Battle of Siegburg

The Battle of Siegburg was the first engagement of the French offensive across the River Rhine – that offensive was to become the main campaign of 1796 during the War of the First Coalition. On 30 May 1796 général de division Jean-Baptiste Kléber crossed the river at Düsseldorf with the two divisions commanded by général de division Lefebvre and général de division Colaud. He then moved on Siegburg, where he won the battle on 1 June, thus enabling general Jean-Baptiste Jourdan to bring the bulk of his force across the Rhine at Neuwied.