The clash at Fleurus stands as a pivotal triumph for the French Republic during the War of the First Coalition (1792- 97), with General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan commanding the victorious forces. Fought on 26 June 1794 in the vicinity of Fleurus, Belgium, this engagement pitted roughly 28,000 French soldiers against a Coalition force numbering around 20,000.
Though outnumbered two to one, Jourdan launched his assault before dawn broke on a cold winter morning, unleashing artillery barrages from every direction while his infantry advanced steadily. The British countered with their superior firepower, yet they were ultimately overwhelmed by a succession of determined charges spearheaded by Generals Dominique Vandamme and Auguste Marmont, both of whom demonstrated exceptional talent for leading cavalry in the heat of battle.
Interesting Facts about the Battle of Fleurus
- Serving as a critical victory in the Spring 1794 Campaign of the First Coalition, the Battle of Fleurus saw French forces under General Jourdan overcome the combined armies of The Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, Hanover, and Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), which were led by General Kinsky.
- So devastating were the casualties suffered by the Coalition Army that they derailed a planned invasion by the French coastal fleet at Brest, ultimately resulting in its surrender on 18 September 1796.
- Fleurus, where the fighting took place, is today situated within the municipality of Fleron in Belgium's province of Hainaut.
- The battlefield site has been commemorated since 1910, when a memorial was erected on the spot where the fighting occurred.
- Born in 1762 and passing in 1833, Major General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan was a French military leader whose reputation rests largely on his celebrated victory at Fleurus during the War of the First Coalition.
- Beyond Fleurus, Major General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan gained further renown for assuming command in chief, a role he took on after playing a key part in containing Napoleon Bonaparte's 1796 Italian campaign waged against The First Coalition armies stationed in northern Italy.