Battle of Neuwied (1797) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Neuwied (1797)
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
Battle of Neuwied by Victor Adam, 1836
Date 18 April 1797 Location Neuwied, present-day Germany 50°27′12″N 7°27′15″E / 50.45333°N 7.45417°E / 50.45333; 7.45417 Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
Lazare Hoche	Franz von Werneck
Units involved
Army of Sambre-et-Meuse	Army of the Lower Rhine
Strength
35,000 to 38,000	21,000
Casualties and losses
2,000 killed, wounded and captured	10,000 (3,000–4,000 dead, 7,000 captured), 24–27 guns, 5–7 colors, 60 wagons

The Battle of Neuwied happened on April 18, 1797. It was a fight between the French army, led by General Lazare Hoche, and the Austrian army, led by General Franz von Werneck. This battle was part of the French Revolutionary Wars, a big conflict in Europe.

The French army surprised the Austrians and won the battle. The Austrians lost about 10,000 soldiers, with many killed or captured. They also lost cannons and flags. The French lost about 2,000 soldiers. However, this battle happened on the very same day that Napoleon Bonaparte and Austria signed a peace agreement called the Preliminaries of Leoben. This agreement meant the fighting would stop, so the battle's outcome didn't change the war's end.

How the Battle Unfolded

The battle started with Austrian cannons firing. This led to the French right side attacking the Austrian left side, which was commanded by General Pál Kray.

French Attacks on the Austrian Left

The French soldiers attacked the Austrian position near a village called Bendorff many times. Finally, the French infantry, helped by some light cavalry (called chasseurs), pushed the Austrians out of Bendorff. Then, a French cavalry charge forced the Austrians out of another village, Sayn.

General Hoche sent a group of soldiers, led by General Antoine Richepanse, to chase the retreating Austrians. Richepanse successfully captured seven cannons, many supply wagons, and five Austrian flags. French infantry, supported by cannons led by General François Joseph Lefebvre, also pushed the Austrians out of Zolenberg. This caused the Austrian left side to completely fall apart.

Attacks on the Austrian Center

While the French right side was attacking, Hoche also launched a second attack on the Austrian center. After a lot of cannon fire, brave French soldiers called grenadiers, led by General Paul Grenier, attacked the Austrian forts (redoubts) at Hettersdorff. They captured the village using bayonets (knives on the end of their rifles).

At the same time, light cavalry called hussars, led by Michel Ney, went around the side of the Austrian center. These attacks forced the Austrian center to retreat.

Austrian Counterattack and French Victory

After being pushed back, the Austrian left side was gathered again by General Kray. He managed to stop further French attacks for a while. To deal with this, Hoche sent more grenadiers and cavalry, including Ney's hussars, against Kray.

Ney, with about 500 hussars, rode to Dierdorf. There, he fought against 6,000 Austrian reserve soldiers for four hours until the rest of the French army arrived. During an Austrian cavalry counterattack, Ney's horse fell, and he was captured! Despite this, the Austrian left side collapsed. The French hussars chased them, capturing 4,000 soldiers and two more flags. On another part of the battlefield, the French left side, led by General Jean Étienne Championnet, successfully drove the Austrians out of Altenkirchen and Kerathh.

What Happened After the Battle

The Austrian army lost about 3,000 soldiers during the battle itself. Another 7,000 soldiers were captured right after the fighting ended. The French army also captured 27 cannons and seven Austrian flags.

General Hoche's successful attack was stopped when news arrived about the Preliminaries of Leoben. This was a peace agreement that led to the Treaty of Campo Formio, which officially ended the war. So, even though the French won a big victory at Neuwied, the war was already ending.

The Battle of Neuwied is so important that it is carved onto the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.