June 26, 1794 · Austrian Netherlands (modern Belgium) Theater
June 26, 1794
At Fleurus, a French army of 75,000 defeated the Austro-Dutch coalition and permanently expelled Austria from the Netherlands. The battle is remembered for two military innovations: the first operational use of a military observation balloon (the 'l'Entreprenant,' which sent intelligence reports down to Jourdan's headquarters via signal during the battle) and the systematic application of Carnot's divisional system — multiple self-sufficient divisions striking simultaneously from different directions, impossible for a single commander to counter. The battle lasted 12 hours and included some of the most intense fighting of the early Revolutionary Wars.
Commanders