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Johann Freiherr von O'Brien,
Earl of Thomond Earl of Thomond was an hereditary title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created twice for the O'Brien dynasty which is an ancient Irish sept native to north Munster. History and background First creation Under the Crown of Ireland Act 1542, Ki ...
(1775 – 1830), was an Austrian Major General with Irish ancestry, most noted for leading an action in
Jedlesee Jedlesee (; sometimes spelled Jedlersee) is a suburb of Floridsdorf, the 21st district of Vienna. An independent community until 1894, it was joined along with Leopoldau, Donaufeld, Floridsdorf and Neu Jedlesdorf to the greater Floridsdorf municip ...
, 1809, near Vienna, against a superior force of Napoleon's troops in preparation for their defeat by
Archduke Charles 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 ...
in the
Battle of Aspern 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 ...
.


Life and career

Johann von O'Brien was born in 1775 near Karánsebes,
Banat Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
, Romania and died on 5 September 1830 in
Pest, Hungary Pest () is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, Hungary, comprising about two-thirds of the city's territory. It is separated from Buda and Óbuda, the western parts of Budapest, by the Danube River. Among its most notable sights are the ...
. Following in his father's footsteps, he enrolled in the Neustädt Academy in Karansebes. In September 1794 he joined the 33rd Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant, serving there from 1799 to 1801. Promoted to Major in 1805, he joined the General Staff at the beginning of October of his last year, and in June 1808 was transferred to the Kerpen Infantry regiment.''Der Militär-Maria-Theresien-Orden und seine Mitglieder'' Biographical entry on Johann Freiherr von O’Brien, pp. 961ff.Constantin von Wurzbach: O’Brien, Graf auf Thomond, Johann Freiherr. In: ''Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. 20. Theil.'' (Kaiserlich-königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Wien 1869), pp. 471–473.


1809 Campaign

By the time of 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 II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis ...
, O'Brien had already exhibited insight and determination, rendering service to the extent that he was not only repeatedly commended but also rewarded by promotion to Commander of the 1st Battalion. On 13 May 1809, as Major General of the
Lower Austria Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P ...
n 49th Infantry Regiment, he succeeded in preventing the formation of a French bridgehead on the left bank of the Danube near
Jedlesee Jedlesee (; sometimes spelled Jedlersee) is a suburb of Floridsdorf, the 21st district of Vienna. An independent community until 1894, it was joined along with Leopoldau, Donaufeld, Floridsdorf and Neu Jedlesdorf to the greater Floridsdorf municip ...
, thereby enabling the deployment of troops under
Archduke Charles 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 ...
in northern Vienna. The French under Napoleon, who occupied Vienna without a fight on the right bank of the Danube on the same day, were thus unable to cross the Danube until 20 May southeast of Vienna at the
Lobau The Lobau () is a Vienna floodplain on the northern side of the Danube in Donaustadt and partly in Großenzersdorf, Lower Austria. It has been part of the Danube-Auen National Park since 1996 and has been a protected area since 1978. It is used ...
, where the
Battle of Aspern 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 ...
then took place.''Napoleon in Wien: Fakten und Legenden'' (Johannes Sachslehner, Robert Bouchal - Pichler, 2008).''Fadó Fadó: More Tales of Lesser-Known Irish History'' (Rónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaill - Troubador Publishing Ltd, 2015), p.54 ff. When French troops began gathering on the left bank of the Danube opposite Nussdorf in May 1809 after the capture of Vienna, in order to create the conditions for a Danube crossing, the 49th infantry regiment received the order to clear the Schwarzlackenau floodplain behind the "Black Lacquer" (''Schwarze Lacke'') Danube arm and, together with Lieutenant Colonel Obergfell's Lower Austrian
Landwehr ''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national army, armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortif ...
battalion, to defend it against further attempts by the enemy to cross the territory. The regiment had to expel 6
Grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...
and 3
Voltigeur The Voltigeurs were French military skirmish units created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon I. They replaced the second company of fusiliers in each existing infantry battalion. Etymology ''Voltigeurs'' ( ɔltiʒœʀ English: "acrobats") were named ...
companies of
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 corps from the Au. With only 50 volunteers, O'Brien succeeded in getting into the rear of the enemy and creating panic among them by the unexpected attack. The French lost 230 men dead and wounded, with 15 officers and 370 men captured. This action was a prerequisite for the success of
Archduke Charles 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 ...
at Aspern. O'Brien was awarded the Knight's Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa The Military Order of Maria Theresa (german: Militär-Maria-Theresien-Orden; hu, Katonai Mária Terézia-rend; cs, Vojenský řád Marie Terezie; pl, Wojskowy Order Marii Teresy; sl, Vojaški red Marije Terezije; hr, Vojni Red Marije Te ...
.Military Maria Theresia Order Ritterkreuz (RK)
/ref> In O'Brien's honour, a monument was erected in
Jedlesee Jedlesee (; sometimes spelled Jedlersee) is a suburb of Floridsdorf, the 21st district of Vienna. An independent community until 1894, it was joined along with Leopoldau, Donaufeld, Floridsdorf and Neu Jedlesdorf to the greater Floridsdorf municip ...
, consisting of a five-metre-high obelisk with an imperial orb created by A. Weinguni, on top of which stands an eagle with outspread wings (unveiled on 17 June 1909; renovated in 1932 and 1959). O'Brien-Gasse in Vienna's district of
Floridsdorf Floridsdorf (; Central Bavarian: ''Fluridsduaf'') is the 21st district of Vienna (german: 21. Bezirk, Floridsdorf), located in the northern part of the city and comprising seven formerly independent communities: Floridsdorf, Donaufeld, Greater Jed ...
(named on 27 June 1913) is named after him. Both sites are near the former battlefield. The Hesser Monument of Infantry Regiment No. 49 at the Gürtel near Vienna's Westbahnhof station also commemorates the action.


Further reading

*''Napoleon in Wien: Fakten und Legenden'' (Johannes Sachslehner, Robert Bouchal - Pichler, 2008). *''Fadó Fadó: More Tales of Lesser-Known Irish History'' (Rónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaill - Troubador Publishing Ltd, 2015).


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:OBrien, Johann von 1775 births 1830 deaths Austrian generals Knights Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa