The Battle of Ebelsberg, known in French accounts as the Battle of Ebersberg, was fought on 3 May 1809 during the
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition was a European conflict in 1809 that was part of the Napoleonic Wars and the Coalition Wars. The main conflict took place in central Europe between the Austrian Empire of Francis I and Napoleon's French Empir ...
, part of the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. The Austrian left wing under the command of
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 ...
took up positions at Ebersberg on the
Traun
Traun () is an Austrian city located on the north bank of the river Traun and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east. The name ''Traun'' is derived from the Celtic word for river (''dru''). Traun is the fifth largest city in U ...
river. The French under
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 ...
attacked, crossing a heavily defended 550-meter-long bridge and subsequently conquering the local castle, thus forcing Hiller to withdraw.
Ebelsberg is now a southern suburb of
Linz
Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846.
In 2009, it was a European Capital ...
, situated on the south bank of the Traun, a short distance above the place where that stream flows into 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 , p ...
River.
Separated from the main Austrian army by the battles of
Abensberg and
Landshut,
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 ...
Hiller retreated east to Linz by 2 May with the three left wing corps. The Austrians hoped to slow the French advance towards
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
. The leading elements of
Marshal Masséna's corps overran Hiller's rear guard on the west bank of the Traun on the morning of 3 May. In the rout that followed, the first French infantry brigade rushed the bridge and got into the streets of Ebelsberg. At this point, the Austrians began to fight back effectively.
To keep from being thrown into the river, the French committed an entire division to the street fight, in which the Ebelsberg castle loomed as the key position. After Masséna threw in a second division, the French finally ejected the Austrians from the castle. Unwilling to recapture the town, Hiller ordered his artillery to set fire to the place. In the blaze that followed, hundreds of wounded soldiers from both armies died. The battle and the heavy casualties were unnecessary because Hiller was already flanked out of position by a second French corps that crossed the Traun upstream.
Background
On 10 April 1809, the Austrian army of
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 ...
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 ...
, ally of Emperor
Napoleon I of France. During the first week of war, Napoleon's deputy, 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 deployment of the Franco-German army. Nevertheless, the archduke was unable to take advantage of his opportunities because of the slow marching speed of his troops. Napoleon soon arrived on the scene and, in the first major clash on 19 April, Marshal
Louis Davout won the hard-fought
Battle of Teugen-Hausen. Thanks to his victory, Davout was able to link up with the main body of Napoleon's army near
Abensberg that evening.
At the
Battle of Abensberg
The Battle of Abensberg took place on 20 April 1809 between a Franco-German force under the command of Emperor Napoleon I of France and a reinforced Austrian corps led by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Archduke Louis of Austria. As the day wore on, F ...
on 20 April 1809, Hiller arrived from the south to take command of Feldmarschall-Leutnant
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 ...
's V Armeekorps and Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Michael von Kienmayer's II Reserve Armeekorps, in addition to his own VI Armeekorps. Before the battle, Hiller's strength had been weakened by detaching Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl Friedrich von Lindenau's division from V Armeekorps and
General-Major
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Andreas Schneller'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 adop ...
brigade from II Reserve Armeekorps to the main army, Andreas Schneller's brigade. plus Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Franz Jellacic's division from VI Armeekorps to hold
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
. At Abensberg and at the
Battle of Landshut on 21 April, Emperor
Napoleon I of France's army roughly handled Hiller's command and forced the Austrian to withdraw to the southeast, away from Archduke Charles and the main army. Between the 19th and the 21st, Hiller lost 12,140 soldiers, 11 guns, and 328 wagons from the V and VI Armeekorps. His wing shrank from 42,000 troops to around 27,000 to 28,000 by the evening of 22 April.
![Battle of Ebelsberg 1809 Campaign Map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Battle_of_Ebelsberg_1809_Campaign_Map.JPG)
On the 22nd, Napoleon marched north with major forces to deal Archduke Charles a defeat at 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 ...
. Unaware that the main army retreated north of 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 , p ...
River, Hiller turned to face a weak pursuit force. He inflicted a sharp check on Marshal
Jean-Baptiste Bessières
Jean-Baptiste Bessières (; 6 August 1768 – 1 May 1813), 1st Duke of Istria (''Duc d'Istrie''), was a French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. His younge ...
at the
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 All ...
on 24 April. Apprised of the fact that Charles suffered a defeat, the Austrian wing commander quickly pulled back to the southeast. On 24 April Charles sent a message to Hiller ordering him to retreat to
Linz
Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846.
In 2009, it was a European Capital ...
, cross to the Danube's north bank, and join the main army. Hoping to overtake and destroy Hiller, Napoleon sent two columns after his foe. The emperor directed Marshal
Louis Davout's III Corps, Masséna's IV Corps, and
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 co ...
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 divisio ...
's VIII Corps along a northern route via
Passau on the
Inn River. The II Corps of 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 ...
and Bessières' force took a more southerly route through
Burghausen on the
Salzach
The Salzach (Austrian: saltsax ) is a river in Austria and Germany. It is in length and is a right tributary of the Inn, which eventually joins the Danube. Its drainage basin of comprises large parts of the Northern Limestone and Central ...
River.
On 26 April, General of Division
Claude Juste Alexandre Legrand
Claude Juste Alexandre Louis Legrand (23 February 1762, Le Plessier-sur-Saint-Just, Oise – 8 January 1815, Paris) was a French general. He commanded French divisions at several notable battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. ...
of Masséna's IV Corps clashed with Hiller's
rear guard
A rearguard is a part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines, such as communication lines, behind an army. Even more ...
led by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Josef von Dedovich at
Schärding
Schärding ( , Bavarian name: Scharing) is a town in northern Austrian state of Upper Austria, the capital of the district of the same name, and a major port on the Inn River. Historically, it was owned by the Wittelsbach family, which reflects ...
and seized the bridge over the Inn. That same day, another of Masséna's divisions occupied Passau, having captured 400 Austrians. Meanwhile, Hiller was enjoying his independence from Archduke Charles, who was far away in
Bohemia. Also, he was in easy communication with 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 ...
who wished to exert his influence on the campaign. Encouraged, Hiller came up with a plan to counterattack Masséna on the 27th and ordered Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Emmanuel von Schustekh-Herve to implement it. Nothing came of this scheme and the Austrian retreat continued toward Linz.
![Napoleon-imperial-guard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Napoleon-imperial-guard.png)
On 1 May, Legrand and 1,400 troops caught up with Schustekh's 850-man rear guard between
Riedau and
Kallham. The
Dragoon Regiment of the
Grand Duchy of Baden charged the 3rd battalion of the ''Jordis'' Infantry Regiment # 59, which was drawn up in square. Waiting until the foot soldiers fired a volley, the dragoons then charged and broke into the square. After their commander,
Oberstleutnant
() is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...
Beck was cut down, 706 officers and men of the ''Jordis'' battalion laid down their weapons. Two squadrons of the ''Kienmayer'' Hussar Regiment # 8 suffered 10 killed, 50 wounded, and 23 captured. The Badeners reported losing only three killed and 10 wounded, though a large number of their horses were killed. There was a clash between General of Division
Claude Carra Saint-Cyr ''For the French milliner, see Claude Saint-Cyr'', ''For the Marshal of France see Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr''
Claude Carra Saint-Cyr (born 28 July 1760 in Lyon, died 5 January 1834 in Vailly-sur-Aisne) was a French general and diplomat, noted ...
's vanguard and
General-Major
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
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 ...
on 2 May at Räffelding, three kilometers southeast of
Eferding
Eferding () is the capital of the Eferding district in the Austrian state of Upper Austria.
Geography
Eferding is the center of the Eferding basin. The city is 2 km away from the Danube River. It has in Upper Austria.
History
Eferding wa ...
. The Baden Dragoons lost 14 casualties, while Austrian losses were unreported.
![Archdukecharles1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Archdukecharles1.jpg)
After abandoning
Regensburg, Archduke Charles first retreated to
Cham
Cham or CHAM may refer to:
Ethnicities and languages
*Chams, people in Vietnam and Cambodia
**Cham language, the language of the Cham people
***Cham script
*** Cham (Unicode block), a block of Unicode characters of the Cham script
*Cham Albania ...
on the border of Bohemia where he reorganized his army. From there he marched for
České Budějovice (Budweis). Fearing Napoleon might follow him into Bohemia, Charles wrote to
Archduke John of Austria on 3 May that he planned to fight at Budweis. As late as 6 May, the main army remained in the vicinity of that city. However, detachments under Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Johann von Klenau
Johann Josef Cajetan Graf von Klenau, Freiherr von Janowitz ( cs, Jan hrabě z Klenové, svobodný pán z Janovic; 13 April 1758 – 6 October 1819) was a field marshal in the Habsburg army. Klenau, the son of a Bohemian noble, joined the Ha ...
and General-Major
Karl Wilhelm von Stutterheim operated closer to Linz on the north side of the Danube.
On the night of 2 May, Emperor Francis left Linz, crossed the Danube, and hastened to join the army of his brother Charles. He left instructions for Hiller to delay Napoleon's advance by taking up positions behind the Traun at Ebelsberg and
Lambach
Lambach () is a market town in the Wels-Land district of the Austrian state of Upper Austria on the Ager and Traun Rivers. A major stop on the salt trade, it is the site of the Lambach Abbey, built around 1056. Notable alumnus from the local e ...
. If this failed, Hiller could defend the line of the
Enns River
The Enns (, ) is a southern tributary of the river Danube, joining northward at Enns, Austria. The Enns spans , in a flat-J-shape. It flows from its source near the village Flachau, generally eastward through Radstadt, Schladming, and Liezen, ...
farther east. Hiller 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 ...
's 3,000-man brigade near Lambach to guard his south flank. Francis appointed his brother-in-law
Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este
Archduke Maximilian Joseph of Austria-Este (July 14, 1782 – June 1, 1863), the fourth son of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and younger brother of Francis IV, Duke of Modena. He was grand master of the Teutonic Knights from 1835 to 1863. ...
to command Vienna, but most of the garrison was poorly trained.
On 2 May, 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.
Ea ...
's Bavarian VII Corps reported sparring with Jellacic at
Golling an der Salzach
Golling an der Salzach is a market town in the Hallein district of Salzburg, Austria.
Geography
It is located on the southern rim of the ''Tennengau'' region south of the city of Salzburg. Here at the confluence of the Salzach and its Lammer trib ...
south of
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label= Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...
. Bessières with his cavalry and Lannes with General of Division
Nicolas Oudinot's II Corps infantry division reached
Wels
Wels (; Central Bavarian: ''Wös'') is a city in Upper Austria, on the Traun River near Linz. It is the county seat of Wels-Land, and with a population of approximately 60,000, the eighth largest city in Austria.
Geography
Wels is in the ...
on the Traun to find the bridge burned. Generals of Division
Louis Vincent Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire (III Corps),
Gabriel Jean Joseph Molitor (IV Corps), and Joseph Laurent Demont (III Corps) were nearby with their divisions and Napoleon arrived at Lambach. Vandamme's Württemberg VIII Corps marched in the vicinity of Riedau. Davout's III Corps was due to arrive in Passau on 3 May, while Napoleon ordered General of Division
Marie François Rouyer
Marie François Rouyer (; 2 March 1765 – 10 August 1824) was a French general during the Napoleonic Wars.
Biography
In 1783 he joined the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire and became a lieutenant of dragoons within three years. He ser ...
to leave Regensburg and march to Passau. The 12,000-man Imperial Guard under General of Division
Frédéric Henri Walther
Frédéric-Louis-Henri Walther (20 June 1761 – 24 November 1813), was a French general of division and a supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte. He fought in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.
He enlisted in 1781 and, in his 30-year career, he s ...
reached the vicinity of
Braunau am Inn
Braunau am Inn (; German for "Braunau on the Inn") is a town in Upper Austria on the border with Germany. It is known for being the birthplace of Adolf Hitler.
Geography
The town is on the lower river Inn below its confluence with the Salzach, ...
at the beginning of May.
Battle
Rear guard action
![Général Jacob François Marulaz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/G%C3%A9n%C3%A9ral_Jacob_Fran%C3%A7ois_Marulaz.jpg)
Early on 3 May, General of Brigade
Jacob François Marulaz
Jacob François Marulaz or Marola, born 6 November 1769, died 10 June 1842, joined the Army of the Kingdom of France as a cavalry trooper and rose to become a field officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. Under the First French Empire, he bec ...
set out from near Eferding with Masséna's IV Corps cavalry division. Following the mounted troopers, in order, were the infantry divisions of Generals of Division
Michel Marie Claparède (on loan from II Corps),
Claude Legrand,
Carra Saint-Cyr, and
Jean Boudet
Jean Boudet (9 February 1769, in Bordeaux – 14 September 1809, in Moravské Budějovice, now in the Czech Republic) was a French général de division of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. The campaigns in which he was invo ...
. The French cavalry ran into a small infantry ambush at
Wilhering
Wilhering (Central Bavarian: ''Wilaring'') is a municipality in the district Linz-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria.
Its slogan is "culture and life". There is the Wilhering Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey, and a Rococo church, and woods ar ...
, which is on the Danube about halfway from
Alkoven and Linz. At 9:00 AM, the column marched into Linz and took the road south toward Ebelsberg.
At 3:00 AM, Hiller put his soldiers on the road. He directed Kienmayer's small II Reserve Armeekorps to lead the march, while the main bodies of the V and VI Armeekorps followed. That morning, the Austrian wing commander deployed four of his eight brigades as rear guards under Bianchi, Schustekh, General-Major
Josef Radetzky, and Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Karl von Vincent. As the Austrian wagon train filed across the bridge at Ebelsberg, Hiller's staff lost control of the situation, the drivers panicked, and the roadway became jammed with retreating vehicles and troops. Eventually, the mob of troops and wagons squeezed across the span and even Bianchi was across the Traun by 9:00 AM with the ''Duka'' Infantry Regiment # 39 and ''Ignaz Gyulai'' Infantry Regiment # 60.
![Massena l](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Massena_l.jpg)
However, Schustekh was still somewhere to the southwest so Vincent and Radetzky drew up their forces on the west bank and waited for their colleague to make his appearance. Vincent had the ''Benjowsky'' Infantry Regiment # 31 and ''Splenyi'' Infantry Regiment # 51 of General-Major Josef Hoffmeister's brigade under his orders. He placed one battalion in the village of Klein München and the other five between there and Scharlinz. He screened the infantry with the ''Rosenberg''
Chevau-léger
The Chevau-légers (from French ''cheval''—horse—and ''léger''—light) was a generic French name for several units of light and medium cavalry.
Their history began in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, when the heavy cavalry forces ...
Regiment # 6. Radetzky, with two battalions and six squadrons, deployed on Vincent's left, watching for Schustekh. Radetzky's brigade included the ''Gradiskaner''
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 ...
Regiment # 8, ''Merveldt''
Uhlan
Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Pr ...
Regiment # 1, and ''Archduke Charles'' Uhlan Regiment # 3. Smith gives Radetzky 16 squadrons, while Petre counts only six.
Schustekh finally appeared with the ''Kienmayer''
Hussar Regiment # 8 and General-Major Otto Hohenfeld's brigade, the ''Klebeck'' Infantry Regiment # 14 and ''Jordis'' Infantry Regiment # 59 and began crossing the bridge. At about 10 AM, Marulaz's troopers came under fire from the woods north of Scharlinz. While waiting for infantry support, he drew up the French 3rd, 14th, 19th, and 23rd
Chasseurs à cheval
''Chasseur'' ( , ), a French term for "hunter", is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry () or light cavalry () to denote troops trained for rapid action.
History
This branch of the French Army origi ...
in the first line, the Baden Light Dragoons,
Grand Duchy of Hesse ''Garde'' Chevau-léger, and Württemberg Chevau-léger Regiments in the second line. Soon, General of Brigade Louis-Jacques Coëhorn's troops appeared and, at Masséna's personal command, attacked Klein München with the bayonet. Coëhorn's brigade included the 4th battalions of the 17th, 21st, 26th, and 28th Light Infantry Regiments, the ''Tirailleurs du Po'', and the ''Tirailleurs Corses''.
By this time the ''Rosenberg'' Chevau-légers had withdrawn across the bridge at Vincent's orders. The Austrian defenders of the village put up a poor fight and Coëhorn's men drove them from their positions. From the direction of Wels, Bessières showed up with General of Brigade Hippolyte Piré's brigade, a hussar and a chasseurs à cheval regiment, and attacked Radetzky who covered Schustekh's retreat. Radetzky put up a gallant resistance, for which he later earned the Commander's Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa. Meanwhile, Hoffmeister made a stand behind the millstream on the west bank. His efforts were futile as French infantry and cavalry charged forward. Seeing that the situation was critical, Vincent ordered a retreat and soon the Austrians were stampeding across the bridge in panic.
At about 11:00 AM, French troops reached the bridge. The men of the two brown-coated ''Tirailleur'' battalions burst through the gate at the west end and raced across the span. The Austrian artillery took the bridge under furious fire, killing friend and foe alike, but its fire was unable to stop the French advance. The bridge had been prepared for burning by Captain Simbschen of Hiller's staff, but the officer was not on the scene to give the orders to set it on fire. Hiller, who had been unconcernedly lunching on the Ebelsberg Castle terrace, finally woke up to the danger and began issuing orders. Cut off by the swift French advance, a squadron of Uhlans swam their horses across the river. An Austrian staff officer grabbed a French shako, crossed with the enemy infantry, and escaped into the town. Generalmajor
Ferdinand, Graf Bubna von Littitz became a prisoner, while at least 500 of Hoffmeister's men and large numbers of other soldiers surrendered. The 2nd battalion of the ''Klebeck'' Regiment of Schustekh's force was captured in a body with its colors. Smith says ''Kerpen'' # 14 was captured but this is a misprint. Other soldiers drowned trying vainly to swim across the snow-melt swollen river.
Fight for Ebelsberg
![Napoleon Voltigeur and Carabinier by Bellange](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Napoleon_Voltigeur_and_Carabinier_by_Bellange.jpg)
When Kienmayer's soldiers reached Ebelsberg that morning, Hiller sent them marching on to
Asten, Austria
Asten is a municipality in the district Linz-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria
Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Ger ...
. He halted the V and VI Armeekorps troops on the heights east of the town where they began to cook breakfast. Hiller belatedly sent three battalions of Vienna Volunteers to occupy the town, three companies of the ''Lindenau'' Infantry Regiment # 29 (detached from III Armeekorps) to garrison the castle, and an artillery battery to take position near the castle. He failed to order any positions to be fortified before going to the castle for his noontime repast. Yet, Ebelsberg was an excellent defensive position, with the dominating hill-top castle on the north side and two-tiered heights rising behind the town. Coëhorn immediately led a column up the street to the left toward the castle, but the defenders mowed down the front ranks and killed the general's horse. His other troops in the town found themselves under a deadly fire from windows and rooftops, while the numerous Austrian guns on the heights sent projectiles crashing through the streets. One enterprising artillerist, Karl Lenk, inflicted serious losses on the French with his single cannon before retiring to join the other guns on the heights.
![Général Claude Juste Alexandre Legrand (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/G%C3%A9n%C3%A9ral_Claude_Juste_Alexandre_Legrand_%282%29.jpg)
Claparède added his two other brigades under Generals of Brigade Joseph Lesuire and Florentin Ficatier, to the battle. Lesuire's command included the 4th battalions of the 27th, 39th, 59th, 69th, and 76th Line Infantry Regiments, while Ficatier led the 4th battalions of the 40th, 64th, 88th, 100th, and 103rd Line. These troops were joined by the elite company of the 19th Chasseurs a Cheval and a section of artillery. Masséna organized a 20 gun artillery battery on the west bank to counter the devastating Austrian artillery fire. An Austrian counterattack from the north threatened the French in the town, but by 1:00 PM, Lesuire’s brigade had taken the marketplace and was trying to outflank the enemy near the castle. As Lesuire’s brigade faltered, Ficatier assaulted the castle in three columns but was repelled.
Two battalions of Vienna Volunteers defending a large cemetery drove back a French charge with musketry, then launched a bayonet charge that drove their enemies back. Meanwhile, a third battalion of volunteers took the French in flank and rear from the side streets. The three battalions of Vienna Volunteers charged into the town and, reinforced by four infantry battalions, drove the French toward the marketplace. The 4th and 5th Vienna Volunteers and the ''Lindenau'' Regiment were involved in these attacks. As they pressed forward, they captured many prisoners including the commander of the ''Tirailleurs du Po''. Aided by two guns firing point-blank canister rounds, the French desperately held onto the marketplace in house-to-house fighting.
Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
Maximilian Baumgarten was wounded while two French colonels were killed. Austrian pioneers and
howitzer shells began setting some houses on fire, adding to the hellish atmosphere. As Masséna raged helplessly on the far bank, some Austrian pioneers set the end of the bridge on fire, but the strong wind blew out the flames.
![Husaren Elsterwerda Oktober 2007 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Husaren_Elsterwerda_Oktober_2007_1.jpg)
At this critical moment
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
Jean Pierre Pouget's 26th Light Infantry Regiment appeared at the head of Legrand's division. Amazingly, Pouget got his troops across the bridge with minimal loss. Coëhorn appeared and gave the order, "You are going to follow this street to a chateau occupied by the enemy. You will attack it." Pouget obeyed and, after a climb, led his men within 40 paces of the castle. The castle, now garrisoned by men of the ''Jordis'' Infantry Regiment, suddenly erupted in flame and the blast of musketry cut down many French soldiers. Unhit, Pouget noticed that the deadliest fire came from a barred and loopholed window above the castle gate. He directed his men to silence the Austrian fire, but within ten minutes, three officers and 53 carabiniers were down. As the Austrians shot down the leading carabinier company, the rest of his light infantrymen waited in a column, unable to fire. Losses mounted alarmingly, and Pouget finally sent for a Lieutenant Guyot who was known as a crack shot. Guyot got within five meters of the deadly window and began firing shots as fast as loaded muskets could be handed to him. Seeing his example, others began doing the same and the fire from the window began to slacken. Sappers rushed forward and began swinging their axes at the gate while other men entered the castle through the cellar ventilators and fought their way inside. Soon after the sappers smashed in the gate, the garrison was quickly rounded up and captured.
Led by General of Brigade François Roch Ledru des Essarts, the fresh 18th Line Infantry Regiment entered Ebelsberg. One battalion flushed the Austrians out of the buildings while the other two battalions swung to the right to flank their enemies out of position. Within half an hour, Legrand had secured the bridge and town gate. However, the bitter fight continued as the French issued out of the east sides of the town and castle. The Austrians stubbornly held their positions on the heights and pushed the French back into the town with cavalry charges. By this time Legrand's Baden brigade had arrived, led by General of Brigade Georges Kister and General-Major Harrant and consisting of 5,500 men in seven battalions. Hiller ordered his howitzers and pioneers to set fire to those parts of the town not already burnt down. Sometime after 4:00 PM, the infantry of Legrand and Claparède were cut off from all reinforcement by the conflagration, which destroyed three-quarters of the houses. As Ebelsberg burned, Hiller issued orders for a retreat. Since Marulaz's cavalry was unable to get through the streets, the French could not mount an effective pursuit. Ironically, one of the few surviving structures was the bridge.
Result
![Ferdinand, Graf Bubna von Littitz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Ferdinand%2C_Graf_Bubna_von_Littitz.jpg)
The Austrians admitted 566 killed, 1,713 wounded, and 2,216 captured, for a total of 4,495 casualties. James R. Arnold pointed out that the French rarely gave accurate casualty figures, but numbered their losses in excess of 4,000, including 700 captured. David Hollins counted Austrian losses as 8,340 and French casualties as 12,000 soldiers.
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 ...
stated Austrian losses as 2,000 killed and wounded, plus 2,200 captured. He noted that Masséna reported 2,800 total losses, including 1,800 killed, giving an unlikely killed-to-wounded ratio. Of these, Legrand reported losing 701 soldiers, including only 23 from his Baden brigade. Petre wrote that Masséna claimed 7,000–8,000 prisoners, while Napoleon privately wrote Lannes that 4,000 Austrians were captured.
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 ...
asserted that French casualties were 3,605 while Austrian losses were over 7,200, including 4,200 captured. Another source gave Austrian losses as 6,000 and French losses as 3,000.
Petre listed total French strength as 22,100 and 20 guns, including Claparède's 8,400, Legrand's 10,000, Marulaz's 2,500, and Piré's 1,200. He gave the Austrians 22,000 troops and 70 guns, not counting Kienmayer's 4,500 infantry and 800 cavalry which Hiller allowed to leave the vicinity. Smith estimated French numbers as 22,000 men and 48 guns. Smith's Austrian totals were marred by a serious typographical error.
![MaximilianOfAustriaEste](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/MaximilianOfAustriaEste.jpg)
At 7:00 AM that morning, Lannes' engineers rebuilt the bridge at Wels. Unaware of what was happening at Ebelsberg, Napoleon ordered Bessières' cavalry followed by Oudinot's infantry to cross the new bridge and march for
Steyr on the Enns. Meanwhile, Molitor's division was on the road from Lambach to
Kremsmünster
Kremsmünster is a town in Kirchdorf an der Krems District, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Settled in 777, it is home to the Kremsmünster Abbey.
The Abbey was founded 777 by Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria and is one of the oldest abbeys o ...
, halfway to Steyr. When his troops reached there, they were diverted to Ebelsberg. Because of a strong wind, other French forces in the area did not hear the noise of the battle. When Napoleon finally arrived in Ebelsberg at dusk, he was greeted by the sight of many wounded who had burned to death. Though he was accustomed to the sight of dead and dying soldiers, the emperor was aghast at the thickly strewn blackened corpses.
Napoleon was aware that the slaughter had been completely unnecessary, since Lannes' upstream crossing of the Traun would have forced Hiller to retire without a battle. The emperor chose not to publicly criticize Masséna and deliberately under-reported his losses. He understood that the aggressiveness and bravery displayed by his generals and troops would be needed in future actions, so he distributed awards. For his heroism, Lieutenant Guyot was named a
Baron of the Empire and received a generous sum of money. At a review of the 26th Light the following day, the commander of the
Imperial Guard
An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the Emperor or Empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial forces, i ...
''Chasseurs à Pied'' paid Colonel Pouget a highly public complement.
Hiller slipped away from the French and burned the bridges at every major stream during his retreat. On 7 May, the Austrians crossed to the north bank of the Danube at
Mautern an der Donau
Mautern an der Donau is a town in the district of Krems-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.
Geography
It is situated on the southern bank of the Danube opposite Krems.
History
In former times ships cruising the Danube had to pay a toll ...
which is near
Krems an der Donau
Krems an der Donau () is a town of 23,992 inhabitants in Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria and is approximately west of Vienna. Krems is a city with its own statute (or ''Statutarst ...
. Hiller left 10,000 troops under Dedovich to retreat on the south bank. Archduke Maximilian held Vienna with 35,000 troops, including 14
Landwehr
''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortificatio ...
battalions and 6,000 Vienna militia under Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough
Andreas Graf O'Reilly von Ballinlough (3 August 1742 – 5 July 1832) was an Irish-Austrian soldier and military commander of Irish origin. His military service extended through the Seven Years' War, War of the Bavarian Succession, Austro-Turk ...
. There were also eight regular, six Landwehr, and six Vienna Volunteers battalions led by Dedovich; the II Reserve Armeekorps grenadier brigade commanded by Kienmayer and General-Major
Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré; and four battalions and five squadrons jointly led by Nordmann and 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 ...
. On the evening of 11 May, a French bombardment of Vienna completely unnerved Maximilian. The archduke abandoned the city on the 12th and withdrew with the greater part of the garrison to the north bank of the Danube, burning all the bridges. O'Reilly was left behind to carry out the surrender which included 13 generals, 180 officers, and 2,000 troops. The French found a military chest containing 4.5 million
florins and large quantities of food, ammunition, and 100 cannon that Maximilian failed to carry off or destroy. The next major action was the
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling (21–22 May 1809), Napoleon crossed the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were attacked and forced back across the river by the Austrians under Archduke Charles. It was the first time Napoleon ...
on 21 and 22 May.
Commentary
Petre called Hiller's generalship, "as feeble as it could possibly be" and that his troops were "miserably handled", noting that he should have crushed Claparède's division or ejected it from the town when the French were at a two-to-one disadvantage. Petre believed that during the rear guard action, the Austrians actually outnumbered Coëhorn, Marulaz, and Piré. Robert M. Epstein called Hiller's counterattacks, "piecemeal and badly coordinated". He noted the large number of Austrian guns available (70) and their effective use to inflict losses on the French and to set fire to the town. Epstein wrote that the French ignored the lesson and carelessly went into the battle at Aspern-Essling against an opponent who was capable of handling large numbers of cannons to good effect. Napoleon indirectly criticized Masséna when he privately wrote to Lannes the next day, "As soon as I knew that they had had the stupidity to attack by force this famous position, and the only redoubtable one on the Traun which it was necessary to take, I feared some misfortune." Arnold believed that Masséna's order to assault the town was "far worse than ill advised". He asserted that this blunder, which sent hundreds of soldiers to a pointless death, showed how far the marshal's abilities had declined from their peak.
Explanatory notes
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebelsberg 1809, Battle of
Conflicts in 1809
Battles of the Napoleonic Wars
Battles of the War of the Fifth Coalition
Battles involving Austria
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1809 in the Austrian Empire
1809 in France
May 1809 events
Austrian Empire–France relations