Battle of Lincelles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Lincelles
Part of the Flanders campaign in the War of the First Coalition
Date 17 August 1793 Location Lincelles, Nord, France Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
French Republic	Great Britain  Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Jean Baptiste Jourdan	Duke of York Prince of Orange
Strength
5,000	10,000

The Battle of Lincelles was a fight that happened on August 17, 1793. It was part of a bigger war called the War of the First Coalition. This battle took place in the Flanders area. French soldiers, led by Jean Baptiste Jourdan, fought against soldiers from Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. The British were led by the Duke of York. The Dutch were led by the Prince of Orange. The British and Dutch forces won this battle.

How the Battle Started

In the autumn of 1793, a group of allied armies was ready to invade France. These allies included soldiers from Britain, the Dutch Republic, and other countries. The Prince of Orange was in charge of 10,000 Dutch troops. They were protecting a town called Menin.

The Prince of Orange decided to attack a French-held village called Lincelles. This would help the Duke of York as he moved his troops towards Dunkirk. Another allied group attacked a place called La Blaton.

French Fight Back

French commanders Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and Antoine Anne Lecourt Béru heard about the attacks. They quickly gathered 5,000 French soldiers. Their goal was to take back the lost areas.

Béru's group successfully recaptured Lincelles. Meanwhile, another French group, led by Jacques MacDonald, surprised the Dutch at Blaton. They captured seven cannons. A French official who saw the scene later wrote about the intense fighting.

British Guards Join In

The Prince of Orange asked the Duke of York for help. Around 2:00 PM, British soldiers, known as the Foot Guards, were sent. They were led by Gerard Lake. Lake arrived at 6:00 PM and tried to get the scattered Dutch soldiers to fight again. But the Dutch soldiers did not want to continue.

So, even though he had fewer soldiers, Lake decided to attack alone. He had only 1,122 men. The French had strong defenses on a hill in front of Lincelles. They had two large forts and other defenses. Their sides were also protected by woods and ditches.

Lake's soldiers bravely moved up the hill while the French fired cannons at them. The British Guards fired their muskets several times. Then, they charged forward, stormed the French defenses, and chased the French soldiers through the village. They captured ten cannons.

Béru tried to make another stand, but the British Guards charged again. The French soldiers ran away towards Bondues. Jourdan, who tried to stop them, wrote that it was "not a retreat but a rout" – meaning a complete and messy escape.

What Happened Next

After hearing about the French defeat, MacDonald's group at Blaton left in an orderly way. The French soldiers then went back to Lille to regroup.

Lake and his British Guards held their position until night. Two Dutch groups and later some German and British soldiers supported them. Lake's forces captured twelve cannons (two of which the Dutch had lost earlier). They also took 70 prisoners and a flag. The British lost 39 soldiers and had 139 wounded.

After this battle, the Duke of York continued his march towards Ypres and Furnes. Then, he began the Siege of Dunkirk.

Why This Battle Was Important

Historians have different ideas about this battle. Some say it was a brilliant victory for the British Guards. They showed great bravery. However, some also think the Duke of York put his best soldiers in danger without enough support.

Others disagree. They believe Lake was not in real danger. They also think that sending more British soldiers to this fight would have taken away from the main goal of marching to Dunkirk.