The Myth of 21 battles
Listening to various podcast, professor Emeritus Charles Esdaile - always points out that the Allies did not do so badly (where I agree) and that in the Revolutionary Wars - he comes to 21 battles, 14 French wins, and of those Bonaparte had an important part - and that without him the Armies of the French Republic would look to be so much poorer.
Of course it is always difficult to say what is a battle and what is a clash, I feel I could have made the number bigger, but stayed more on the conservative, my main source was Napoleonic Wars Data Book by Digby Smith.
Also I just covered the years 1800 to 1796 - and I already arrived at 30 battles.
Here my findings
1800
3rd of May – Engen and Stockach
Moreau versus Kray victory Moreau
5th of May – Möskirch
Moreau versus Kray victory Moreau
18th of June – Marengo
Bonaparte versus Melas victory Bonaparte
3rd of December – Hohenlinden
Moreau versus Erzherzog Johann victory Moreau
1799
25th / 26th of March – Stockach
Jourdan versus Erzherzog Karl victory Jourdan
5th of April – Magnano
Schérer versus Kray victory Kray
27th /28th of April – Vapio and Cassano
Moreau versus Suvorov victory Suvorov
4th of June – 1st Zürich
Masséna versus Erzherzog Karl victory Karl
17th /20th of June – Trebbia
Macdonald versus Suvorov victory Suvorov
20th of June – Cassina Grassa
Moreau versus Bellegarde victory Moreau
15th of August – Novi
Joubert versus Suvorov victory Suvorov
19th of September - Bergen
Brune versus Duke of York victory Brune
25th / 26th – 2nd Zürich
Masséna versus Korsakov victory Masséna
2nd October – Egmond – aan – Zee
Brune versus York victory York
6th of October – Castricum
Brune versus York victory Brune
4th of November – Genola
Championnet versus Melas victory Championnet
1797
14th / 15th of January – Rivoli
Bonaparte versus Wurmser victory Bonaparte
16th of January – La Favorita
Bonaparte versus Wurmser victory Bonaparte
1796
9th of July – Malsch / Ettlingen
Moreau versus Erzherzog Karl victory Moreau
2nd / 3rd of August Lonato
Bonaparte versus Quesdanovich victory Bonaparte
5th of August – Castiglione
Bonaparte versus Wurmser victory Bonaparte
11th of August – Neeresheim
Moreau versus Erzherzog Karl victory Moreau
24th of August – Amberg
Jourdan versus Erzherzog Karl victory Karl
3rd of September – Würzburg
Jourdan versus Erzherzog Karl victory Karl
2nd of October - Biberach
Moreau versus Latour victory Moreau
19th of October – Emmendingen
Moreau versus Erzherzog Karl victory Karl
24th of October Schliengen
Moreau versus Erzherzog Karl victory Karl
12th of November – Caldiero
Bonaparte versus Allvintzy victory Allvintzy
defeat Bonaparte
15th / 17th of November – Arcole
Bonaparte versus Allvintzy victory BonapartIn case I did count correctly 19 French wins against 11 Allied ones, Moreau beats Boney with 7 to 6 victories.
So would the French Republic need Bonaparte to stay victorious? Not in my view, the Republic had a talented pool of highly successful generals - while there is no stellar opponent, yes Erzherzog Karl is playing a predominant role, as well as Suvorov, but then???
Is Charles Esdaile creating a myth himself 😉 ?
In case we would go back to 1792 the list of battles would be much longer.
“…the difference between hellish catastrophe and brilliant success is sometimes no greater than the width of a sabre blade, but when all is over no one thinks that. Win gloriously-and the clever dicks forget all about the rickety ambulances that never came, and the rations that were rotten, and the boots that didn’t fit, and the generals who’s have been better employed hawking bedpans round the doors. Lose-and these are the only thing they talk about.” George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman at the Charge.