Battle of Caesar's Camp

Battle of Caesar's Camp (1793)
Part of War of the First Coalition
Date7 August 1793
LocationMarquion, France
Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
Habsburg Monarchy Habsburg Austria
 Kingdom of Great Britain
 Electorate of Hanover
France Republican France
Commanders and leaders
Habsburg Monarchy Prince of Coburg
Kingdom of Great Britain Duke of York
France Charles Kilmaine
Strength
43,000 25,43535,000
Casualties and losses
light 150, 3 guns

The Battle of Caesar's Camp (7 August 1793) saw the Coalition army led by Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld try to surround a Republican French army under Charles Edward Jennings de Kilmaine. Numerically superior Habsburg Austrian, British and Hanoverian columns converged on the fortified French camp but Kilmaine wisely decided to slip away toward Arras. The War of the First Coalition skirmish was fought near the village of Marquion located 12 kilometres (7 mi) northwest of Cambrai, France.

On 16 July 1793, Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine commander of the Army of the North was ordered to Paris where he was soon arrested and guillotined. Kilmaine was requested to lead the army until a permanent replacement arrived. On 6 August two Austrian columns set out to turn the French right flank while a British and Hanoverian column under Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany marched completely behind the French army. Though one representative on mission urged Kilmaine to attack, the general determined to escape to the west. On the 7th, the Coalition trap snapped shut on only two battalions and even these got away when Kilmaine intervened with his massed cavalry. Kilmaine was dismissed and later arrested, though he avoided the guillotine and served in Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796.

References

Coordinates: 50°12′42″N 3°5′12″E / 50.21167°N 3.08667°E / 50.21167; 3.08667

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