Battle of Trippstadt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Trippstadt
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
Date 13–17 July 1794 Location Trippstadt, Germany, in the lower Vosges Mountains Result French victory
Belligerents
French Republic	Prussia Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
Claude Michaud René Moreaux Alexandre Taponier Laurent Saint-Cyr	Wichard Möllendorf Hohenlohe-Kirchberg Prince Hohenlohe
Strength
50,000	70,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Site of the Battle of Trippstadt

The Battle of Trippstadt was a smaller but important fight during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1794. It happened between the French army and the armies of Prussia and Austria. The battle lasted for several days, from July 13 to 17. It took place in the lower Vosges Mountains in Germany, west of the Rhine River. Fighting spread across a large area, including places like Kaiserslautern, Trippstadt, Schänzel, and Neustadt. People also fought along the Speyerbach River.

Sometimes, this battle is called the Battle of Vosges. However, most history books, both French and German, call it the Battle of Trippstadt. A few studies also mention Platzberg, but "Battle of Trippstadt" is the most common name.

Why This Battle Happened

During the first two years of the War of the First Coalition, the border between France and the Holy Roman Empire was a key invasion route. This area was in northeastern France, along the Upper Rhine River.

In 1792, the Duke of Brunswick tried to enter France through this border. He wanted to help the French king, Louis XVI. In 1793, armies from Prussia and Austria tried to capture French forts along the Rhine. They also attacked French defenses along the Lauter River. By the summer of 1794, neither side was winning. The armies were stuck, facing each other in the Palatinate Forest of the lower Vosges Mountains.

At this time, the French Army of the Rhine was led by General Claude Michaud. They were defending a position along the Queich River. The French Army of the Moselle was led by General René Moreaux. They were defending along the Saar River.

Across from the "Moselle" army, to the north at Trippstadt, were the Prussians. They were led by Field Marshall Wichard Mollendorf. Across from the "Rhine" army, stretching from the Vosges Mountains to the Rhine River, were the Austrians. They were led by Friedrich Wilhelm von Hohenlohe-Kirchberg. There were also Prussians led by Prince Hohenlohe.

Because of this standstill, the French armies were ordered to attack. Their goal was to stop the Austrians from sending more soldiers to the important northern front. This northern front was in the Austrian Netherlands.

The Battle Begins!

On June 17, 1794, General Michaud held a meeting with his top officers. They discussed plans for an attack. Generals Moreaux and Ambert from the "Moselle" army also attended. This was because both French armies would attack together.

The generals disagreed on the best way to attack. Finally, they chose a plan favored by General Desaix. This plan involved the cavalry (soldiers on horseback) leading an attack on the enemy's left side. They would use the flat land near the Rhine River.

On July 2, Michaud launched this first attack. On the far right, Desaix successfully pushed back the enemy. However, on other parts of the battlefield, the French were stopped. The enemy fought back, causing about 1,000 French casualties (soldiers killed or wounded). This left Desaix's group alone and in danger. In the end, Desaix had to pull back. By the end of the day, the armies were mostly in the same places as before the fight.

At Michaud's next meeting, new plans were made. They decided to attack the enemy lines stretching from Kaiserslautern in the mountains. The attack would go south to Trippstadt, then down to the Rhine flood plain at Neustadt. It would also go along the Speyerbach River. This time, the cavalry would only hold the enemy in place at the start. The main attack would come from the infantry (foot soldiers) of both French armies. They would fight the enemy in the mountains.

On July 13, Michaud launched the second French attack. In the middle of the battle, French General Alexandre-Camille Taponier's division attacked the Prussian camp at Trippstadt. The Prussians held them off for a whole day. But overnight, the Prussians moved back closer to Kaiserslautern. On the left, the French attack split the enemy lines. This stopped the Austrians from helping the Prussians. On Taponier’s right, French General Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr captured Johanniskreuz. Further to the right, the Prussians defended Schänzel against an attack from the west. But they were forced to retreat to Neustadt when the French attacked from the south. Prussian General Theodore von Pfau was killed during the fighting at Schänzel.

General Michaud planned to keep fighting and attack the Prussians at Kaiserslautern on July 16. But the night before, Hohenlohe's forces retreated out of the mountains. They moved to Frankenthal on the Rhine River. On July 17, Saint-Cyr moved forward, and the French army took control of Kaiserslautern.

What Happened Next

This victory gave the French control of the mountain passes in the lower Vosges. However, in the end, the battle's success did not last long. Later in July, Michaud was ordered to move west. He had to attack Trier, a city near Luxembourg. In mid-September, the Prussians attacked the French forces. These French forces were now weaker in the northeastern border area. The Prussians took back Kaiserslautern. The French returned, and fighting continued. This went on until the Austrians left the Netherlands. They moved back to the Rhine River at Coblenz. With their northern side now in danger, the enemy armies in the Upper Rhine also pulled back. They moved east to the strong city of Mainz.