Follow Jean-Baptiste Jourdan through 23 dated historical records for France.
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
Jourdan took charge of the northern field army while Coalition forces threatened the French fortress of Maubeuge. Restoring the initiative required an attack against the troops covering the siege.
Role range: 1793-1799
French units fighting near the central positions met strong resistance on 15 October. Jourdan needed to alter the plan rather than repeat an unsuccessful frontal attack unchanged.
Role range: 1793-1799
The French commander planned attacks against multiple parts of the Coalition position on 15 October. This deployment attempted to stretch enemy reserves before concentrating on a decisive sector.
Role range: 1793-1799
Republican soldiers broke through to take the village during the decisive second day. The advance compromised the Coalition position and forced reassessment of its siege operations.
Role range: 1793-1799
Victory at Wattignies removed the immediate obstacle between the French field army and Maubeuge. The republican garrison could expect relief instead of continued isolation.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan redirected the main weight of the French attack toward the village and heights of Wattignies. Concentration offered better prospects than scattering forces along the entire enemy line.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan assembled troops for a coordinated advance across several points of the Coalition line. The objective was to force the enemy covering army back and free Maubeuge from immediate danger.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan assumed command while the Republic remained threatened by Coalition positions gained earlier in the year. His subsequent Wattignies victory helped end the immediate danger to Maubeuge though Valenciennes stayed occupied.
Role range: 1793-1799
The Coalition withdrew from its siege after the failure of the covering force. Maubeuge remained in French hands, preserving an important fortress on the road toward Paris.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan faced the task of restoring unit cohesion following two costly days of combat. Winning the battle did not eliminate shortages or the need for further training.
Role range: 1793-1799
The victory gave soldiers and civilians relief after repeated threats to fortified towns. Jourdan's army demonstrated that an organized attack could defeat experienced Coalition troops.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan's victory was celebrated as proof that France could defend itself during the emergency of 1793. It strengthened confidence in troops raised and reorganized by the revolutionary state.
Role range: 1793-1799
Earlier Coalition successes at Valenciennes and other northern fortresses had placed the Republic under severe pressure. Jourdan's success demonstrated that the enemy advance could be checked in open battle.
Role range: 1793-1799
Despite the relief of Maubeuge the northern campaign did not end with Wattignies. Jourdan's soldiers still faced Coalition armies positioned across the nearby frontier.
Role range: 1793-1799
Republican advances during 1794 gradually undermined Coalition control of northern France. The wider success at Fleurus helped make continued occupation of isolated French fortresses difficult.
Role range: 1793-1799
The shifting military situation compelled the Coalition to abandon Valenciennes in the summer of 1794. Its recovery marked the reversal of an important enemy gain from the previous year.
Role range: 1793-1799
Receives Maastricht's surrender during the French revolutionary advance.
Role range: 1792-1799 – 1794-1796
Brings the city under French control after the siege.
Role range: 1792-1799 – 1794-1796
Jourdan assembled forces for an autumn campaign that would carry the French army across the river. The movement sought to open a new offensive against Austrian positions.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan's troops crossed the river in September and advanced onto its eastern bank. The operation threatened Austrian communications and forced a redistribution of Coalition forces.
Role range: 1793-1799
Counterattacks by experienced Austrian commanders threatened Jourdan's lines east of the river. His forces eventually withdrew as the offensive lost momentum.
Role range: 1793-1799
Jourdan's Army of Sambre and Meuse moved eastward while Moreau operated farther south. The two offensives sought to stretch Austrian resources across Germany.
Role range: 1793-1799
Austrian commanders struck Jourdan's exposed army as it advanced into Germany. The reversal made the neighboring French offensive increasingly difficult to sustain.
Role range: 1793-1799
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.