Battle of Fleurus (1794)

The Battle of Fleurus, fought on 26 June 1794, was a decisive engagement of the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. It pitted the French Republican army, commanded by General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, against a Coalition army led by Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, representing the Habsburg Monarchy (Austria). The battle took place near Fleurus, in present-day Belgium.

The French victory at Fleurus stemmed from their superior numbers and the innovative use of aerial reconnaissance using an observation balloon, L'Entreprenant, to monitor enemy movements. This allowed Jourdan to effectively deploy his forces and react to Coburg's attacks.

The Coalition army, hampered by internal disputes and supply difficulties, launched a series of uncoordinated attacks against the French lines. While some of these attacks achieved initial success, they were ultimately repulsed by the larger and more determined French forces.

The outcome of the battle was a significant French victory. It led to the permanent loss of the Austrian Netherlands (modern-day Belgium) to France and paved the way for the French occupation of the Rhineland. Furthermore, the victory significantly weakened the First Coalition against revolutionary France, contributing to the eventual Treaty of Basel in 1795 which saw Prussia withdraw from the war. The Battle of Fleurus also served to solidify the position of the Committee of Public Safety in Paris and suppress internal opposition to the Jacobin government.