Battle of Arlon (1794)

Part of the War of the First Coalition

Date	17 and 18 April 1794
Location	Arlon
Result	French victory

Belligerents

First French Republic

Archduchy of Austria

Commanders and leaders

Jean-Baptiste Jourdan

Johann von Beaulieu

Strength

20 000

16 000

Coordinates: 49°40′56.65″N 5°48′41.13″E / 49.6824028°N 5.8114250°E / 49.6824028; 5.8114250

In 1794 the Battle of Arlon covers two separate episodes of the French Revolutionary Wars, one in April and the other in May, both at the stronghold of Arlon (also fought over at the First Battle of Arlon the previous year). Both engagements pitched the French general Jean-Baptiste Jourdan against the Austrian general Johann von Beaulieu.

General Jourdan arrived in Metz on 19 March 1794 to take command of the Army of the Moselle in place of Hoche. The first orders he received from the Committee of Public Safety were to take 20,000 men in front of Longwy as far as Bouillon to intercept enemy movements from Namur and Liège towards Luxembourg, and at the same time to detach 20,000 others under general Hatry to make an incursion into Luxembourg and take Arlon.

On 17 April he presented himself before this position, whilst his right (linked to a division of the Army of the Rhine) attacked the Austrians at Merzig near Trier. The heights of Arlon were defended by 16,000 Austrian soldiers under Beaulieu. This general's vanguard was forced to retire at the bridge in Aubange by Lefebvre who, ignoring his orders and pursuing the enemy as far as the heights of Bubange, suddenly found himself in front of Beaulieu's forces that stopped his advance. Jourdan was forced to demote Lefebvre so as not to leave him exposed to a bombardment that would be as murderous as it would be useless, and the affair was postponed until the following day.

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Wikipedia