Action at Mannheim (1795) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mannheim (1795)
Part of War of the First Coalition
View of Mannheim in the 18th century
Date 18 October 1795 Location Mannheim, Electoral Palatinate, modern-day Germany Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
French First Republic	Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
Jean-Charles Pichegru Charles Montaigu	Graf von Wurmser
Units involved
Army of Rhin-Moselle	Army of Upper Rhine
Strength
12,000	17,000
Casualties and losses
2,000, 3 guns	709

The Battle of Mannheim was a key event in 1795 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It happened as part of the War of the First Coalition. This conflict involved the new French Republic fighting against several European powers.

The city of Mannheim is located in modern-day Germany. It sits where the Rhine River meets the Neckar River. This location made it a very important place to control during the wars.

The fighting around Mannheim began in April 1795. Two French armies crossed the Rhine River. They moved towards Mannheim, where the Main and Rhine rivers meet. At first, there was only a small fight. The local Bavarian commander quickly made a truce and pulled his troops back.

Later, on October 17, 1795, a major battle took place. About 17,000 Austrian soldiers, led by Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, fought against 12,000 French soldiers. The French troops were commanded by Jean-Charles Pichegru. This battle happened just outside Mannheim.

The Austrian army used clever moves to push the French back. About 10,000 French soldiers had to retreat into the city of Mannheim. Other French troops scattered to join nearby French armies. After this battle, the Coalition forces began to surround Mannheim. This started a long siege.

Siege of Mannheim (1795)
Part of War of the First Coalition
Date 18 October – 22 November 1795 Location Mannheim, Electoral Palatinate, modern-day Germany Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
French First Republic	Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
Jean-Charles Pichegru Charles Montaigu	Graf von Wurmser
Units involved
Army of Rhin-Moselle	Army of Upper Rhine
Strength
Siege: 10,000	Battle: Siege: 25,000
Casualties and losses
Battle: Siege: 10,000	Battle: 709 Siege: 400

The 1795 Campaign in Germany

The 1795 military campaign along the Rhine River lasted from April 1795 to January 1796. It began with two Austrian armies trying to stop two French armies. The French wanted to cross the Rhine River and capture the important Fortress of Mainz.

The French Army of the Sambre and Meuse, led by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, faced the Austrian Army of the Lower Rhine in the north. In the south, the French Army of Rhine and Moselle, under Pichegru, was up against Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser's Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine.

Mannheim's Early Surrender

While trying to reach Mainz, the French army surrounded the small town of Mannheim. The commander of Mannheim, Baron von Belderbusch, started talks with the French. He surrendered Mannheim and its 471 cannons on September 20. This happened without any fighting.

His 9,200 Bavarian soldiers were allowed to go home. The Austrians felt let down by their allies. But they could only protest as their enemies gained a very important bridgehead.

Summer Fights and Crossings

In the summer of 1795, the French government, called the French Directory, gave new orders. General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and General Jean-Charles Pichegru were told to attack the Austrian army. They were to cross the Rhine River from two different points.

Jourdan's army crossed the Rhine north of Düsseldorf on September 8. They then moved south. By September 20, they had reached the Lahn River. The next day, the Bavarian soldiers in Düsseldorf gave up to General François Joseph Lefebvre. About 12,600 French troops took control.

The 2,000 soldiers defending Düsseldorf were allowed to go home. They promised not to fight the French for one year. The city and its 168 fortress cannons became French property. In the south, Pichegru's army was blocked by General Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser's Austrian army. Pichegru moved north until he was across from Mannheim. He then demanded that the city surrender.

Battle at Mannheim's Edge

In October, the Austrian commander Clerfayt gathered his troops against Jourdan. Clerfayt defeated Jourdan at the Battle of Höchst. This forced most of Jourdan's army to retreat to the west side of the Rhine.

Wurmser then blocked the French bridgehead at Mannheim. This left 12,000 French soldiers isolated on the west side of the Rhine. With Jourdan's army temporarily quiet, the Austrians turned their attention to Mannheim.

The Austrians defeated the left side of the French Army of the Rhine and Moselle. About 17,000 Coalition troops, led by Wurmser, fought 12,000 French soldiers at Mannheim. These French troops were camped outside the Mannheim fortress. Wurmser's larger army pushed them out of their camp. About 10,000 French soldiers retreated into the city of Mannheim. The rest scattered to join other French forces nearby.

The Siege of Mannheim

After pushing the French back into Mannheim, Wurmser began to surround the city. This started the Siege of Mannheim. It lasted from October 18 to November 22, 1795.

The Austrian army, led by François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt, won battles at Mainz and Pfeddersheim. These victories pushed Pichegru's French army away from Mannheim. This left the French troops inside Mannheim completely cut off.

After a month-long siege, the 10,000 French soldiers defending Mannheim surrendered. They were led by Anne Charles Basset Montaigu. They gave up to 25,000 Austrians, commanded by Wurmser. This surrender marked the end of the 1795 military campaign in Germany.

A week later, on October 29, 1795, a Coalition army attacked the French near Mainz. The French lost many soldiers and their siege cannons. On November 10, Clerfayt defeated Pichegru again at the Battle of Pfeddersheim. The French continued to retreat.

Clerfayt advanced with 75,000 Coalition troops. They moved south along the west bank of the Rhine. Pichegru had 37,000 men defending positions near the Pfrimm River. At the Battle of Frankenthal (November 13–14, 1795), the Austrians won again. This forced Pichegru to give up his last defensive spot north of Mannheim.

Once the French troops at Pfeddersheim left their position, the French in Mannheim had no hope. They had been surrounded by the Coalition since October. So, on November 22, 1795, after a month-long siege, the 10,000 French soldiers in Mannheim surrendered. This important event brought the 1795 campaign in Germany to an end.

What Happened Next

The Coalition's success at Mannheim ended the French attacks west of the Rhine in 1795. In January 1796, Clerfayt and the French agreed to a ceasefire. The Austrians kept control of large parts of the west bank of the Rhine.

Even with the ceasefire, both sides continued to plan for more war. On January 6, 1796, Lazare Carnot, one of the five leaders of the French Directory, said that Germany was more important than Italy for the war. France's money situation was bad. So, their armies were expected to invade new lands and live off what they found there, just like in 1795.

Knowing that the French planned to invade Germany, the Austrians announced on May 20, 1796, that the ceasefire would end on May 31. Both sides then got ready for more fighting.

Images for kids

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  Siege of Mannheim