second battle second battle occurred september general austrian imperial troops stormed french held rhine river village german state river city french revolutionary stronghold battle french revolutionary war coalition rhine wild unpredictable difficult cross channels tributaries created islands trees vegetation alternately submerged floods exposed dry seasons complex bridges gates fortifications barrage dams linked constructed fortress architect seventeenth century crossings contested french dutch war war spanish succession war polish succession earlier french crossed german states june critical french success army ability cross rhine crossings near swiss city offered access southwestern germany french armies sweep north south east depending military goal late summer austrian force territory lost french earlier summer september austrians temporarily acquired control joining strong french counter attack forced retreat leaving french control bridges austrians control territory surrounding situation remained status quo late october control surrounding territory prevented french crossing safety required french commander withdraw immediately october army retreated south cross rhine moved austrian force begin day siege background general campaign campaign larger broader french revolutionary wars republican france pitted fluid coalition austrians states british dutch royalist french initially republican french experienced victories campaigns successful coalition partners difficulty coordinating war aims efforts french victories northern italy salvaged french enthusiasm war forced coalition withdraw end rhine campaign french republican called truce forces fighting germany agreement lasted austrians announced truce end included troops man right wing duke ferdinand stood east bank rhine observing french garrisons fortress included remainder strong secured west bank commanded force anchored right wing west bank left wing prince guarded rhine switzerland original austrian strategy capture use position west bank strike french armies turn news arrived vienna successes sent italy reinforcements gave command austrian armies ordered hold ground french man held west bank rhine southwest army left flank troops entrenched camp right wing positioned rhine northward centered near left wing extended west led right wing commanded center directed left wing wing consisted infantry cavalry divisions command included divisions led wing divisions commanded french plan called april june offensive armies press flanks northern coalition armies german states army approached vienna italy specifically army push south hopefully drawing troops attention army east rhine according plan army charles troops occurred army endured forced march south attacked guarded imperial troops troops recruited spring circle inexperienced held hours retreated reinforced forward guard troops poured south column moved quickly river advanced rhine swiss german shoreline spreading southern end worried supply lines army flanked charles began retreat east point july competition french generals came play joined army north proceeded eastward pushing charles bavaria pushed eastward pushing autonomous corps union armies charles crushed opposition august autonomous corps united charles imperial troops turned tide french defeat army battles august september 2nd september allowed charles troops south effectively removed remainder campaign preliminary action september charles position eastern slope engaged french troops commanded included brigade squadrons 19th remained observe garrisons realizing command small withstand attack stronger austrians withdrew secure rhine crossing retreat mountains need crossing safe passage france initial austrian attack french position favored french charged austrians september austrians spent day french advanced posts intention marching south secure crossing general received intelligence contingent infantry cavalry marching retired south found austrians possession village south tried force way austrians fell found caught detachments austrians river general deployed brigade infantry regiment cavalry army instructions proceed forced marches general acting intelligence sent battalions occupy miles effectively prevented reinforcements reaching locked place garrison garrison status september garrison consisted battalion 24th brigade detachments command weak force defend position importance develop additional extensive works reported troops arrived unclear ones furthermore lack cooperation local peasant workers exhaustion troops prevented enhancements fortifications proceeding speed evening september column arrived immediately battalions squadrons troops far september small corps austrians approached outskirts vigorously attacked french merely prelude significant action following day action september break dawn september austrian columns attacked kept pinned austrian principal column comprising crossed river french position proceeded rhine south placed force protection conducted peasants familiar fortifications advanced far horn work upper rhine entered gorge led outskirts second column 38th regiment command major proceeded hamlet obtained possession village bridge leading column included companies division executed left bank river column reserve command approached far french earthworks banks rhine support columns ahead included battalion 12th regiment moved past hamlet quickly austrians acquired control earthworks town village fortress reached old bridge advanced islands formed branches rhine eye shot french halted confusion stopped possibly bridge think regardless troops burn bridge started drinking french cavalry tried retire bridge heavy austrians fire destroyed french executed attempts retake bridges command general repulsed times superior numbers austrians fire case shot cannons lined principal road fortune favor french colonel men captured fort command major badly wounded leaving overall command 38th regiment french general gone troops returned reinforcements including national guard led troops bridges met austrian attack sufficiently strong recover austrians held houses edge village arrival fresh battalion 12th regiment led new attack repulsed ultimately austrians insufficient reserves meet fresh troops french recovered suburbs village french works according sources austrians lost men killed missing wounded french missing captured german sources report austrians lost men prisoners french dead wounded impact september action despite limited success action action broad impact movements main armies east army mountains lay east controlling eastern access crossing forced march south retreat france occur bridges longer march contact main armies occurred october valley winds section valley involved battle runs south west mountains south west river emerges mountains flows north west rhine right section river passes reaches sits narrow gap isolated volcanic hills known austrian french armies met october force semi circle heights offering superior position charles threw army flanks french left flank fought gave way pressure corps right flank day long eventually withdraw loss access crossing forced withdraw south strong rear guard provided abandoned position night retreated miles right left wings followed november reached organized force cross bridges france sent army north orders battle following troops participated action french 24th brigade battalion brigade battalions remnants 19th regiment squadrons austrian infantry regiment battalions infantry regiment battalions infantry regiment elements
Second Battle of Kehl (1796)