The Battle of Abensberg took place on 20 April 1809 between a
Franco
Franco may refer to:
Name
* Franco (name)
* Francisco Franco (1892–1975), Spanish general and dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975
* Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician, the "Grand Maître"
Prefix
* Franco, a prefix used when ref ...
-German force under the command of Emperor
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
and a reinforced Austrian corps led by
Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Lieutenant field marshal, also frequently historically field marshal lieutenant (german: Feldmarschall-Leutnant, formerly , historically also and, in official Imperial and Royal Austrian army documents from 1867 always , abbreviated ''FML''), was ...
Archduke Louis of Austria
Archduke Louis, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia and Prince of Tuscany (Louis Joseph Anton Johann; 13 December 1784 – 21 December 1864), was the 15th child of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, King of Hungary and Bohemia, Grand Duke of Tuscan ...
. As the day wore on, Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Johann von Hiller
Johann Baron von Hiller (13 October 1754 – 5 June 1819) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He held an important command during the 1809 campaign against France, playing a prominent role at the B ...
arrived with reinforcements to take command of the three corps that formed the Austrian left wing. The action ended in a complete Franco-German victory. The battlefield was southeast of
Abensberg
Abensberg () is a town in the Lower Bavarian district of Kelheim, in Bavaria, Germany, lying around southwest of Regensburg, east of Ingolstadt, northwest of Landshut and north of Munich. It is situated on the river Abens, a tributary of the ...
and included clashes at Offenstetten,
Biburg
Biburg is a municipality in the district of Kelheim in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the ...
-
Siegenburg
Siegenburg is a municipality in the district of Kelheim in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, a ...
,
Rohr in Niederbayern
Rohr in Niederbayern is a municipality in the district of Kelheim in Bavaria in Germany.
Twin towns
Rohr in Niederbayern is twinned with:
* Castelcucco
Castelcucco is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian re ...
, and
Rottenburg an der Laaber
Rottenburg an der Laaber is a town in the district of Landshut, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Große Laber, 21 km northwest of Landshut.
Notable residents/natives
* Max Ritter von Müller (1887–1918), World ...
. On the same day, the French garrison of
Regensburg
Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...
capitulated.
After
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
Louis-Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas d'Avout (10 May 1770 – 1 June 1823), better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary Wars and t ...
's hard-fought victory at
Battle of Teugen-Hausen
The Battle of Teugen-Hausen or the Battle of Thann was an engagement that occurred during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was fought on 19 April 1809 between the French III Corps led by Marshal Louis- ...
the previous day, Napoleon determined to break through the Austrian defenses behind the
Abens River. The emperor assembled a provisional corps consisting of part of Davout's corps plus cavalry and gave Marshal
Jean Lannes
Jean Lannes, 1st Duke of Montebello, Prince of Siewierz (10 April 1769 – 31 May 1809), was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was one of Napoleon's ...
command over it. Napoleon directed his German allies from the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
and the
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg (german: Königreich Württemberg ) was a German state that existed from 1805 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which exist ...
to attack across the Abens from the west, while Lannes thrust from the north toward Rohr. While the Austrians initially held the river line, Lannes' strike force crashed through Louis' defenses farther east. On the left, the Austrians managed to conduct a capable rear guard action, but during the day the French smashed their opponents' right flank and captured thousands of soldiers. The day ended with the Austrians barely holding onto a line behind the
Große Laber
Große Laber (also: ''Große Laaber'') is a river in Bavaria, Germany, a right tributary of the Danube.
Its source is near Volkenschwand. It is long. It flows northeast through the small towns Rottenburg an der Laaber, Schierling and Rain. It f ...
River.
The next day, Hiller withdrew to
Landshut
Landshut (; bar, Landshuad) is a town in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also t ...
, separating the left wing from the main army under
Generalissimo
''Generalissimo'' ( ) is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used.
Usage
The word (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of ('general') thus me ...
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles Louis John Joseph Laurentius of Austria, Duke of Teschen (german: link=no, Erzherzog Karl Ludwig Johann Josef Lorenz von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen; 5 September 177130 April 1847) was an Austrian field-marshal, the third s ...
near
Regensburg
Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...
(Ratisbon). The French surrender of Regensburg on 20 April allowed Charles' army a retreat route to the north bank of the Danube. The
Battle of Landshut was fought on 21 April.
Background
Operations
Archduke Charles stole a march on Napoleon when his army invaded the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
on 10 April 1809. Even though the Austrian army took six days to slowly march from the
Inn River
, image = UnterinntalWest.JPG
, image_caption = Lower Inn valley from Rattenberg castle
, source1_location = Swiss Alps (Lägh dal Lunghin)
, source1_elevation =
, source1_coordinates=
, mouth_location = Danube (Passau)
, mo ...
at the frontier to the
Isar River
The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria, and Bavaria, Germany, which is not navigable for watercraft above raft size. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Munic ...
, the move placed the army of France and their German allies in grave danger. Napoleon's deputy commander Marshal
Louis Alexandre Berthier
Louis-Alexandre Berthier (20 November 1753 – 1 June 1815), Prince of Neuchâtel and Valangin, Prince of Wagram, was a French Marshal of the Empire who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was twice Minister ...
mismanaged the
Grande Armée
''La Grande Armée'' (; ) was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empi ...
's concentration, leaving its units scattered across a broad front in a confused state.
The central mass of Archduke Charles' 209,600-man host crossed the Isar at
Landshut
Landshut (; bar, Landshuad) is a town in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also t ...
on 16 April, but the next day Emperor Napoleon arrived at the front from
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. Desperately trying to wrest the initiative back from the archduke, Napoleon consolidated his forces and ordered Marshal
André Masséna
André Masséna, Prince of Essling, Duke of Rivoli (born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817) was a French military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Donald D. Horward, ed., trans, annotated, The Fre ...
's IV Corps and General of Division
Nicolas Oudinot
Nicolas Charles Oudinot, 1st Count Oudinot, 1st Duke of Reggio (25 April 1767 in Bar-le-Duc – 13 September 1847 in Paris), was a Marshal of the Empire. He is known to have been wounded 34 times in battle, being hit by artillery shells, sabers, ...
's II Corps on the right flank to march on Landshut to cut the Austrian line of communications. He planned for Marshal
François Joseph Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre ( , ; 25 October 1755 – 14 September 1820), Duc de Dantzig, was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon.
E ...
's Bavarian VII Corps to hold in the center at Abensberg while Davout's left flank III Corps withdrew west to escape being trapped between Charles' main body and the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
.
On 19 April, Charles realized he had an opportunity to destroy Davout. He launched 65,000 troops in three powerful columns northwest as Davout attempted a flank march across his front. Luckily for the French, General of Cavalry
Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein
Johann I Joseph (''Johann Baptist Josef Adam Johann Nepomuk Aloys Franz de Paula''; 26 June 1760 – 20 April 1836) was Prince of Liechtenstein between 1805 and 1806 and again from 1814 until 1836. He was the last Liechtenstein prince to rule unde ...
's 20,000 troops found no opposition on the Austrian right. In the center,
General of Division
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corp ...
Louis-Pierre Montbrun's 3,800 cavalry and infantry skilfully held off Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Prince Franz Seraph of Rosenberg-Orsini
Prince Franz Seraph von Orsini-Rosenberg (18 October 1761 – 4 August 1832) was born a member of Orsini-Rosenberg family, son of Prince Vinzenz Fererius von Orsini-Rosenberg and Maria Juliana, Countess von Stubenberg.
He joined the army of ...
's much stronger IV Armeekorps for most of the day.
On the left flank, Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Prince Friedrich Franz Xaver of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Friedrich Franz Xaver Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (31 May 1757 – 6 April 1844) was an Austrian Empire, Austrian general. He joined the Austrian military and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia, Ottoman Turkey, and the First French Republi ...
's III Armeekorps crashed into General of Division
Louis Vincent Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire
Louis-Vincent-Joseph Le Blond, comte de Saint-Hilaire (; 4 September 1766 – 5 June 1809) was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars, Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, described by Louis-François Lejeune, Lejeune as "the pride of ...
's division and a terrific fight blazed up. Both sides fed in reinforcements as the infantry battled over a pair of parallel ridges in the
Battle of Teugen-Hausen
The Battle of Teugen-Hausen or the Battle of Thann was an engagement that occurred during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was fought on 19 April 1809 between the French III Corps led by Marshal Louis- ...
. Ultimately, Davout brought superior forces to bear in the late afternoon and pushed back the Austrians a short ways. That night, Charles ordered Hohenzollern to withdraw a little to the east, closer to his main body.
On the morning of 19 April, Archduke Charles requested that Hohenzollern provide a link between the III and V Armeekorps. Accordingly, the III Armeekorps commander detached General-Major Ludwig Thierry's 6,000-man infantry brigade to his left. As an additional link between Thierry and III Armeekorps, Hohenzollern detached General-Major Joseph Freiherr von Pfanzelter with a
Grenz infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers or Granichary (from german: Grenzer "border guard" or "frontiersman"; Serbo-Croatian: graničari, krajišnici, sr-cyr, граничари, крајишници, Russian Cyrillic: граничары) were light infant ...
battalion and two squadrons of hussars, about 1,000 men. While the Battle of Teugen-Hausen raged, Thierry clashed with Bavarian troops near Arnhofen and fell back to Offenstetten.
Austrian deployment
On 20 April, Archduke Charles' main body consisted of the III, IV, and I Reserve Armeekorps. These were arrayed near Dünzling and
Eckmühl.
Feldzeugmeister
''Feldzeugmeister'' was a historical military rank in some German and the Austro-Hungarian armies, especially in use for the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found at the beginning of the 20th century ...
Johann Kollowrat
Feldmarschall Johann Karl, Graf von Kolowrat-Krakowsky (21 December 1748 – 5 June 1816) joined the Austrian army, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey before being promoted to general officer rank. During combat against the ...
's II Armeekorps spent 19 April attacking Regensburg from north of the Danube. While successfully defending the city, Colonel Louis Coutard's 2,000-man 65th Line Infantry Regiment ran dangerously low on small-arms ammunition. General of Cavalry
Count Heinrich von Bellegarde
Count Heinrich von Bellegarde, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia (german: Heinrich Joseph Johannes, Graf von Bellegarde or sometimes ''Heinrich von Bellegarde''; 29 August 1756 – 22 July 1845), of a noble Savoyard family, was born in Saxony, joined the ...
's I Armeekorps also remained north of the Danube.
Archduke Louis spread out his V Armeekorps behind the Abens River, facing west. Having detached Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl Friedrich von Lindenau
Karl Friedrich von Lindenau (1746 – 21 February 1817) served in the Prussian army before an incident compelled him to switch allegiance to Habsburg Austria in 1789. A staff officer at the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars, he was as ...
's division to Liechtenstein, only the divisions of Feldmarschall-Leutnants
Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
Heinrich XV, Prince Reuss of Greiz (22 February 1751 – 30 August 1825) was the fourth of six sons born into the reigning family of the Principality of Reuss. At the age of fifteen he joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy and later fought aga ...
and Vincenz Freiherr von Schustekh-Herve remained under Louis' command. Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer (17 January 1756 – 28 October 1828) was an Austrian general. Kienmayer joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he continue ...
's II Reserve Armeekorps, nominally 7,975-strong, waited in support at Ludmannsdorf. Kienmayer's
cuirassier
Cuirassiers (; ) were cavalry equipped with a cuirass, sword, and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in mid-to-late 16th century Europe as a result of armoured cavalry, such as men-at-arms and demi-lancers, discarding their lances and adoptin ...
brigade under General-Major Andreas von Schneller was serving with Liechtenstein and four dragoon squadrons were attached to Thierry's brigade. On the evening of the 19th, the bulk of Hiller's VI Armeekorps reached
Mainburg
Mainburg is a town in the district of Kelheim, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Abens, 30 km northwest of Landshut and 30 km southeast of Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt (, Austro-Bavarian: ) is an independent city on the D ...
to the south. Like V and II Reserve Armeekorps, the VI suffered from detachments. At the beginning of the war, Charles sent the division of Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Franz Jellacic to hold
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, the Bavarian capital, where it remained. Hiller also posted General-Major
Armand von Nordmann
Joseph-Armand Ritter von Nordmann (31 August 1759 – 6 July 1809), was a French officer in the French Royal Army. He transferred his allegiance to Habsburg Austria during the French Revolution, like other French émigrés. In Austrian servic ...
with a small force at
Moosburg an der Isar to watch his south flank. The official returns of Hiller's three corps totalled 75,880 troops, but after detachments, the left wing numbered only 42,000.
French deployment
![Siegenburg Kupferstich Wening 1700](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Siegenburg_Kupferstich_Wening_1700.jpeg)
When Lannes arrived at the front, Napoleon immediately placed him in command of a provisional corps. This ad hoc formation consisted largely of III Corps units that escaped Archduke Charles' trap the day before, namely General of Division
Charles Antoine Morand's 1st Division, General of Division
Charles-Étienne Gudin de La Sablonnière
Charles-Étienne César Gudin de La Sablonnière (13 February 1768 – 22 August 1812) was a French general who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Biography
Gudin was born to a noble family in Montargis, on 13 Fe ...
's 3rd Division, General of Division
Raymond-Gaspard de Bonardi de Saint-Sulpice's 2nd Heavy Cavalry Division, and
General of Brigade
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...
Charles Claude Jacquinot's light cavalry brigade of Montbrun's division. Also added was General of Division
Etienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty's 1st Heavy Cavalry Division from the cavalry reserve. One of Saint-Sulpice's brigades was detailed to guard
Saal an der Donau
Saal is a municipality in the district of Kelheim in Bavaria in Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, around 25 km southwest of Regensburg.
Ortsteile
Villages affiliated to the administration (Ortsteil) of Saal are ...
, a defile between Lannes and Davout.
On the morning of 20 April, Napoleon mistakenly assumed that the bulk of Archduke Charles' army lay in front of him. Accordingly, he gave orders for a drive southeast in the direction of Landshut. Lannes' mission was to turn the Austrian right flank by pushing south toward Rohr. General of Division
Dominique Vandamme
General Dominique-Joseph René Vandamme, Count of Unseburg (5 November 1770, Cassel, Nord15 July 1830) was a French military officer, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was a dedicated career soldier with a reputation as an excellent division ...
would attack Siegenburg with his small Kingdom of Württemberg corps. Lefebvre's other VII Corps divisions, together with General of Division Joseph Laurent Demont's Reserve Division of the III Corps, would link Lannes and Vandamme. Napoleon ordered Masséna's IV Corps to capture Landshut and the Isar River crossings, cutting the Austrian line of communications.
Battle
Abensberg
Archduke Charles sent orders to his brother Archduke Louis at 7:30 AM on 20 April. He instructed Louis to fall back to Rottenburg and defend behind the Große Laber. Charles intended Hiller to take position on Louis' left at
Pfeffenhausen
Pfeffenhausen is a market town and a municipality in the district of Landshut in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in E ...
. Charles erred in sending the orders so late and in not informing Louis of Hohenzollern's withdrawal to the east. The latter move left the V Armeekorps' right flank exposed.
Pfanzelter held Bachl on the extreme right flank. To the west of Bachl, Thierry held Offenstetten with three and one-third battalions. His other two and two-thirds battalions had become separated the previous day and joined General-Major
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza (1 February 1768 – 18 August 1855), was an Austrian Feldmarschallleutnant who notably served during the Napoleonic Wars.
Early life
Born in Vienna, Bianchi studied at the Imperial Engineering Academy in Vie ...
who had six battalions near Biburg. Louis posted Schustekh with four squadrons of hussars and one and one-third battalions at Rohr. Schustekh's infantry had just rejoined V Armeekorps after marching from Mainburg with General-Major
Joseph, Baron von Mesko de Felsö-Kubiny
Joseph de Mesko, Freiherr von Felsö-Kubiny ( hu, Felsőkubinyi báró Meskó József) was a General of the cavalry (Austria), cavalry general and lieutenant-general ( hu, altábornagy) in Habsburg service during the French Revolutionary Wars, Fre ...
's detachment.
In one account, Lannes' advance guard approached Bachl in the late morning of 20 April, forcing Pfanzelter's small detachment from the Austrian III Armeekorps eastward. The 1st Bavarian Division under Lieutenant General
Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and the 3rd Bavarian Division led by Lieutenant General
Bernhard Erasmus von Deroy
Bernhard Erasmus von Deroy (11 December 1743 – 23 August 1812) from the Electorate of the Palatinate became a noted general officer in the army of Bavaria. His military career began shortly after the start of the Seven Years' War. During th ...
, together with Demont's III Corps Division advanced on Offenstetten. Around 10:00 AM, they defeated Thierry's brigade, forcing him back on Bachl as Lannes approached from the north. Thierry hastily withdrew to Rohr, which he reached at 2:00 PM.
Historian James R. Arnold offers a different narrative. He writes that Pfanzelter's command was withdrawn on the III Armeekorps commander Hohenzollern's orders, leaving the north–south road through Bachl wide open. Meanwhile, Thierry's attached dragoons discovered that Abensberg and its nearby roads were alive with moving columns of enemy troops. Around 8:00 AM, Thierry fell back on Bachl and found to his dismay that French cavalry already occupied the village. Having become separated from his supporting dragoons, Thierry's men were chased into the woods by Jacquinot's horsemen. From there the Austrians hiked cross-country toward Rohr.
Author
Francis Loraine Petre
Francis Loraine Petre (22 February 1852 – 6 May 1925) was a British civil servant in India and a military historian upon his retirement. He wrote a two-volume regimental history of the Norfolk Regiment, but is best known for his works on the ...
states that Gudin encountered Pfanzelter north of Bachl and brushed him aside about 9:00 AM. The 1st Bavarian division and General-Major Hügel's Württemberg brigade drove Thierry from Offenstetten around 10:00 AM. When the Austrians reached Bachl they stumbled upon Jacquinot who attacked and they "scattered through the woods". Pfanzelter marched east to
Langquaid where he rejoined Hohenzollern's corps.
Because he feared that the woods to his left might contain Austrians, Lannes slowed his march so he could scout the terrain to the east. Even so, his column arrived at Rohr before Thierry's infantry. Without Pfanzelter's detachment to warn him, the arrival of Lannes' column surprised Schustekh. The Austrian commander gamely threw four squadrons of hussars at Jacquinot's advance guard. Eventually, Jacquinot got his entire brigade into action and pressed the Austrian hussars back on the supporting battalion and one-third of
Grenz infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers or Granichary (from german: Grenzer "border guard" or "frontiersman"; Serbo-Croatian: graničari, krajišnici, sr-cyr, граничари, крајишници, Russian Cyrillic: граничары) were light infant ...
south of Rohr. At this time, Thierry's winded infantry appeared on the scene. With the help of Gudin's 17th Light Infantry and a battery of artillery, Jacquinot's chasseurs broke Thierry's foot soldiers and hounded them into the woods again.
To take the pressure off the infantry, Schustekh charged again, just as Thierry's lost dragoons showed up. At first, the attack went well, but then the Austrian horsemen came up against a mass of cuirassiers. The result was a rout of the Habsburg cavalry, who rode through the ranks of their own foot soldiers. The French chasseurs and cuirassiers rode roughshod over the troops of Thierry and Mesko, cutting down the fugitives. Over 3,000 Austrians became prisoners, including Thierry, and four cannon were lost.
The previous evening, Hiller's VI Armeekorps bivouacked at Mainburg. Though a road ran directly from Mainburg to Louis' left flank at Siegenburg, a distance of only 13 kilometers, Hiller elected to join his colleague by a roundabout march via Pfeffenhausen. Once he arrived, Hiller was authorized to take command of all three left wing corps. Hiller personally arrived in Siegenburg to confer with Archduke Louis around midday. Hearing troubling reports from the right flank, he sent Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl von Vincent
Karl Freiherr von Vincent (11 August 1757 – 7 October 1834) fought in the army of Habsburg Austria during the French Revolutionary Wars. He first served as a staff officer then later as a combat commander. During the Napoleonic Wars, he was ...
toward
Rottenburg with the line brigades of Generals-Major Josef Hoffmeister and Nikolaus Weissenwolf, plus four squadrons of the ''Rosenberg'' Chevauxlegers Regiment # 6. Petre names the two line infantry brigade commanders.
Archduke Louis posted Prince Reuss and General-Major
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl, Graf Radetzky von Radetz ( en, John Joseph Wenceslaus Anthony Francis Charles, Count Radetzky of Radetz; cz, Jan Josef Václav Antonín František Karel hrabě Radecký z Radče; sl, Janez Jožef Vencelj ...
with four battalions and 12 cavalry squadrons at Siegenburg. Bianchi held the east bank of the Abens opposite Biburg. Lieutenant-General
Karl Philipp von Wrede Karl may refer to:
People
* Karl (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Karl der Große, commonly known in English as Charlemagne
* Karl Marx, German philosopher and political writer
* Karl of Austria, last Austri ...
probed at Siegenburg but his 2nd Bavarian Division was easily fended off by Radetzky and a battery of 12-pdr cannon. At this time, Louis heard that the French attacked Thierry, so he ordered Radetzky to send two battalions to the right flank and called up Kienmayer's command from Ludmannsdorf.
Wrede moved north to Biburg, where he tried to get across the Abens again. At first he was not successful, but Bianchi withdrew to
Kirchdorf, allowing the 2nd Bavarian Division to cross to the east bank of the stream. Meanwhile, General of Division
Dominique Vandamme
General Dominique-Joseph René Vandamme, Count of Unseburg (5 November 1770, Cassel, Nord15 July 1830) was a French military officer, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was a dedicated career soldier with a reputation as an excellent division ...
's Württemberg contingent (later known as the VIII Corps) replaced Wrede in front of Siegenburg. Vandamme soon realized that crossing at Siegenburg was futile, so he too marched north, crossed the river at Abensberg and moved south to Kirchdorf. Here the Bavarians and Württembergers found Bianchi with his reinforced brigade and a cavalry squadron. Reuss soon arrived with Radetzky's two battalions. Around 2:00 PM a sharp combat took place after which the Austrians retreated to the southeast. According to one account, General of Division
Jean Victor Tharreau
Jean Victor Tharreau or ''Jean Victor Thareau'' (15 January 1767 – 26 September 1812), was a General of Division in the Army of the French Empire.
Tharreau enthusiastically adopted the revolutionary cause and joined the Maine-et-Loire volunt ...
's cavalry of the II Corps also became involved at Kirchdorf.
Pressed by Wrede's 7th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, plus two of Hügel's Württemberg battalions, Radetzky conducted an orderly retreat on the Siegenburg road, covered by the grenzers and Kienmayer's grenadiers under General-Major
Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré. He managed to shepherd the V Armeekorps trains safely through Pfeffenhausen before the Bavarians cut him off. Wrede pursued aggressively and scooped up many prisoners but failed to capture the bridge, which the Austrians burned. Even so, the Bavarians kept up the pressure, crossing the shallow Große Laber at 11:00 PM to attack. Radetzky fell back to a hill called the Hornbach where his rear guard skirmished with the Bavarians into the early morning hours.
When Vincent's column neared Rottenburg, he found the road jammed with the III Armeekorps trains. A charge by the ''Rosenberg'' Chevauxlegers halted the French cuirassiers long enough for his infantry to gain solid positions on the east side of the Große Laber. Hiller arrived at Rottenburg in the late afternoon and ordered a counterattack at 7:00 PM. Vincent swung his left brigade forward and quickly overran a Bavarian unit, capturing 300 troops. Soon after, the ''Deutschmeister'' Infantry Regiment # 4 got into a vicious firefight with Bavarian and French infantry. In the twilight, the Austrians were forced back by superior numbers with 600 casualties, but they had finally stopped their enemies.
Regensburg
On 20 April, the Austrian II Armeekorps continued attacking Colonel Louis Coutard's 65th Line Infantry Regiment at Regensburg. A French convoy sent to replenish the critically low ammunition supply was ambushed by Austrian cavalry at 8:00 AM. The French troops finally ran out of ammunition and Coutard asked Kollowrat for a 24-hour truce after which he promised to surrender if not relieved. The Austrian commander foolishly agreed to the terms.
However, Liechtenstein's column soon appeared from the south. Liechtenstein pointed out that the existing truce did not apply to him and demanded an immediate surrender. Coutard thereupon capitulated at 5:00 PM. The French sappers had found it impossible to demolish the sturdily-built Regensburg bridge. The intact bridge later played a key factor in the escape of Charles' army. In two days of fighting, the French lost 11 officers and about 200 soldiers killed and wounded, plus 1,988 captured. Austrian losses were 73 dead, 220 wounded, and 85 missing for a total of 378 casualties. During the struggle the French captured 75 troops and one color, all of which were recovered.
When Kollowrat finally reported the II Armeekorps available for duty that evening, the headquarters ordered his troops to make an overnight march west to
Hemau
Hemau is a small town in Southern Germany, in the district of Regensburg. The town is situated on the ''Tangrintel'', a ridge which runs between the rivers Altmühl and Schwarze Laber.
It lies on the B8 road, north-west of Regensburg, sout ...
on the north bank of the Danube. In the morning, the tired troops were recalled to Regensburg from their pointless ramble.
Aftermath
Arnold lists 1,107 Allied casualties, including 746 Bavarians. He gives Austrian losses as 492 killed, 2,219 wounded, and nearly 4,000 captured, or a total of 6,711. The French also captured eight colors and 12 cannons.
Digby Smith
Digby Smith (born 1 January 1935) is a British military historian. The son of a British career soldier, he was born in Hampshire, England, but spent several years in India and Pakistan as a child and youth. As a "boy soldier", he entered train ...
notes Allied casualties as 34 dead and 438 wounded, but this seems to count only the German allied troops. Austrian total losses are given as 6,872, including 3,000 to 4,000 captured. The 2nd battalion of the ''Broder'' Grenz (Mesko's brigade) was annihilated, with 18 officers and 1,040 rank and file counted as lost. Smith gives killed, wounded, captured, and missing, but the numbers only add up to 5,824 so they are not listed. Petre lists 2,710 Austrians killed and wounded, plus about 4,000 captured. Altogether, the 42,000 troops of Hiller's three-corps left wing faced 55,000 French and their German allies. Only about 25,000 Austrians and an equal number of Allies were engaged in action. More recent scholarship by John H. Gill attributes losses of 7,200 men and 12 guns to Austrian forces, and 1,000 to French and French-allied forces.
That evening, as the extent of Thierry and Schustekh's disaster became known, Hiller resolved to pull his three corps behind the Isar at Landshut. In this decision, he was also influenced by Masséna's move against his left rear and unfavorable reports from Archduke Louis. This crucial decision meant that the Austrian left wing would in the near future operate independently from Archduke Charles' main body. Hiller would only reunite with his army commander on 15 May north of
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
.
While Napoleon savaged his left wing, Archduke Charles remained amazingly inert. At 6:00 AM, the archduke was with Prince Rosenberg and at 7:30 AM he sent orders to Archduke Louis and then wrote a letter to Emperor
Francis I of Austria
Francis II (german: Franz II.; 12 February 1768 – 2 March 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor (from 1792 to 1806) and the founder and Emperor of the Austrian Empire, from 1804 to 1835. He assumed the title of Emperor of Austria in response ...
. But from 11:00 AM until 6:30 PM, the Austrian generalissimo failed to issue any orders. He either became obsessed with capturing Regensburg or he had an
epileptic seizure
An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...
during which he is supposed to have locked himself in his quarters. The epileptic attack is probable, but there is a possibility it may be a cover story for Charles' failure to exercise command. What is known is that the Austrian III, IV, and I Reserve Armeekorps did not disturb Davout's remaining three divisions under Generals of Division
Louis Friant Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis (d ...
, Saint-Hilaire, and Montbrun on 20 April.
Despite being outnumbered, Napoleon's 113,000 troops split the 161,000 strung-out Austrians into two forces. Charles five corps, including 48,000 additional troops of the I and II Armeekorps north of Regensburg, lay to the north while Hiller's three corps fell back to Landshut. (Massena and Oudinot's 57,000 soldiers are not counted in Napoleon's total.) Both Austrian forces had to fight a second major battle each. Hiller fought the
Battle of Landshut on 21 April, while Charles engaged in the
Battle of Eckmühl
The Battle of Eckmühl, fought on 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. Napoleon I had been unprepared for the start of hostilities on 10 April 1809, by the Austrians under th ...
on the 22nd.
Order of battle
''The following is an abbreviated order of battle. Complete orders of battle are found in the
Abensberg 1809 Order of Battle.''
Austrian forces
Left Wing: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Johann von Hiller
Johann Baron von Hiller (13 October 1754 – 5 June 1819) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He held an important command during the 1809 campaign against France, playing a prominent role at the B ...
* VI Armeekorps: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Johann von Hiller
Johann Baron von Hiller (13 October 1754 – 5 June 1819) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He held an important command during the 1809 campaign against France, playing a prominent role at the B ...
(35,639) Strength only. Order of battle.
** Reserve Artillery: Feldmarschall-Leutnant Karl von Rouvroy (24 guns)
** Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant Friedrich Kottulinsky
*** Brigade: General-Major Otto Hohenfeld (6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Brigade: General-Major Nikolaus Weissenwolf (6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Divisional Artillery: (6 guns)
** Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Franz Jellacic (Jellacic detached at Munich)
*** Brigade: General-Major Konstantin Ettingshausen (6 battalions, 8 guns) (Detached at Munich)
*** Brigade: General-Major Karl Dollmayer von Provenchères (5 battalions, 8 squadrons, 14 guns) (Detached at Munich) Hoffmeister's brigade belonged to Jellacic, but it was exchanged for Dollmayer von Provenchères' brigade of the Light Division at the beginning of the conflict.
*** Divisional Artillery: (6 guns)
** Light Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl von Vincent
Karl Freiherr von Vincent (11 August 1757 – 7 October 1834) fought in the army of Habsburg Austria during the French Revolutionary Wars. He first served as a staff officer then later as a combat commander. During the Napoleonic Wars, he was ...
*** Brigade: General-Major Josef Hoffmeister (6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Brigade: General-Major
Armand von Nordmann
Joseph-Armand Ritter von Nordmann (31 August 1759 – 6 July 1809), was a French officer in the French Royal Army. He transferred his allegiance to Habsburg Austria during the French Revolution, like other French émigrés. In Austrian servic ...
(2 battalions, 16 squadrons, 14 guns) (Detached at Moosburg)
* V Armeekorps: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Archduke Louis (32,266) Strength only
** Reserve Artillery: Major Adam Pfefferkorn (18 guns)
** Brigade: General-Major Ludwig Thierry (6 battalions, 8 guns) (Attached from III Armeekorps)
** Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl Friedrich von Lindenau
Karl Friedrich von Lindenau (1746 – 21 February 1817) served in the Prussian army before an incident compelled him to switch allegiance to Habsburg Austria in 1789. A staff officer at the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars, he was as ...
(Detached to I Reserve Armeekorps)
*** Brigade: General-Major Anton Mayer von Heldensfeld (6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Brigade: General-Major Ignaz Buol von Berenburg (6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Divisional Artillery: (6 guns)
** Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
Heinrich XV, Prince Reuss of Greiz (22 February 1751 – 30 August 1825) was the fourth of six sons born into the reigning family of the Principality of Reuss. At the age of fifteen he joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy and later fought aga ...
*** Brigade: General-Major
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza (1 February 1768 – 18 August 1855), was an Austrian Feldmarschallleutnant who notably served during the Napoleonic Wars.
Early life
Born in Vienna, Bianchi studied at the Imperial Engineering Academy in Vie ...
(6 battalions, 8 guns)
*** Brigade: General-Major Franz Johann Schulz von Rothacker (6 battalions)
*** Divisional Artillery: (6 guns)
** Light Division: Feldmarschall-Leutnant Emmanuel von Schustekh-Herve
*** Brigade: General-Major
Joseph, Baron von Mesko de Felsö-Kubiny
Joseph de Mesko, Freiherr von Felsö-Kubiny ( hu, Felsőkubinyi báró Meskó József) was a General of the cavalry (Austria), cavalry general and lieutenant-general ( hu, altábornagy) in Habsburg service during the French Revolutionary Wars, Fre ...
(2 battalions, 8 squadrons, 8 guns)
*** Brigade: General-Major
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl, Graf Radetzky von Radetz ( en, John Joseph Wenceslaus Anthony Francis Charles, Count Radetzky of Radetz; cz, Jan Josef Václav Antonín František Karel hrabě Radecký z Radče; sl, Janez Jožef Vencelj ...
(2 battalions, 8 squadrons, 6 guns)
* II Reserve Armeekorps: Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer (17 January 1756 – 28 October 1828) was an Austrian general. Kienmayer joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he continue ...
(7,975) Strength only Order of battle.
** Brigade: General-Major
Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré (5 grenadier battalions, 8 guns)
** Brigade: General-Major Andreas von Schneller (12 squadrons, 6 guns) (Detached to I Reserve Armeekorps)
** Brigade: General-Major Josef von Clary (12 squadrons, 6 guns) (4 squadrons attached to Thierry)
French-Allied forces
Grande Armée:
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
* Provisional Corps:
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
Jean Lannes
Jean Lannes, 1st Duke of Montebello, Prince of Siewierz (10 April 1769 – 31 May 1809), was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was one of Napoleon's ...
** Cavalry Brigade:
General of Brigade
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...
Charles Claude Jacquinot
Charles Claude Jacquinot (3 August 1772 – 24 April 1848) commanded a French cavalry division at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He joined a volunteer battalion in 1791 and transferred to a light cavalry regiment as a junior officer in 1793. He ea ...
(9 squadrons) (Attached from Montbrun)
** 1st Division:
General of Division
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corp ...
Charles Antoine Morand (11,065) (Attached from III Corps)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade
Nicolas Bernard Guiot de Lacour (9 battalions)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade François l'Huillier de Hoff
**** 61st Line Infantry Regiment (3 battalions)
**** 65th Line Infantry Regiment (3 battalions) (Regiment detached at Regensburg)
*** Divisional Artillery: (12 guns)
** 3rd Division: General of Division
Charles-Étienne Gudin de La Sablonnière
Charles-Étienne César Gudin de La Sablonnière (13 February 1768 – 22 August 1812) was a French general who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Biography
Gudin was born to a noble family in Montargis, on 13 Fe ...
(11,440) (Attached from III Corps)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade Claude Petit (3 battalions)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade Pierre Boyer (6 battalions)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade Jean Duppelin (6 battalions)
*** Divisional Artillery: (12 guns)
** 1st Heavy Cavalry Division: General of Division
Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty
Étienne-Marie-Antoine Champion, comte de Nansouty (; 30 May 1768 – 12 February 1815) was a French cavalry commander during the French Revolutionary Wars who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1803 and subsequently held important mili ...
(5,337) (Attached from Reserve)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade
Jean-Marie Defrance (8 squadrons)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade
Jean-Pierre Doumerc (8 squadrons)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade
Antoine Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain
Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain, Count de Saint-Germain and of the Empire (born 8 December 1761 in Paris, died 4 October 1835 in Neuilly) was a French soldier of the French Revolutionary Wars, who later rose to the top military rank of G ...
(8 squadrons)
*** Divisional Artillery: (12 guns)
** 2nd Heavy Cavalry Division: General of Division
Raymond-Gaspard de Bonardi de Saint-Sulpice (3,411) (Attached from III Corps)
*** Brigade: General of Brigade François Marie Clément de la Roncière (8 squadrons) (One brigade guarding Saal) It is not known which brigade was detached.
*** Brigade: General of Brigade Marie Adrien François Guiton (8 squadrons)
*** Divisional Artillery: (6 guns)
* VII (Bavarian) Corps: Marshal
François Joseph Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre ( , ; 25 October 1755 – 14 September 1820), Duc de Dantzig, was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon.
E ...
** Artillery Reserve: Colonel Calonge (18 guns)
** 1st Bavarian Division: Lieutenant-General
Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria
*** Brigade: General-Major Rechberg (5 battalions)
*** Brigade: General-Major Stengel (4 battalions)
*** Cavalry Brigade: General-Major Zandt (6 squadrons)
*** Divisional Artillery: (18 guns)
** 2nd Bavarian Division: Lieutenant-General
Karl Philipp von Wrede Karl may refer to:
People
* Karl (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Karl der Große, commonly known in English as Charlemagne
* Karl Marx, German philosopher and political writer
* Karl of Austria, last Austri ...
*** Brigade: General-Major Minuzzi (5 battalions)
*** Brigade: General-Major Beckers (4 battalions)
*** Cavalry Brigade: General-Major Preysing (8 squadrons)
*** Divisional Artillery: (18 guns)
** 3rd Bavarian Division: Lieutenant-General
Bernhard Erasmus von Deroy
Bernhard Erasmus von Deroy (11 December 1743 – 23 August 1812) from the Electorate of the Palatinate became a noted general officer in the army of Bavaria. His military career began shortly after the start of the Seven Years' War. During th ...
(Not engaged)
*** Brigade: General-Major Siebein (5 battalions)
*** Brigade: General-Major Vincenti (5 battalions)
*** Cavalry Brigade: General-Major Seydewitz (8 squadrons)
*** Divisional Artillery: (18 guns)
* Württemberg (later VIII) Corps: General of Division
Dominique Vandamme
General Dominique-Joseph René Vandamme, Count of Unseburg (5 November 1770, Cassel, Nord15 July 1830) was a French military officer, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was a dedicated career soldier with a reputation as an excellent division ...
** Reserve Artillery: Colonel Schnadow (22 guns)
** Württemberg Division: Lieutenant General Neubronn
*** Brigade: General-Major Franquemont (5 battalions)
*** Brigade: General-Major Scharfenstein (5 battalions)
*** Light Brigade: General-Major Hügel (3 battalions)
** Württemberg Cavalry Division: Lieutenant General Wöllwarth
*** Brigade: General-Major Roeder (8 squadrons)
*** Brigade: General-Major Stettner (8 squadrons)
See also
*
Battle of Teugen-Hausen
The Battle of Teugen-Hausen or the Battle of Thann was an engagement that occurred during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was fought on 19 April 1809 between the French III Corps led by Marshal Louis- ...
, 19 April 1809
*
Battle of Landshut, 21 April 1809
*
Battle of Eckmühl
The Battle of Eckmühl, fought on 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. Napoleon I had been unprepared for the start of hostilities on 10 April 1809, by the Austrians under th ...
, 21–22 April 1809
*
Battle of Ratisbon
The Battle of Ratisbon, also called the Battle of Regensburg, was fought on 23 April 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars, between the army of the First French Empire, French Empire, led by Napoleon I, and that of the Austrian Empire, led by Archd ...
, 23 April 1809
*
Battle of Neumarkt-Sankt Veit
The Battle of Neumarkt-Sankt Veit on 24 April 1809 saw a Franco-Bavarian force led by Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières face an Austrian Empire army commanded by Johann von Hiller. Hiller's numerically superior force won a victory over the Alli ...
, 24 April 1809
Notes
References
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External links
: ''The following two websites are excellent sources for the full names of French and Austrian generals.''
*
French Wikipedia, ''Liste des généraux de la Révolution et du Premier Empire''
napoleon-series.org ''Austrian Generals: 1792–1815'' by Digby Smith, compiled by Leopold Kudrna*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abensberg 1809, Battle Of
Conflicts in 1809
Battles of the War of the Fifth Coalition
Battles of the Napoleonic Wars
Battles involving Austria
Battles involving France
Battles involving Bavaria
Battles involving Württemberg
1809 in Bavaria
April 1809 events
Battles in Bavaria