Battle of Boxtel

Overview

The Battle of Boxtel was fought in the Duchy of Brabant on 14–15 September 1794, during the War of the First Coalition. It was part of the Flanders campaign of 1793–94 in which mainly British, Dutch and Austrian troops had attempted to launch an invasion of France through Flanders. The battle was won by the French troops. In it, the Hessians and then the British under the Duke of York were overwhelmed under pressure from the French under General Pichegru, but the British retreated in good order; the total casualties in the battle on both sides remain unknown. It is often remembered as being the debut action of Arthur Wellesley, who later became the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Boxtel, fought in the Duchy of Brabant on 14–15 September 1794, was part of the wider Flanders campaign of 1793–94 in which British, Dutch, and Austrian forces had attempted to invade France through Flanders. The French victory at Boxtel, achieved under General Pichegru against a force of Hessians and British troops under the Duke of York, contributed to the collapse of that coalition effort. Although the British retreated in good order, the action reflected the broader failure of the allied invasion strategy during the War of the First Coalition. The battle is particularly noted as the debut engagement of Arthur Wellesley, who would later become the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (7)