrawal of the French from Over winds. Austrian cavalry under Major General Siegmund Franz von Lützow conquered Racour back. In the center succeeded Feldzeugmeister Wenzel Joseph Graf von Colloredo take back even the hard-fought Neerwinden and the hill of Middelburg winds. The French, who were now under concentrated fire, had to go back that night took the fight to an end.

In the end, the French, who had lost 4,000 men had, while the losses of the Austrians were about 2800, to withdraw.

Follow

The ill-equipped French army of catered and consequently lost through mass desertions much of his combat power, the Dumouriez held just about 20,000 men. The French General Dumoriez was then removed from the Jacobin government in Paris from his post. The commissioners of the Convention, which were sent to investigate his leadership, he ordered their arrest and surrender to the enemy. Then he tried to convince his troops to march into Paris, and to overthrow the revolutionary government. The attempt failed, and Dumouriez fled on March 22, with the Duke of Chartres and his brother, the Duke of Montpensier, in the Austrian camp.

The victory ended the French attempt to conquer the Netherlands. As a result of the victory at Neerwinden the Austrian Netherlands and Brussels could be re-occupied by the previous rulers until March 25. At the same time he was the prerequisite for the Allied invasion of France.