Siege of Namur (1792)

This article is about the siege in 1792 during the War of the First Coalition. For other battles, see Siege of Namur.

Siege of Namur
Part of the Flanders campaign in the War of the First Coalition
Capture of the castles of Namur, 2 December 1792 by Clément Boulanger, 1836–1837
Date 21 November – 2 December 1792 Location Namur, Austrian Netherlands Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Holy Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Count of Valence	Johann von Moitelle
Strength
35,000 men	2,300 men

The siege of Namur took place from 21 November to 2 December 1792, during the Flanders campaign of the War of the First Coalition. The French Army of the Ardennes under the Count of Valence captured the city which was then part of the Austrian Netherlands.

Background

After the Battle of Jemappes, the Count of Valence divided his forces and sent 35,000 men towards the Meuse. A detachment entered Liège on November 28 under the acclamations of the inhabitants; the rest was sent to undertake the siege of Namur.

Due to the proximity of the Austrian army under Johann Peter Beaulieu, Valence devoted this operation to the Army of the Ardennes which would be reinforced by the Harville division. Beaulieu, avoiding battle with the Army of the Ardennes, fell back towards the Aische Forest. Three French brigades encamped around the citadel of Namur awaiting the arrival of their artillery from the Fortress of Charlemont near Givet. The strategist Antoine-Henri Jomini pointed out that by advancing more quickly, Valence could have trapped the entire Austrian army which he did not, allowing Beaulieu and his force to escape.

Battle

On 21 November, the main town opened its doors and surrendered; however the Austrians still held the citadel with 2,300 well-supplied men. The trench was opened on November 27 and the bombardment began using the artillery that arrived from Givet. Under heavy French bombardment, the citadel capitulated on December 2 and Valence took the garrison prisoner.

Literature

• Jomini, Antoine de (1820). Histoire critique et militaire des guerres de la Révolution: Campagne de 1792 (in French). Paris..

External links

• Media related to Siege of Namur (1792) at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by Battle of Jemappes

French Revolution: Revolutionary campaigns Siege of Namur

Succeeded by War of the First Coalition