The Battle of Meßkirch was fought on 4 May 1800 and 5 May 1800 and resulted the victory of
French army against the Austrians.
[The battle is referred to in some sources as the Battle of Moeskirch and as the Battle of Möskirch.]
Overview
''See the
Messkirch 1800 Order of Battle for details of the French and Austrian armies in the campaign.''
On 25 April 1800, the French ''
Armée d'Allemagne'', under
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau (, 14 February 1763 – 2 September 1813) was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.
Biography
Rise to fame
Moreau was born at Morla ...
, crossed the
Rhine River
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, sourc ...
at
Kehl
Kehl (; gsw, label= Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic, Kaal) is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. It is on the river Rhine, directly opposite the French city of Strasbourg, with which it shares some munic ...
and
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen (; gsw, Schafuuse; french: Schaffhouse; it, Sciaffusa; rm, Schaffusa; en, Shaffhouse) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town with historic roots, a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in northern Switzerland, and the ...
. The 1st Demi-Brigade, of the Corps led by
Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr
Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, 1st Marquis of Gouvion-Saint-Cyr (; 13 April 1764 – 17 March 1830) was a French military commander in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars who rose to the rank of Marshal of the Empire. He is regarde ...
, conquered
St. Georgen and entered the
Black Forest
The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...
at
Freiburg im Breisgau
Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population o ...
. After conquering
Stuhlingen, 25 km south of
Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen (; Low Alemannic: ''Eschinge'') is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar '' Kreis''. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Da ...
, the unit took part in the
Battle of Stockach and Engen on 3 May 1800, after which the Austrian retreated to
Meßkirch
Meßkirch (; Swabian: ''Mässkirch'') is a town in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
The town was the residence of the counts of Zimmern, widely known through Count Froben Christoph's '' Zimmern Chronicle'' (1559– ...
where they enjoyed a more favourable defensive position.
The French repeatedly assaulted the town on 4 May 1800 and 5 May 1800, both attempts being in vain. The 1st Demi-Brigade, despite the Austrian superiority there, was able to conquer Krumbach and the heights surrounding it, which commanded Meßkirch. Therefore, the Austrian moved back to
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen (Swabian German, Swabian: ''Semmerenga'') is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen (district), Sigmaringen district.
Sigmaringen is renowne ...
, followed by the French. The
Battle of Biberach ensued on 9 May 1800.
See also
*
Campaigns of 1800 in the French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars continued from 1799 with the French fighting the forces of the Second Coalition. Napoleon Bonaparte had returned from Egypt and taken control of the French government. He prepared a new campaign, sending Moreau to ...
Notes
References
* Heinrich Bücheler, Werner Fischer, Roland Kessinger: ''Die Schlacht bei Meßkirch 5ter Mai 1800: Gedenkband zum 200. Jahrestag''. Museumsgesellschaft Meßkirch (Hrsg.). Gmeiner Verlag. Meßkirch. 1. Auflage 2000.
* Kempf: ''Unsere Heimat in den Napoleonischen Kriegen''. In: Derselbe: ''Das Gögginger Dorfbuch''. Gemeinde Göggingen. Göggingen 1969. S. 365 ff.
Conflicts in 1800
Messkirch 1800
Messkirch 1800
1800 in Austria
1800 in France
1800
Messkirch (1800)
Battles of the War of the Second Coalition
1800 in the Holy Roman Empire
Battles inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe
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