Battle of Willems

Battle of Willems
Part of the War of the First Coalition
The modern village of Willems
Date 10 May 1794 Location Kortrijk, Belgium Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
Republican France	Habsburg Austria Great Britain Hanover Hesse-Darmstadt
Commanders and leaders
Charles Pichegru	Count of Clerfayt Duke of York
Strength
60,000	40,000
Casualties and losses
2,400, 13 guns	325

The Battle of Willems (10 May 1794) saw a Republican French army under Jean-Charles Pichegru oppose Coalition forces commanded by Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, as part of a French attempt to defeat an Allied counteroffensive and continue its own 1794 offensive in the Low Countries, which had already seen success with the battle of Mouscron and the capture of the important cities of Menin and Courtrai. The battle was a French tactical defeat, but victory in the battle of Courtrai the next day, coupled with the Duke of York's realisation that he was badly outnumbered, led to Allied withdrawal and a strategic victory for the French, who retained their hold on Menin and Courtrai. During this action, French infantry formed in squares and repulsed Coalition cavalry for the first time during the war. The fighting occurred during the War of the First Coalition near Kortrijk, Belgium, located about 85 kilometres (53 mi) west of Brussels.