First balloon used in war

The first successful use of a balloon as a form of military reconnaissance vehicle is at the Siege of Charleroi, which would develop into the Battle of Fleurus, on 26 June 1794. Piloted by engineer Jean-Marie-Joseph Coutelle (FRA), the aerostat – known as "L’Entreprenant" ("The Enterprising One") – was used by the French Aerostatic Corps to track the movements of the Coalition Army troops, and played a key role in the French Republic's victory. Although Charleroi is now situated in Belgium, over history it has been contested by numerous European empires. Prior to the Battle of Fleurus in 1794, the city belonged to Austria, but by the end of the battle, it had fallen into French hands, and was renamed Libre-sur-Sambre. In turn, France would cede Charleroi to the Netherlands after their loss at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.