After the Battle of Jemappes, the Count of Valence divided his forces and sent 35,000 men towards the Meuse. A detachment entered Liège on November 28 under the acclamations of the inhabitants; the rest was sent to undertake the siege of Namur.
Due to the proximity of the Austrian army under Johann Peter Beaulieu, Valence devoted this operation to the Army of the Ardennes which would be reinforced by the Harville division. Beaulieu, avoiding battle with the Army of the Ardennes, fell back towards the Aische Forest. Three French brigades encamped around the citadel of Namur awaiting the arrival of their artillery from the Fortress of Charlemont near Givet. The strategist Antoine-Henri Jomini pointed out that by advancing more quickly, Valence could have trapped the entire Austrian army which he did not, allowing Beaulieu and his force to escape.[2]
Battle
On 21 November, the main town opened its doors and surrendered; however the Austrians still held the citadel with 2,300 well-supplied men. The trench was opened on November 27 and the bombardment began using the artillery that arrived from Givet. Under heavy French bombardment, the citadel capitulated on December 2 and Valence took the garrison prisoner.[2]
