The Siege of Maastricht: 1793

The Dutch During
The Revolutionary Wars: 7

15 February 1793-21 February 1793

by Geert van Uythoven, The Netherlands

Friday, 15 February 1793

"In the afternoon we received news from the country-people that enemy hussars had captured some loaded carts, destined for our city, near Smeermaas, outside the Bossche Gate. Immediately, a detachment of Hessen[-Kassel] Dragoons was dispatched to retake the carts. This was quickly achieved, because when the hussars noticed the advance of our dragoons they abandoned the carts. Our troops reloaded the bags that were thrown off the carts, and brought them into our city, together with some flocks of sheep that were found in the environs. We saw no French anymore."

Saturday, 16 February 1793

"We continued in all haste the preparations for the defence of our city. These preparations already had been going on for three months now, on every day of the week including the Sundays. A corps of labourers had been created from the citizens, but we had not much assistance from them, because it consisted mainly of old men and children, not able to do the heavy artillery labour. Therefore, the artillerymen had to do all the labour necessary, a task for which we were with far too few men. There were only two artillery companies present, namely those of Lt-Col Smedeken and Lt-Col Gerbade, as well as the Brunswick artillery, which worked closely together with us and which assisted us very well. During this day we received no intelligence about the enemy of much importance, except that they became more numerous, and it became obvious that it would not be very long before they would attack us."

Sunday, 17 February 1793

"During the afternoon it was reported that the enemy had captured some carts loaded with hay and oats at Vroenhoven near the Tongerense Gate. Immediately a detachment of dragoons and chasseurs of our garrison were despatched. The detachment advanced speedily along the road to Tongeren, to the village Wilre were the carts were captured. As soon as the French noticed the advance of our troops, they abandoned their booty and left the carts in possession of our detachment, which were brought into the city. Our detachment remained for a while riding around the place, to see if the French swanker ['windmaakers'] were willing to have a party with our brave Dutch dragoons.

However, they made the sensible choice to receive no beating and stayed away. Then the detachment returned, but the artillerymen were also sent to the Tongerense Gate, to man some batteries, in order to salute the enemy if they would move into range. The day passed, and we saw no citoyens anymore."

Monday, 18 February 1793

"At once, early in the morning, outside of the Poort d'Almagne [d'Allemagne gate], a detachment of French chasseurs à cheval came riding through the Heerdeveld to the gate and fired some shots at the advance guard. As soon as the gate was open, a detachment of our dragoons and chasseurs attacked the French, who retired then again advanced, firing some shots.

The French remained and skirmished with our detachment, but we, becoming tired with the French, trained a 24-pdr gun from the 'Parma' bastion and fired a shot at them. The shot was a near miss, close to the chasseurs à cheval, in such a way that one of them pirouetted two or three times by the wind caused by the cannonball. They now gathered quickly and left the field in a haste. We heard that the French had three wounded, and this was the first cannon shot fired at the enemy. We received intelligence that during this day more troops had arrived in the vicinity of our fortress; however, the enemy patrols stayed out of reach of our cannon."

Tuesday, 19 February 1793

"This day nothing of importance happened. However, in the distance we saw marching troops, probably sans-culottes, we noticed all kinds of different clothing and they looked more like a bunch of thieves than like soldiers. We also observed some patrols, but these did not dare to come near our walls."

Wednesday, 20 February 1793

"At around twelve noon, the report came in that, outside the Pieters Gate, a crowd of patriots was present. Immediately a detachment of dragoons and chasseurs was dispatched, which advanced to the heights behind the St. Pieter fortress. At the same moment, another report came in that the French were preparing for an attack on the 'Hessen' crownwork. The necessary artillerymen were sent to that place, to serve the cannon present. However, arriving there, it became clear that these reports were false. This whole affair derived from a detachment of our dragoons, which was on patrol outside the named crownwork. The patrol, consisting of an officer, a corporal, and six dragoons of Hessen[-Kassel], came under fire from some French chasseurs, hidden in the thicket.

From one dragoon the horse was killed underneath him, but he was saved, leaving behind his equipment and his boots, which the dragoon had to leave behind because they were stuck under his dead horse. The dragoon climbed on the horse behind another dragoon, and they saved themselves in a hail of enemy bullets. The corporal received a bullet through his hat, close to his head. The detachment formed up again on the field in front of the fort, and fired a few shots at the French, without any effect. During the whole afternoon we saw in the distance troops deployed on the heights, standing idle. During the night, further new troops arrived in the nearby villages, line units as well as sans-culottes."

Thursday, 21 February 1793

"During the whole day we saw or heard nothing, except that some troops with loaded wagons had arrived in the neighbouring villages, and that they still were busy with constructing accessories for their entrenchments. However, we were still not able to ascertain on what date they would attack our fortress, but we still did not hear that their artillery had arrived in their cantonments, except for the small 6-pdr and 4-pdr guns. We saw no patrols during the day and the evening, except at a long distance from our walls."

Siege of Maastricht 1793

The Dutch During the Revolutionary Wars

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