The French have meanwhile been successful on several other fronts, occupying Savoy and Nice in Italy, while General Custine invades Germany, several German towns along the Rhine, and reaching as far as Frankfurt.

Custine, following his service to France as a captain in the Seven years war, had next served with distinction against the British as a colonel in expeditionary force of the comte de Rochambeau in the War of American Independence.

On his return to France, he had been named maréchal de camp (brigadier general) and appointed governor of Toulon.

He had been elected in 1789 to the states-general by the bailliage of Metz.

He had again joined the army in 1789 with the rank of lieutenant-general and become popular with the soldiers, among whom he is known as général moustache.

General-in-chief of the army of the Vosges, he takes Speyer, ...