Battle of Kaiserslautern

Battle of Kaiserslautern
Part of the French Revolution
Date 28-30 November 1793 Location Kaiserslautern, present-day Germany Result Prussian victory
Belligerents
France	Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Lazare Hoche	Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
Strength
30,000	40,000
Casualties and losses
3,000	1,300

War of the First Coalition Verdun Avesnes-le-Sec Valmy Jemappes 1st Mainz Neerwinden Raismes Famars 1st Arlon Bellegarde Hondshoote Dunkirk Méribel Peyrestortes Truillas 1st Wissembourg Wattignies Kaiserslautern San Pietro and Sant'Antioco Toulon 2nd Wissembourg Martinique Guadeloupe Saint-Florent Bastia 2nd Arlon Villers-en-Cauchies Saorgio Beaumont Mouscron Boulou Tourcoing Tournay 3rd Arlon Ushant Fleurus Calvi Vosges Fort-Dauphin Baztan San-Lorenzo 1st Dego Black Mountain Roses Gulf of Roses Genoa Luxembourg Groix Quiberon Hyères 2nd Mainz Loano Montenotte Millesimo 2nd Dego Mondovì Fombio Lodi Borghetto Ettlingen Lonato Castiglione Neresheim Amberg Würzburg Rovereto 1st Bassano Biberach Emmendingen Schliengen 2nd Bassano Calliano Caldiero Arcole Newfoundland Expédition d'Irlande Kehl Rivoli Mantua Faenza Fishguard Neuwied Veronese Easters Camperdown War in the Vendée War of the Pyrenees Flanders Campaign Anglo-Spanish War

The Battle of Kaiserslautern (28-30 November 1793) was a battle of the War of the First Coalition (part of the French Revolutionary Wars), fought near the German city of Kaiserslautern. It resulted in a victory of the Prussian army under the Duke of Brunswick against the French Army of the Moselle led by Lazare Hoche.

Contents 1 Prologue 2 The battle 2.1 First day 2.2 Second day 2.3 Third Day 3 Literature 4 External links

Prologue

Having failed to capture the fort at Bitche, the Duke of Brunswick retreated into the Vosges. In terrible weather the French Army of the Moselle, led by Lazare Hoche who had been appointed to the post in October, pursued the Prussian forces. Having lost contact with the Prussians, Hoche divided his army to locate them. The Duke of Brunswick found an excellent position on the swampy river Lauter.

The battle

First day

On 28 November the French army advanced in three columns, commanded by Alexandre Camille Taponier (right), Hoche (center) and Jean-Jacques Ambert (left) against the Prussian position. Taponier's column was the first to encounter the Prussians and to open the battle, meeting moderate success. On the left, Ambert encountered problems crossing the Lauter with his 6,000 men and was soon faced by the corps of Friedrich Adolf von Kalckreuth which outnumbered him heavily. Menaced with encirclement, Ambert had to retreat and rejoined Hoche's center column.

Second day

The next day, having located the Prussians, the French army crossed the river in force. The advance force led by the generals Dubois and Molitor became stuck on the plateau of Erlebach and had to be rescued by Ambert. Hoche reformed his troops on the Otterberg and unsuccessfully attacked the Prussian left with several squadrons of cavalry. In the confusion several French units lost their way in the terrain and Ambert had to march all night to rejoin the French main force. On the right flank Taponier attacked Kaiserslautern but encountering stiff resistance he was pushed back into the woods.

Third Day

After a heavy morning cannonade, Hoche launched new piecemeal attacks on the Prussians. On the left flank, leading four battalions against the Buchberg, Molitor failed to capture the position and was repulsed. On the French right flank the division of Huet had difficulty maintaining its position. In the center, the fighting took the form of charges and counter-charges of the French and Prussian cavalry. After having secured his flanks, the Duke of Brunswick launched a counterattack against the Otterberg and Hoche ordered a retreat, having lost 3,000 men in the course of the battle. As the Prussians didn't follow up their success, the French army was able to retreat back towards the Moselle River.

Literature

Geschichte der vereinigten Sachsen und Preußen während des Feldzugs 1793 zwischen dem Rheine und der Saar. [Betr. Schlacht v. 28.11.-30.11.1793 bei Kaiserslautern] in form óf a diary by witnesses, Dresden u. Leipzig 1795.

External links

Battle of Kaiserslautern, 28-30 November 1793