Battle of Sprimont

Overview

The Battle of Sprimont, or Battle of the Ourthe, was a battle during the War of the First Coalition between a corps of the French revolutionary Army of Sambre-and-Meuse under General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, and the left wing of an Austrian army under the François Sebastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt. The battle was fought to outflank and force the Austrian army away from their defensive line on the Meuse river, and was a French victory.

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

Significance

The Battle of Sprimont, also known as the Battle of the Ourthe, was fought during the War of the First Coalition as part of French efforts to dislodge Austrian forces from their defensive line on the Meuse river. A corps of the Army of Sambre-and-Meuse under Jourdan, numbering approximately 40,000, engaged Clerfayt's wing of around 25,000. The French victory succeeded in outflanking the Austrian position, forcing their withdrawal from the Meuse line. This outcome contributed to the broader French strategic momentum in the Low Countries during the autumn 1794 campaign, a period in which French revolutionary armies were consolidating control over the region and pressing Habsburg forces into retreat.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (7)