1794 Campaign: The Opening

The French commenced their 1794 campaign in the Austrian Netherlands on 8 May, the Austrians were expecting an offensive once the weather improved and it was no surprise when their scouts and spies sent word that the Army du Sambre et Meuse was on the move that fine spring morning.

The Austrians had chosen to deploy using a variant of the cordon system, with their headquarters in Brussels where a reserve of good quality infantry and heavy cavalry were located under the direct command of von Schwarzkopf. Mons was left exposed but a division sized column was stationed around Ath to the northwest of the border city. In the centre, another division was quartered in Charleroi. Mindful of the need to protect his lines of communication and the city of Leige, the Austrian commander had deployed a strong division in the environs of Dinant under the command of Deiter O'Reilly, a descendant of the wild geese that migrated to Austria over 150 years earlier.

The French had concentrated around Maubeuge and Beaumont. Early in the morning the Avant Garde under the Breton Chef de Division Jacques Hinault, formerly a lawyer in Brest, marched north, crossing the border before first light. By midday his cavalry were in Seneffe, the light infantry and horse artillery close behind. That afternoon, as the sun went down elements of Rene Moncassin's division began to arrive in the small town, many of them seasoned veterans of the previous years campaign. The two generals dined in a tavern off the town square.

Another French division, led by General Paul Le Clerc, a former NCO in the Royalist army, reached Binche, to the south of Hinault and Moncassin, that afternoon. Le Clerc's column was less experienced, and included many volunteers and conscripts who had only recently joined the colours.

The overall French commander, another former NCO, General Henri Deschamps marched on a route west of the main body and occupied Mons with scarcely a shot being fired.

By dawn on 9th May von Schwarzkopf had word of the fall of Mons and news that French troops had bypassed Charleroi and had broken the Austrian cordon. Von Schwarzkopf roused himself and marched south to Hal, having sent a courier overnight to his subordinate in Ath, General Peter von Luck, with instructions to march north to meet him. Konrad von Balck, the Austrian commander in Charleroi, was ordered to abandon the city and make haste to Nivelles by Quatre Bras. The cordon was to snap shut and cut off the head of the French advance. O'Reilly meanwhile, exercised uncommon initiative and vigour for one so habitually drunk and by early evening on the 9th was half way to Gembloux, unfortunately this put him well to the north east of the rest of his comrades.

After lurching forward with such enthusiasm on the 8th, the French advance was altogether more cautious on the 9th. The Avant Garde was in Nivelles by midday and there it halted. By early evening Moncassin's division had arrived to reinforce Hinault's troops. As darkness fell, Austrian dragoons stumbled on French picquets to the east of the town. By midnight the campfires of von Balck's division were clearly visible to the French. Hinault conferred with his colleague Moncassin, the lawyer and former corporal resolving to attack at first light. After all, Le Clerc was only half a days march away should anything go wrong.

Deschamps for his part ,was in Soignes by midday and there he stopped. His information was that Austrian troops were on the move west of the river Sennes and he decided to await developments.

The Austrian Von Balck, camped east of Nivelles, was a worried man. His cavalry had done their work well, and he knew with some certainty he was outnumbered by at least two to one. The question was whether to retreat or give battle? All the information he had was that reinforcements were at least 24 hours away. He sent couriers out overnight but it was too late, as dawn broke on the 10th May, the French drums could be heard...