Battle of Kehl (1796)

The Battle of Kehl (23–24 June 1796) saw a Republican French force under the direction of Jean Charles Abbatucci mount an amphibious assault crossing of the Rhine River against a defending force of soldiers from the Swabian Circle. In the War of the First Coalition action, the French were successful in driving the Swabians from their positions and establishing a bridgehead. Kehl is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany just east of Strasbourg, France.

In June 1796, the French Army of Rhin-et-Moselle under Jean Victor Marie Moreau was opposed by Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour's Army of the Upper Rhine composed of Austrians and their German allies. Latour was weakened by the sending of reinforcements to Italy and distracted by the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse crossing the Rhine far to the north. To mislead Latour, Moreau marched large forces in the direction of Mannheim, then swiftly shifted his strength toward Strasbourg. Four days after winning his bridgehead at Kehl, one of Moreau's columns defeated the Swabians and Austrians in the Battle of Renchen east of Kehl. The next major action was the Battle of Ettlingen on 9 July 1796.