Battle of Friedberg (Hessen)

The Battle of Friedberg, also called the Battle of Limburg, took place on 10 November 1793 between the French and the Prussian troops, during the French Revolutionary Wars.

For the 1796 battle, see Battle of Limburg (1796). For the 1792 battle in Belgium, see Battle of Limburg (1792).

Battle of Friedberg
Part of War of the First Coalition
Date 10 November 1793 Location Limburg an der Lahn, Germany Result French victory
Belligerents
Republican France	Kingdom of Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Jean Nicolas Houchard	Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Units involved
Army of Sambre-et-Meuse	Army of the Lower Rhine
Strength
Advance Guard of Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine's army, approximately 4,000	1 Grenadier Battalion (Kenitz), 1,200 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	170 dead, wounded or missing

Battle

While the Austrians saw themselves on the eve of losing their possessions in Belgium, the Prussian army, which had scarcely escaped from France, hastened to the aid of the Palatinate invaded by General Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine. After having protected Koblenz by leaving a division there, Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel settled in and around Limburg, where he considered himself well-situated to block French progress. On 8 November Custine ordered Colonel Jean Nicolas Houchard to assemble all his detachments, and to attack the Prussians in Limburg.[Note 1] Louis Dominique Munnier was to support the attack with his corps.[1]

Houchard surprised the Prussians, who, believing themselves safe in Limburg, had established negligible defenses. The French quietly installed their batteries before the enemy even thought of defending themselves. Nevertheless, after some hesitation, the Prussians brought out their troops, who threw themselves into battle, sowing some confusion. French artillery fire forced them to retreat. The French expelled the Prussians from the city, who retreat to Montabaur, while the French fortified themselves in their conquest. The entire battle took 90 minutes.[1]

Notes, citations and sources

Notes

1. The French order of battle is incomplete, but it is known that Houchard commanded one battalion of the Volontaires Grenadiers, three squadrons of the 2nd Chasseurs à cheval, and two squadrons of the 2nd Cavalry regiment of Custine's advanced guard. See Smith, p. 28.

Citations

1. Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. p. 32. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.

Sources cited

• Dodge, Theodore Ayrault (2011). Warfare in the Age of Napoleon: The Revolutionary Wars Against the First Coalition in Northern Europe and the Italian Campaign, 1789-1797. USA: Leonaur Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85706-598-8.
• Phipps, Ramsay Weston (2011). The Armies of the First French Republic: Volume II The Armées du Moselle, du Rhin, de Sambre-et-Meuse, de Rhin-et-Moselle. USA: Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-908692-25-2.
• Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.