Legion Franche Etrangere
1792-1795
Battle History
by Geert van Uythoven, The Netherlands
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Immediately after being raised the legion left for the frontline, as was more or less the rule within the French army in this period: demand for troops were just to high to permit a training period. The legionnaires had to learn their trade in the field. When they were not on outpost duty, scarce time was used to make the men familiar with their weapons and drill. The year 1792 was passed in the west of Flanders, especially Brugge, were it was quiet now that the Austrians had been driven back. Most probably the legion did not participate in any hostilities in 1792. Some sources state that the legion was present in the battle of Jemappes on 6 November 1792. I was not able to find any confirmation for this. The legion is also not mentioned in the official French order of battle before this battle. On 21 December the legion left for Antwerp, arriving there on the 27th, in preparation for the planned attack on the Dutch Republic. On 16 February 1793, the 1st and 2nd infantry battalion and the jagers te paard crossed the border of the Dutch Republic, part of the advance guard (Berneron). The advance guard was followed by the main force commanded by Dumouriez himself. Daendels led the advance with the legion. His task was to push north as fast as possible to the Roode Vaart en Zwaluwe, to requisite as much boats as possible, and to cross to the island of Dordrecht. Arriving here, he had to gather about a hundred transport ships, with which Dumouriez would cross the Hollandsch Diep near Strijensas with the main force. Daendels was however quickly disappointed by the lack of co-operation of the population. Arriving at the mark river, he had expected boats prepared to facilitate the crossing of his troops. There was not one boat present! The reputation of the revolutionary army had proceeded it, and the civilians had brought all their valuables to safety, including their boats! Not sure what to do Daendels remained at the Mark, instead of advancing as fast as possible. Dumouriez found him there a few days later, when he arrived with the main force. Moment of surprise had been lost, and instead of the planned ‘blitzkrieg’, Dumouriez changed his plans and started to besiege the fortress cities, while boats were gathered to facilitate the crossing of the Hollandsch Diep. Berneron received orders to capture the small fortress-cities Klundert and Willemstad with his advance guard, and the advance continued, again with Daendels’ forces at the front. While Daendels advanced further in the direction of Willemstad and Noordschans, occupying the surroundings, the bulk of Berneron’s forces advanced to Klundert, defended by less then a hundred men, commanded by Captain Baron Joost Maurtis von Kropff. On 25 February 25, Berneron demanded the surrender of this fortress-city, but despite his weak and insufficient force Von Kropff refused. After a short bombardment, the French stormed the walls of the fortress. After having resisted for a short while, Von Kropff decided to try to break through the French besieging forces with forty men rather then to surrender. Near Tonnekreek hamlet however, he ran into a detachment of the legion, commanded by Lieutenant-colonel L. Hartman. Outnumbered and completely surrounded, Von Kropff deployed his men in some kind of square, opening fire on his opponents which killed Lieutenant-colonel Hartman. Finally the survivors had to surrender, the legion taking bloody revenge: Von Kropff was executed on the spot by Captain Boogmans (of the 4th battalion) with a pistol bullet in the head! Still not satisfied with the fate of Von Kropff, enraged as the legionnaires were because of the death of Hartman, the Batavian soldiers mutilated the corpse, fixed a heavy stone around the neck and threw the body in a deep ditch, where it was found only after the retreat of the French. After Klundert, Willemstad was next. Willemstad however appeared not to be captured so easily, and the holding out of this fortress-city, under its governor Major-general Carel van Boetzelaer, became a symbol for the Dutch Republic for her fight against the French. During the siege, which formally began on 27 February and lasted until 16 March, of the legion the 1st and 2nd infantry battalion, the foot jagers and the jagers te paard were present. On 3 March, around half past nine in the morning, Daendels stormed the fortress with both infantry battalions. Wading through the water of the inundated polder the Batavians suffered heavy losses caused by gunfire of the determined defenders, and the attack was beaten off with many dead and wounded. According to a gunner which was taken prisoner later during the siege, the French needed five or six wagons to remove the corpses of those killed. This was the only big attack the French would undertake during the siege. [16]
Waiting for an opportunity to cross the Hollandsch Diep, Dumouriez placed his headquarters in Moerdijk village. His ‘bodyguard’ consisted of a hundred foot jagers, and fifty jagers te paard of the legion. The 3rd infantry battalion of the legion was in the reserve under Tilly. After the capture of Breda, this battalion was the first French unit marching into the city (of course for political reasons), and the battalion was billeted here. It immediately established a bad name among the citizens for its lawless behaviour and the vandalising of the Greater Church.
Compared with these Batavians, the French behaved themselves much better. In March 1793, the legion formed part of the garrisons of the fortress-cities Geertruidenberg and Breda captured by the French. [17]
After both fortresses capitulated on 2 and 3 April, as a direct result of the lost battle of
Neerwinden, the legion as well received free
passage to the French lines, together with all
other French forces. Afterwards there was
much critic about the fact that the refugees had
received free retreat. [18]
After having reached French lines again
the legion participates in the hostilities during
the so-called ‘outpost war’, often engaging
Dutch troops under both Princes of Orange.
On 30 May 1793 about five hundred Batavians
of the legion, supported by 2,200 French
troops and six guns, attack the Dutch outposts
near Commines. The Dutch, commanded by
Colonel Mylius, had to retreat to St. Eloy,
were they were reinforced by more Dutch
troops, driving the French and Batavians on
their turn back again. According to Dutch
reports, the Batavians and French lost four
dead, eighteen wounded and thirteen prisoners.
On 22 July, the French again executed a
massive attack on the Dutch outpost line. The
attack was led by the Batavians of the legion
and Belgian volunteer units. To deceive the
Dutch, some Batavians had fixed an orange
cockade on their hats, to act like deserters. They
had not much advantage of this trick, as they
were beaten back with loss all along the line.
The French lost many dead and wounded.
Curiously, the Dutch after-action report states that the French executed a second attack at one o’clock in the afternoon, for the sole purpose to be able to retrieve their dead! [19]
On 12 and 13 September 1793 the battle of Werwick took place, in which the legion again had a great share. The French attacked the Dutch troops with overwhelming force, who waited for the arrival of Austrian reinforcements in vain.
Prince William George Frederic of Orange was wounded during the fighting. During the battle the legion, led by Daendels, distinguished itself during the capture of the Menin fortress, taken under heavy
hand-to-hand fighting. Nearly the whole of Belgium had to be evacuated by the French again. The legion was billeted in the most southern part of Western-Flanders, occupying the small remaining part of Belgian territory still in French hands. It was engaged in arresting brigands, tracking down deserters, and forced requisitioning of supplies for the French army.
Legion Franche Etrangere 1792-1795
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