Battles & Campaigns · 1796
Battle of Wetzlar
Wetzlar, Hesse, Germany
What happened
Jourdan had advanced across the Rhine to draw Austrian troops north. Archduke Charles attacked the French positions on the Lahn River near Wetzlar. Most of the French army then withdrew to the west bank of the Rhine.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was an Austrian victory, but Jourdan's advance had done its job: with Charles drawn north, Moreau's army crossed the Rhine further south at Kehl.
What came next
Austrian troops pursued the French left wing and fought again at Uckerath on 19 June.
Did you know?
Wetzlar lies in the German state of Hesse, about 66 km north of Frankfurt.
Timeline
- 15 June 1796Battle of Wetzlar.
- 19 June 1796Fighting at Uckerath.
- 9 July 1796Battle of Ettlingen.