Battle of Beaumont (1794) - Background

Background

In April 1794 the Dutch States Army under the Hereditary Prince of Orange lay besieging the republican held fortress of Landrecies, covered by a field army that stretched in a semi-circle from Maroilles in the East to Catillon, Le Cateau and towards Cambrai on the right. The right wing at Le Cateau was under the command of the Duke of York.

The French Armée du Nord commanded by Charles Pichegru had been greatly bolstered during the winter by new recruits thanks to the Levee en Masse instigated the previous year by the Revolutionary government. With the situation for Landrecies critical Pichegru launched a multi-pronged relief attempt against the besieging army.

Three French divisions were involved in the offensive. In the east Louis Charbonnier (30,000 men) was ordered to advance against the opposing forces of Kaunitz. Jean Henri Becays Ferrand (45,000 men) was to advance from Guise to attack the east and south of the covering force, and finally at Cambrai René Chapuis (30,000 men) would attack the British under Prince Frederick, Duke of York at the western end of the line.

The attacks were all launched simultaneously on 26 April but were uncoordinated. In the East 22,000 of Charbonnier's men under Jacques Pierre Fromentin attacked the Allied positions at Maroilles and Prisches and after a long struggle captured Prisches, severing communications between Josef Alvinczi to the north and Franz Kinsky to the south. Alvinczi was wounded twice and command devolved upon the youthful Archduke Charles who led a counterattack which recovered ground and drove the French over the Little Helpe.

To the south Bellegarde defending the line from Oisy to Nouvion was attacked by another 23,000 French troops, but the victory at Prisches enabled the Archduke to send troops to his aid and this attack too was repulsed.

This left the fate of the third column.