Dominique Joseph René Vandamme was born in the market town of Cassel (Nord) on 5 November 1770. The son of a surgeon, he fell under the patronage of the Duc de Biron, who later commanded the Army of the North. At the age of 15, Vandamme entered the Ecole Militaire de Paris. His apprenticeship to arms lasted from 2nd March 1786 to 11th June 1788. However, on the completion of his studies he failed to obtain a commission. This may be attributed to his rather rebellious and quarrellsome nature, a characteristic which was to plague many a future Marechal. Undeterred by this set back, he enlisted as a private with the Martinique Colonial Regiment joining its depot battalion at Lorient on 27 July 1788. He was not quite 18 years of age. His background, education and forceful personality enabled him to rise through the ranks and by the time he arrived to join the Regiment in Martinique at the end of 1789, he was a sergent.

With events in France quickly gathering momentum and garrison duties in the Colonies not exactly to his liking he deserted his post in April 1790. He was successful in returning to France where he next appeared as a grenadier captain with the Cassel National Guard. When this unit was subsequently disbanded he enlisted as a fusilier with the Brie Infantry Regiment on 7th June 1791. On the 25th August 1792, he obtained an honourable discharge on the grounds of ill health and almost immediately began to raise a volunteer company of light infantry to be called the Chasseurs de Vandamme. He of course occupied the role of capitaine and commanding officer. The Chasseurs de Vandamme were incorporated into the Army of the North on 13th September 1792 and were soon renamed the Chasseurs du Mont-de-Cassel. Vandamme retained command of the unit and saerved under Dumouriez in Holland. When the unit was amalgamated to form the light battalion of Mont-de-Cassel on 1st August 1793, his men elected him their colonel.

The Army of the North 1793-1794

Vandamme was presented with a unique opportunity when the Army of the North was driven from Belgium into his home district. In order to redress the balance and relieve Dunkirk, General Houchard, the Army commander gave Vandamme command of a column. Utilising his familiarity with the countryside, his vanguard of 4,000 men played a vital role in drawing Freytag's covering army away from the port and in it's subsequent defeat at the battle of Hondschoote on 8th September 1793. Within a few days, Vandamme had turned on the Duke of York's exposed force around Dunkirk and forced its retreat across the Belgian frontier, breaking contact at Furnes on 12th September.

As a mere colonel, Vandamme had shown in the handling of his 4,000 men that he was capable of successfully commanding division sized formations. This fact was recognised on 27th September 1793 when he was promoted to general de brigade and given command of the camp at Cassel with the task of preparing for a new offensive into Belgium. However, this post was to be short lived as on 8th October 1793 he was directed to replace Souham as garison commander at Dunkirk. He was not forgotten when the new offensive commenced, heading up the coast capturing Furnes and laying siege to Nieuport.

Unfortunately, he lacked the experience necessary to conduct a successful siege. He had no siege train or suitable transport available and set about trying to breach the walls with field artillery alone. His guns having little effect, the siege was brought to an end when the enemy flooded the area by braking open the dykes. His troops were forced to fall back to Furnes in disorder and he lost his command. Worse still, General Houchard, whom he admired had incurred the wrath of the Deputies and had since been tried and executed. Vandamme himself was arrested by order of the Representatives on 1st November 1793 and for a while he was in danger of following in Houchard's footsteps. He however managed to talk his way out of danger and was reinstated with command of a brigade with Ferrand's division on 11th November 1793.

1794 was a very active year for Vandamme commencing from Moreau's replacement of Ferrand at Cassel on 14th April. On the 28th April he relieved Werwicq followed two days later by the taking of Menin. However, all did not go well as he almost lost his command for allowing the enemy to break out of the town. he was involved at Courtrai on 11th May and was praised for forcing back Clairfayt's assualts from Tourcoing on 18th May. He covered the French forces conducting the siege of Ypres between 4th and 18th June, then advanced into Belgium capturing Bruges on 29th June and Ostend on 30th.

The reduction of Nieuport had again proved a problem for the Army of the North.