In the autumn of 1794, the newly formed Army of Belgique prepared to invade the Austrian Netherlands, fielding a force of 35,000 men divided into six divisions. Despite the impressive numbers, the army suffered from inexperienced troops, insufficient ammunition, and a fractured command structure led by General Louis-Bernard Alquier. Among the divisional commanders was the twenty-four-year-old Gaspard Lefebvre, whose VI Division was viewed as an afterthought and positioned south of Luxemburg. While the main force suffered from varying degrees of competence and political appointments, Lefebvre drilled his 3,000 cavalrymen relentlessly. Aware that his division was logistically neglected by Paris, he prepared his men for a campaign defined by speed, knowing they would have to live off the land and move faster than their supplies could follow.

The invasion commenced on October 15th, but the Austrians, alerted by spies, had prepared a trap. As the primary French divisions advanced toward Bruges and Ghent, General Karl Leopold von Hohenberg ambushed the I and III Divisions at Ostend. After pinning the French down with a massive artillery bombardment, the Austrians launched a coordinated assault. Although French cavalry attempted to stabilize the lines, a surprise Austrian flanking maneuver devastated the French rear, resulting in a catastrophic defeat. The collapse at Ostend forced a general retreat of the entire French army back to the border, leaving the invasion in ruins and the Austrians poised to counter-attack into France itself.

Ignoring orders to remain stationary, Lefebvre launched an unauthorized offensive into Luxemburg on November 3rd to salvage the campaign. His cavalry swept through the lightly defended eastern region and into the Ardennes, where they systematically dismantled the Austrian logistical network. By burning supply depots, capturing convoys, and severing communication lines, the VI Division isolated the Imperial armies. Lefebvre amplified the impact of his small force through deception, spreading false intelligence that convinced General Hohenberg he was facing a flanking force of 12,000 men.

Hohenberg, panicked by the threat to his rear and the collapse of his supply lines, attempted to pivot his forces but found himself outmaneuvered. Realizing he had been deceived and facing a renewed push from the regrouped main French army, the Austrian commander was defeated at the Battle of Dinze. With his logistics shattered by Lefebvre’s raids, Hohenberg was forced to order a full retreat on November 25th. Through insubordination and tactical brilliance, Lefebvre had single-handedly reversed the course of the war, securing the Austrian Netherlands for the French Republic.