WATTIGNIES, a village of France 51 m. S.S.E. of Mau beuge, the scene of a battle in the French Revolutionary Wars (q.v.), fought on Oct. 15-16, The Allied Army, chiefly Aus trians, under Coburg, was besieging Maubeuge, and the Revolu tionary Army, preparing to relieve it, gathered behind Avesnes. Even without the Maubeuge garrison Jourdan had a two-to one superiority. The French however were still the undisciplined enthusiasts of Hondschoote. Their left attack progressed so long as it could use "dead ground" in the valleys, but when the Republi cans reached the gentler slopes above, the volleys of the Austrian regulars crushed their swarms, and the Austrian cavalry, striking them in flank, rode over them. The centre attack, ordered by
Carnot on the assumption that all was well on the flanks, was pre mature; like the left, it progressed while the slopes were sharp, but when the Republicans arrived on the crest they found a gentle reverse slope before them, at the foot of which were Coburg's best troops. Again the disciplined volleys and a well-timed cavalry charge swept back the assailants. The French right reached, but could not hold, Wattignies. At last, after a long fight, Carnot and Jourdan. won the plateau, and Coburg drew off. His losses were 2,50o out of 23,00o, Jourdan's 3,000 out of 43,00o.