Battle of Famars

Battle of Famars

Part of: French Revolutionary Wars

Battle plan

date	May 23, 1793
place	Famars , Northern France
output	Allied victory

Parties to the conflict
France	Austria Great Britain United Netherlands
Commander
François de Lamarche	Friedrich von Sachsen-Coburg Joseph von Ferraris Friedrich August
Troop strength
27,000 men	51 battalions, 84 squadrons, 143 cannons, a total of 53,000 men
losses
3,000 men dead or wounded, 300 men captured	1,000 men dead or wounded

Figures on strength ratios and losses differ in the literature

The Battle of Famars (partly also the Battle of Valenciennes ) on May 23, 1793 took place during the First Coalition War between Allied and French troops. It was essentially an Allied attack on French entrenched positions. It ended in an Allied victory. This was the prerequisite for a successful siege of Valenciennes .

prehistory

After the victories at Aldenhoven and Neerwinden , the allies Austrians, Prussians, British and Dutch went on the offensive. The aim of the Austrian commander-in-chief, Prince Coburg, at the beginning of the 1793 campaign was to conquer various strategically important fortresses on the northern French border. At the beginning of April a strong Austro-Prussian army succeeded in driving the French out of the Valenciennes area and enclosing the city of Condé-sur-l'Escaut . The French tried twice to bring relief to the city. The first attempt failed on May 1st.

The demoralized French troops were concentrated in a fortified camp at Famars near Valenciennes to protect the city. The camp was built on two parallel plateaus separated by the narrow but deep Rhonelle River . This position was defended by around 25,000 men.

The battle

March

The goal of Coburg was to include Valenciennes in addition to Conde, which required the French troops to be expelled from their position at Farmars beforehand. For this purpose, Coburg divided his army into several columns. The first was under the command of the Duke of York . This commanded 16 battalions and 28 squadrons . This should attack the right flank of the opposing camp. The second main column was commanded by the Austrian Feldzeugmeister Ferraris . This had 12 battalions and 12 squadrons. This should attack the entrenchments on the Rhonelle and then cross the river.

Field Marshal Lieutenant Leopold von Eder commanded 6 battalions and 6 squadrons. He was supposed to watch the fortress of Valenciennes and cover the road to Mons . Major General Rudolf von Otto was supposed to occupy the garrison of Le Quesnoy with an attack and prevent them from falling in the rear of the Allied army. Feldzeugmeister Clerfayt commanded 11 battalions and 14 squadrons. He had the order to attack the enemy in the forest of Aubry and the camp of Anzain and to cut off his retreat.

The attack

The attack began on May 23 in the morning in thick fog. The first column encountered unexpectedly strong resistance. The storm was called off and the enemy guns were destroyed by their own artillery. In addition, the department had to make a detour because the enemy had made the fords across the river impassable. The second column succeeded in storming the entrenchments at Aulnoit, repelling an enemy cavalry attack. The troops occupied the conquered positions and supported the first column with gunfire. The third column had succeeded in taking the entrenchments in the Vicogne forest. The fourth column pushed the enemy back as far as Quesnoy and repulsed the following counter-attacks. The main column finally managed to cross over the Ronelle. After a fierce battle, the enemy gave up his position at Maresche and retreated to the heights of Farmars. Ferraris followed this move only partially as darkness fell and the troops were exhausted after fifteen hours of marching and fighting. York was able to drive back some French units, but after a long march only arrived at the foot of the strongest entrenchments and realized that it was too late to attack. This should be done the next morning.

Result

Although the Allies were only partially successful, it was clear to the French that they would not be able to maintain their position against the attackers the next day. Therefore, they left their positions during the night. They partially strengthened the garrison of Valenciennes. Others withdrew to Bouchain . When the Allies advanced the next day, they found the positions abandoned.

The Duke of York then besieged Valenciennes. The city fell after about two months.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ here was related: Gaston Bodart: Military-historical War Lexicon, (1618-1905). Vienna, 1908, p. 279.

literature

• Austrian military conversation lexicon. Volume 2, Vienna 1852, pp. 289-291.
• Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Volume 3: P-Z. Greenwood Press, Westport 2007, ISBN 978-0-313-33539-6 , p. 1095.

Web links

• Depiction of the battle (s)