16 October in history: Battles of Wattignies and Leipzig

Quick answer

On 16 October 1793 Jourdan's French Army of the North, with Lazare Carnot at his side, took the village of Wattignies on the second day of its attack, and that night the Prince of Saxe-Coburg's armies withdrew across the Sambre, ending the siege of Maubeuge. Twenty years later to the day the Battle of Leipzig began. South of the city a day of Allied attacks, French counterattacks and a great cavalry charge ended with the French back near their morning positions, while to the north Blücher's Prussians stormed Möckern. The Battle of the Nations ended in Napoleon's defeat on 19 October. Also on this day: Cornwallis's sortie at Yorktown in 1781.

Battle of Wattignies, 1793: the conscripts who saved Maubeuge

16 October 1793 · 233 years ago

Near Wattignies south of Maubeuge, Jean-Baptiste Jourdan's French army attacked the Coalition army of the Prince of Saxe-Coburg during the War of the First Coalition. After two days of fighting the Austrian covering force fell back, and the siege of Maubeuge was lifted.

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The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: the Battle of the Nations

16 to 19 October 1813 · 213 years ago

The coalition beat Napoleon at Leipzig, 16 to 19 October 1813, in Europe's largest battle before 1914, with over half a million men. Each day, with a map.

Read the full story of The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: the Battle of the Nations ›

Also on this day

1781: at Yorktown, by his own report, Lord Cornwallis sent a sortie of about 350 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Abercromby against two Allied batteries a little before daybreak; Johnston puts it at four hundred men. Cornwallis reported that it spiked eleven guns but "proved of little Public Advantage", as the guns were soon fit for service again. Washington's journal records four French and two American pieces spiked. Cornwallis then describes how a violent storm wrecked his attempt to ferry his troops across the river to Gloucester; Johnston also puts the attempt on the night of the 16th. Cornwallis surrendered three days later; see our article on the Battle of Yorktown.¹

Frequently asked questions

What happened at Wattignies?

Jourdan's Army of the North attacked the Coalition force covering the siege of Maubeuge on 15 and 16 October 1793. After a costly first day it massed on its right and took Wattignies on the 16th, and that night Coburg's armies gave up the siege and withdrew across the Sambre.

Who deserved the credit for Wattignies?

The accounts differ. Jourdan, in his own account, and Phipps say Carnot pressed for the costly attack on the center on the first day. Phipps rejects what he calls the "Carnot legend" and gives the victory to Jourdan.

How many men were lost at Wattignies?

The figures differ. The Austrian bulletin put Austrian losses at about 3,000 killed, wounded and missing; Phipps gives 365 Austrians killed, 1,753 wounded and 369 prisoners or missing, and 3,000 French. Jourdan's letter to the Convention claimed six thousand enemy dead.

What happened on the first day of the Battle of Leipzig?

On 16 October 1813 the Allies attacked south of the city and Napoleon counterattacked; by nightfall, in Maude's account, the French were back at the limits of their morning position. North of the city Blücher's Prussians took Möckern from Marmont's corps.

When was Poniatowski made a Marshal of France?

During the Battle of Leipzig, but the sources disagree on the day: Askenazy writes that Napoleon announced it on 15 October, while the Fondation Napoléon gives 16 October.

Sources

Lord Cornwallis, letter to Sir Henry Clinton, Yorktown, 20 October 1781, “The London Gazette”, issue 12251, 15 to 18 December 1781, pages 2 and 3 of the issue.

Henry P. Johnston, “The Yorktown Campaign and the Surrender of Cornwallis, 1781” (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1881), pp. 148-150, and Washington’s journal for 16 October 1781, printed in the appendix, p. 169, via Internet Archive.