Battle of Valmy

During the French revolution, the battles of Valmy , or rather the cannonade , was held with Valmy the September 20th 1792 opposing the Prussia and the France.

Historical context

After the National Assembly on a proposal from the king Louis XVI had declared the war with the King de Prusse and of Bohemian Frederic Guillaume II the April 20th 1792, the anti forces or Contre-révolutionnaire S invaded France the August 18th 1792.

An army of 150.000 men, combined troop of the Prussia, of Austria, and Hessois under the command of the duke of Brunswick, representing of the king Frederic Guillaume II of Prussia, to which 20.000 emigrants had joined, had initially advanced against France, on all the line of its borders, between Dunkirk and the Suisse. The August 12th, with the rising of the sun the Prussian light troops penetrate on the French territory. The 15, the Prussian army come to camp between Sierck and Luxembourg, and the general Clairfayt, to the head of the Austrians, cuts the communication between Longwy and Montmédy. 19, the marshal Luckner resists courageously an attack of 22.000 Austrians with Fontoy. September 23rd, Longwy falls. The French troops underwent only reverses since the Declaration of war.

The September 2nd, Verdun, fortified town considered impregnable flowerhead: the road of Paris is then open. The commander-in-chiefs of the French Armies become suspect ; also, before a serious action can be undertaken, the three armies of Rochambeau, Lafayette and Luckner are distributed between the generals Dumouriez and Kellermann.

Countryside preceding the battle

The August 23rd, after a three days bombardment, Longwy goes to allied which go then slowly towards indefensible Verdun.

The commander of the place, the colonel Beaurepaire who defends the place, made indignant of the cowardice of the council of war which wants to capitulate, takes a gun and commit suicide. The young person and valiant Marceau, which wanted like Beaurepaire to be buried under the ruins of the place, ends up going the September 3rd 1792, after the demolished of August 20th. He had lost his crews, his horses, his money.

“ Which do you want that one returns to you? required a representative of the people of him.

- Another saber to avenge our defeat. ”

The September 2nd, the duke of Brunswick takes possession of Verdun in the name of the king of France. The army of invasion, joined together in Verdun, is strong of 80.000 men. Pressed to arrive to his goal, the king of Prussia gives order, as of the following day, with this army to advance through the plains of the Champagne and to walk right on Paris. Nothing appears easy any more to him. He stops however with a few miles of Châlons, arrived at the end of his voyage which was to be a succession of festivals and triumphs.

But Dumouriez, which involved its new Valencian troops with with actions frequent but reduced in the intention invading the Belgium, goes towards Argonne by a walk fast and dared almost under the eyes of the Prussian avant-garde and bars the road of Paris, enjoignant with Kellermann to assist it since Metz. Kellermann moves but slowly and, before it arrives, the northern part of the line of defense is inserted. Dumouriez, not intimidated, changes the face to face north, with its right wing in Argonne and its left lengthening towards Châlons-sur-Marne and, in this position Kellermann makes its Holy-Menehould junction with the September 19th 1792. Dumouriez camps with one mile in front of Holy-Menehould, on a plate relatively low above the meadows on the right of the way which leads to Châlons. This position is based on the line with the Aisne which goes down from Holy-Menehould, of the marshy meadows and a pond cover the left with it. A narrow valley separates the camp the heights of the Iron and the Moon where the Prussians camp. Between these two rises is a basin of meadows from which some hillocks leave of which highest is that which is crowned by the Moulin of Valmy. Two small rivers separate this space, they fall into Aisne, above and below Holy-Menehould, the Auve is in the south and the Bionne is in north. The general headquarter is placed at Holy-Menehould at an equal distance from the army corps and avant-garde ordered by the general Dillon. On Right Bank of Auve. A battalion of troops of line is in the Château of Saint-Thomas. Vienna-the-Castle, Moiremont and the Neuville-with-Bridge are occupied by three other battalions and of the cavalry. The face of the camp is covered with batteries which discover the small valley in all its prolongations. The left of the camp term on the way of Châlons, the Right Bank of Auve is left with the army of Kellermann.

Kellermann arrived the September 18th at Dampierre-the-Castle from where it receives the evening a dispatch of Dumouriez indicating to him behind and on the left an excellent position, formant square with his. The following day, Kellermann makes pass the Auve to its troops. But hardly it is returned on the site indicated by Dumouriez that, struck by its disadvantages, it runs to Holy-Menehould to remark with the general-in-chief how much this position is dangerous. The left relieved of support, is subjected to the heights which go down from the mill of Valmy. The line touches a pond which obstructs its communication with the left of the army of Holy-Menehould. The brook of Auve, only retirement in the event of failure, is brought too much closer to the backs of the camp an army fleeing in disorder would be found embourbée. If the two armies are attacked, they would be beaten by the only fact of the ground. Kellermann warns Dumouriez which it is decided to pass by again Auve the following day September 20th, with the point of the day. It does not have time to put its plan at execution. The enemy educated of his arrival, and judging well the difficulty of his position, is already walks from there to attack it.

The duke of Brunswick however had passed the processions of north and had swivelled to cut Dumouriez of Châlons. At this time, the Prussian operation being almost completed, Kellermann, ordering in the temporary absence of Dumouriez, advance its left wing and discuss the plate leant with the mill between Holy-Menehould and Valmy.

Unfolding

Before three hours of the morning, the September 10th, the Prussians and the Austrians are already moving and soon the Prussian avant-garde, ordered by the prince de Hohenlohe-Singelfingen, meets that of the Kellermann general, under the orders of the general Després-Dump, established in front of the village of Hans to clarify this part and to cover the left of the army. The attack of the enemy makes become aware that it is of a serious business and not about a skirmish of outposts, united want to finish and crush of them of only one blow the two small armies which oppose their walk.

The enemy avant-garde goes directly on Hans, between the Bionne and the Tourbe, while the large one of the army, goes up the river, with Nap-Peat followed Austrians of the Clairfayt general.

With the first news of the attack of its avant-garde, Kellermann orders to fold the tents, to take the weapons and to clear the road behind while making spin the crews by main road of Holy-Menehould. It is not any more question of passing by again Auve, time presses. The avant-garde, vigorously attacked, is folded up already on the army. Kellermann makes at once its provisions for a battle in rule.

Until around seven hours, a thick fog prevents with the two armies from knowing their respective provisions. When it is dissipated a little, the artillery starts to draw on both sides, and fire is supported with promptness, without being really fatal for any party. Around ten hours, Kellermann, placed at the center of the line, studies the operations of the enemy when its horse is killed under him of a blow of gun. Almost in same time, of the shells burst in the middle of the ammunition dump and make jump two artillery boxes, wounding many people around. In the disorder thus caused, the drivers flee with their boxes. For lack of ammunition, fire decreases by intensity. Part of the infantry makes a movement of retreat then and adds to general confusion. Kellermann there goes in person, and takes again the first position.

The duke of conspicuous Brunswick that the fire of its artillery did not succeed in shaking the French troops, wants to test an attack of sharp force. Around the eleven hours, the fire of its batteries redoubles. It forms three columns of attack supported by the cavalry. The two left-hands column move on the mill of Valmy, the line being held remotely. These attacks in order obliques are the usual tactics of the Prussians.

Kellerman understands that in this frame of mind, there is not either possible to maintain the discipline while remaining static. Also, it orders to advance. It lays out its army in columns by battalion. When they are formed, he traverses them and addresses this short harangue to them: “ Comrades, here is moment of the victory; let us let advance the enemy without drawing only one rifle shot, and charge it with the bayonet. ”

The army, full with enthusiasm and already aguerrie by cannonade a four hours, answers the words of its general by cries multiplied of: Lives the nation! Kellermann itself puts sound hat at the end of its saber and repeats: Lives the nation! In one moment, all the hats are on the bayonets and an immense cry rises of all the rows of the army.

These movements, this enthusiasm, announces an army which burns to fight. The enemy is astonished, his columns stop: " the victory is with us! " shout Kellermann, and the artillery, whose fire redoubles, strikes down the Prussian column headings. In front of so much of determination, the duke of Brunswick gives the signal of the retirement.

Fire continues up to four hours of the evening. Once again the enemy reforms his columns and tests a new attack. But the good capacity of the French Army, its heat expressed by new cries, is enough to stop it one second time. Around seven hours of the evening, united their first positions regain, leaving to the French the battle field strewn with deaths.

The retirement of the Prussians astonishes many observers. The assumptions go good progress: the duke of Brunswick it would not have been bought by Georges Danton with diamonds of the royal crown of France, stolen four days earlier (September 16th 1792) with the furniture depository?. But it is also necessary to take account of the bad weather, of the poor health condition of the Prussian (Dysenterie caused by the consumption of the green grapes, the supply being crossed). A few days earlier, the invasion of the Poland by the Russia and the Austria started. However, Prussia needs this army to take part in the division.

The battle will remain especially marked by an intense cannonade (French draws 20.000 blows from gun) during which the new French artillery created by Gribeauval mark its superiority. The two armies attended the battle without taking share really there. There are finally only 300 died French side, 184 at the Prussians.

Dumouriez made all its provisions to assist of Kellermann in the event of failure, or to take share with the business if it became general. Clairfayt was satisfied to show three column headings towards Valmy and Maffrievart to hold the French in uncertainty and to threaten at the same time the head of the camp with Holy-Menehould and the derrières of the right-hand side of Kellermann. The duke of Brunswick was so sure to overcome, that he had believed to be able to do without from the effective assistance of Clairfayt and the Austrians.

With the battle of Valmy, There were 24.000 French of engaged against 100.000 Austro-Prussians… In this day, Kellermann had saved the fatherland and had revealed with the French the secrecy of their value. It is done by it, the coalition is overcome on this point. 80.000 enemies, who had walked as in triumph, stop, seized of fear, and the French Army which, up to that point, had dreaded its inexperience, in front of soldiers aguerris and disciplined, realizes that courage and patriotism can make it frightening, until the moment when the discipline will come to equalize it initially, to raise it soon above these Prussians and these so famous Austrians.

Consequences

The following day, September 21st, the news comes from to Paris. Ensured of the safeguard of the country, sure of its force, the national Convention proclaims the République. This same day, Kellermann, whose position, in spite of the retirement of the enemy, is not less hazardous, is established on the heights of Voilemont, its face covered by Auve and its line supported on the left of Dumouriez.

The battle of Valmy is at the origin of the myth of the Citoyen out of weapon which will found the Conscription (or military service). It is known that the consequences of this battle were the evacuation of the French territory by the army united the October 22nd according to.

Personalities having taken part in this battle

Side of the French troops

On side of the attackers

  • Charles-Guillaume-Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick-Lunebourg (1735 - 1806), general and German prince. It ordered the assailing forces.
  • Charles Joseph de Croix, count de Clerfait (1733 - 1798), it ordered the body of the 12.000 Austrians and cut the communication between Longwy and Montmédy.
  • Louis de Frotté (1766 - 1800), then colonel-general of the emigrated forces.
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), poet, novelist and German playwright, also scientific, it is with the battle of Valmy at the sides of the Duc of Saxony-Weimar.

The site

Entirely destroyed by a storm the December 26th 1999, the mill of Valmy was rebuilt in 2005 partly thanks to a subscription launched by the deputy and mayor (UMP) of Châlons-in-Champagne Bruno Bourg-Broc.

Polemic

The intention of Jean-Marie Le Pen to use the memory of the site to launch its presidential campaign there the September 20th 2006.

The president of the the Community of communes of Holy-Ménehould, Bertrand Courot, manager of the site, refuses to place the places at the disposal of the National front and his president and to allow a " it; récupération". The protest is also carried out by association " Wire of Valmy " ; for its president Jean Relinger " Suspecter can that its arrival is not guided by the ideals progressists of Valmy but for reasons of opportunism electoralist which ridicule the values républicaines". " I cannot prevent it from coming. It is a public" place; , rétorque Patrick Fog, the mayor of Valmy, 290 inhabitants. " And safety in the event of demonstration, it is field of the préfet".

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