Cahpter III : The Winter Campaigns 1792
Winter 1792
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Flag of the 1st Demi-Brigade of Infantry
With the coming of winter, little has been done to cool the tempers of the nations at war down.
As father frost comes ever closer the armies of Europe make best to crush the enym before any major snow arrives.
In between August and the end of the year, the French armies are ever victorious, but do suffer some set backs, for example the Austrian occupation of Alsace-Lorriane, only stopped by Custine.
Meanwhile, while ever more German armies converge on the Austrian Netherlands and Alsace-Lorraine, Jourdan in the south makes do with his Armee du Midi, moving deeper and deeper into Sardinia-Piedmont.
Although Corsica is occupied by Austrian commanded troops from Modena, and they face great numbers of mainly German troops on the borders, the French Revolutionary armies are almost certain of victory.
The new year shall be even better for the Republic, as it gives more oppurtunities for victory. The new year also shall give us the end of the trial of King Louis, now imprisoned. It is most likely that he shall be executed, and this, is feared, to surely to make more nations, such as Britain, Spain and Naples to join the 1st Coalition.
As father frost comes ever closer the armies of Europe make best to crush the enym before any major snow arrives.
In between August and the end of the year, the French armies are ever victorious, but do suffer some set backs, for example the Austrian occupation of Alsace-Lorriane, only stopped by Custine.
Meanwhile, while ever more German armies converge on the Austrian Netherlands and Alsace-Lorraine, Jourdan in the south makes do with his Armee du Midi, moving deeper and deeper into Sardinia-Piedmont.
Although Corsica is occupied by Austrian commanded troops from Modena, and they face great numbers of mainly German troops on the borders, the French Revolutionary armies are almost certain of victory.
The new year shall be even better for the Republic, as it gives more oppurtunities for victory. The new year also shall give us the end of the trial of King Louis, now imprisoned. It is most likely that he shall be executed, and this, is feared, to surely to make more nations, such as Britain, Spain and Naples to join the 1st Coalition.
Victory in Western Belgium, the Battles of Brugge and Gent.
Forces :
Austria - Army of the Netherlands (Gen. Graf Beaulieu, Gen. Michael Melas)
France - Army of the North (Gen. Francois Kellermann)
Report
As the French moved deeper into Belgium, the Austrians decided to make a move on them, the experienced by severely old school,Gen. Graf Beaulieu
decided to make an attack with his half of the Austrian army of the Netherlands and some of the local Grenzer troops and Militia. His forces moved west to meet up with the French army of the North, Commanded by Francois Kellermann.
Meanwhile, Beaulieu called for Gen. Michael Melas to bring his small force of troops to reinforce him. The total ammount of Austrian troops was about 10 to 12,000 men.
In comparsion the french army was about the same size. Half of Kellermanns army was off moving towards Gent, around Melas and Beaulieu.
The battle of Brugge was more of a long skirmish lasting several days in the middle of October 1792.
The Austrian army tried to get Kellermann to commit, but Kellermann decided to stay put and wait for the Austrian commander to get bored and attack him. This worked, after several days of inactivity, Beaulieu, against the wise and good advice of Archduke Karl (who sent advice from his army of the lower Rhine), moved his men into position and began to attack.
The attack on Kellermann's brilliantly organised men lasted several hours and ended up with the Austrian forces having to bring in their reserves to keep momentum. For half an hour, the left wing of the French army seemed as if it would fall, but the left's commander bravely stood firm and kept his mens spirits up. The battleon the left was more of a hand-to-hand fight, but eventualy, French cavalry in the form of Hussars and Dragoons pushed the Austrians away and into route.
Meanwhile, realising his right was falling, Bealieu decided to call off the atatck and ordered his men to retreat, in turn Kellermann ordered a general advance which almost destroyed half of Beaulieu's army. Bealieu turned and ran towards Melas' column coming from Gent, which is were the second half of Kellermanns army was heading.
The second half of the French army, under Gen. Massena (temporary C.O) was heading staright into the retreating Bealieu and the advancing Melas, but this, the battle of Gent was more of a shooting match in which the Austrians lost. Tp be fair, the Austrian army in the Netherlands was badly led by Beaulieu, but could have done better under leaders such as Archduke Karl.
By the end of the few weeks of intesne fighting, the French came out occupying the Gent and Brugge regions of the Austrian Netherlands.
decided to make an attack with his half of the Austrian army of the Netherlands and some of the local Grenzer troops and Militia. His forces moved west to meet up with the French army of the North, Commanded by Francois Kellermann.
Meanwhile, Beaulieu called for Gen. Michael Melas to bring his small force of troops to reinforce him. The total ammount of Austrian troops was about 10 to 12,000 men.
In comparsion the french army was about the same size. Half of Kellermanns army was off moving towards Gent, around Melas and Beaulieu.
The battle of Brugge was more of a long skirmish lasting several days in the middle of October 1792.
The Austrian army tried to get Kellermann to commit, but Kellermann decided to stay put and wait for the Austrian commander to get bored and attack him. This worked, after several days of inactivity, Beaulieu, against the wise and good advice of Archduke Karl (who sent advice from his army of the lower Rhine), moved his men into position and began to attack.
The attack on Kellermann's brilliantly organised men lasted several hours and ended up with the Austrian forces having to bring in their reserves to keep momentum. For half an hour, the left wing of the French army seemed as if it would fall, but the left's commander bravely stood firm and kept his mens spirits up. The battleon the left was more of a hand-to-hand fight, but eventualy, French cavalry in the form of Hussars and Dragoons pushed the Austrians away and into route.
Meanwhile, realising his right was falling, Bealieu decided to call off the atatck and ordered his men to retreat, in turn Kellermann ordered a general advance which almost destroyed half of Beaulieu's army. Bealieu turned and ran towards Melas' column coming from Gent, which is were the second half of Kellermanns army was heading.
The second half of the French army, under Gen. Massena (temporary C.O) was heading staright into the retreating Bealieu and the advancing Melas, but this, the battle of Gent was more of a shooting match in which the Austrians lost. Tp be fair, the Austrian army in the Netherlands was badly led by Beaulieu, but could have done better under leaders such as Archduke Karl.
By the end of the few weeks of intesne fighting, the French came out occupying the Gent and Brugge regions of the Austrian Netherlands.
French Reserve Cavalry look on as the Austrians are destroyed!
Archduke Karl receiving news od the defeat while on the way into northern France, with his army of the Lower Rhine. Note the casualties, as he had just fought off a French Cavakry raid at the Battle of Saarbrucken.
General Kellermann leads his men to victory!
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Kellermann's campaigns in Belgium in late 1792:
Custine rushes to save Alsace-Lorraine from Austrians under Alvinczy:
Meanwhile Jourdan almost completly crushes the Piedmontese forces!
Meanwhile Jourdan almost completly crushes the Piedmontese forces!
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