September 20: French troops manage to stop the alien invasion ally during the First Coalition War in 1792: "The Enigma of Valmy". First Coalition against France.

Painting of the battle of Valmy by Horac Vernet  from 1826. The white uniformed infantry to the right are regulars while the blue coated ranks to the left are from the citizen volunteers of 1791The Duke of Chartres (dismounted) and his brother, the Duke of Montpensier (on horseback), in dragoon uniform at the battle of Valmy.

European monarchies systematically opposed the French Revolution. In addition, the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain did not accept the execution of Louis XVI; in fact Britain expelled the French ambassador, and so alarmed the rest of European monarchs.

The Duke of Chartres (dismounted) and his brother, the Duke of Montpensier (on horseback), in dragoon uniform at the battle of Valmy.

This raises the first composite Coalition against France, composed by Britain, Austria and Prussia against the French Revolution.

Prussian troops led by King Frederick William II of Prussia and the Duke of Brunswick cited French troops in the plain of Valmy.

On September 20, 1792, the united armies of Austria and Prussia met a crowd of poorly dressed and armed French boys committed to fight against the aristocratic armies of Austria and Prussia well armed, elegantly uniformed, accompanied by the best armed infantry in Europe.

Apparently so were some skirmishes by the courage of young French citizen-soldiers. Without official battle, 47,000 French boys attacked 35,000 soldiers of the allied forces of Austria and Prussia.

This was going to be a historic slaughter against France. However, French Generals Charles Dumouriez and François Kellermann sent emissaries to Paris speeding claiming victory, when the attack began

The largest and most important battle of the French Revolution was won by brave generals who stopped the alien invasion!

Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick (Prussian commander)

The French anticipated the victory of the French Revolution. That news caused jubilation and the French revolutionaries felt glorious and proud.

Unofficial comments say that the Prussian Duke of Brunswick, who commanded the united armies against France, gave much despite seeing these French citizen-soldiers and singing what is now the Marseillaise. According to those comments, Brunswick declined to massacre those romantic French kids and decided to order the withdrawal.

Francois Kellermann, 1st Duke of Valmy and Victor of the Battle at Valmy (French commander)

This historic event is also known as "The Enigma of Valmy" or as "Phantom of Valmy".The question of exactly why the Prussians withdrew has never been definitively answered. To the surprise of nearly everyone, Brunswick broke off the action and retired from the field.

The veracity of the story of that war is questionable, but otherwise well. The foreign invasion had already captured Longwy and Verdun. The winner is the one who tells the story ...