Valmy, Battle of

During the French Revolutionary Wars, comprehensive French victory over the Prussians 20 September 1792, near Valmy, a French village about 55 km/35 mi southwest of Reims. This forthright defeat of a powerful army by the previously despised revolutionary forces set the seal upon the authority of the revolutionary French government.

After the French Revolution, Prussia, among other countries, saw the opportunity to profit from the disorder in France and 34,000 Prussians under the Duke of Brunswick marched into France. A French army under Charles Dumouriez halted them and his force was then reinforced by more troops under Marshal François Kellermann; the total French strength was about 50,000 and they were particularly strong in artillery. The Prussians attacked Kellerman's force and the French used their artillery to break up the attack. They then counterattacked, and as night fell the Prussians began to retire, finally marching back across their own border two days later.