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The battle of Fleurus was the first battle in history that incorporated aerial reconnaissance and observation of an enemy force. This was provided by a French reconnaissance balloon , l'Entreprenant , operated by a crew under Captain Coutelle of the Aerostatic Corps , which continuously informed Jourdan of Austrian movements.
The corps transporting the balloon to Fleurus. In May 1794, the new corps joined Jourdan's troops at Maubeuge, bringing one balloon: L'Entreprenant. They began by constructing a furnace, then extracting hydrogen. [3] The first military use of the balloon was on 2 June, when it was used for reconnaissance during an enemy bombardment. [2]
L'Entreprenant at the Battle of Fleurus (1794). Balloons and kites were the first inventions used in aerial warfare and their primary role was reconnaissance.Balloons provided a reliable and stable means of elevating an observer high over the battlefield to obtain a birds-eye view of troop positions and movements.
Jourdan at Fleurus with the balloon l'Entreprenant in the background (Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse 1837; Galerie des Batailles, Palace of Versailles) At this time, the French were reinforced by four divisions from the Army of the Moselle under Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, who had been ordered to reinforce the army on the Sambre while operating to the ...
The battle of Fleurus, 26 June 1794, saw the first military use of an aircraft (L'Entreprenant). The first military use of observation balloons was by the French Aerostatic Corps during the French Revolutionary Wars, the very first time during the Battle of Fleurus (1794). [1]
At some time during the battle, Olivier went up in a captive hot air balloon to observe the Coalition positions. He later named his son Fleurus to commemorate his part in the victory. [2] At Fleurus, Jourdan's 75,000 men were attacked by the 52,000-strong Coalition army under Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld deployed in five converging ...
In the Battle of Fleurus (26 June 1794) Jean-Baptiste Jourdan's French army repulsed an attack by the combined Austro-Dutch army led by Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Tactically the battle was a draw but strategically it was a decisive French victory. The battle led to the collapse of the Coalition position in the Austrian Netherlands.
The balloon found its first use in the 1794 conflict with Austria, where in the Battle of Fleurus they gathered information. Moreover, the presence of the balloon had a demoralizing effect on the Austrian troops, which improved the likelihood of victory for the French troops.