In the Battle of Wertingen (8 October 1805) Imperial French forces led by

Marshals 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 ...

Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also , ; it, Gioacchino Murati; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French military commander and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the ...

and

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 ...

attacked a small Austrian corps commanded 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 ...

Franz Xaver von Auffenberg. This action, the first battle of the Ulm Campaign, resulted in a clear French victory.

Wertingen Wertingen () is a town in the district of Dillingen in Bavaria, Germany. It is located along the river Zusam in 13 km east of Dillingen, and 28 km northwest of Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.o ...

lies northwest of

Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ...

. The combat was fought during the

War of the Third Coalition The War of the Third Coalition) * In French historiography, it is known as the Austrian campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Autriche de 1805) or the German campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Allemagne de 1805) was a European conflict spanni ...

, 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 ...

Background

Emperor

Napoleon Bonaparte 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 wh ...

had launched his 200,000-man Grand Army across the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

. This huge mass of maneuver wheeled to the south and crossed 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 to the east of (i.e., behind) General

Karl Freiherr Mack von Leiberich Karl Freiherr Mack von Leiberich (25 August 1752 – 22 December 1828) was an Austrian soldier. He is best remembered as the commander of the Austrian forces that capitulated to Napoleon's ''Grande Armée'' in the Battle of Ulm in 1805. Early c ...

's concentration at Ulm. Unaware of the force bearing down on him, Mack stayed in place as Napoleon's corps spread south across the Danube, slicing across his lines of communication with Vienna.

Forces

Murat's advance guard included the heavy cavalry divisions of

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 ...

Louis Klein Dominique Louis Antoine Klein (19 January 1761 – 2 November 1845) served in the French military during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars as a general of cavalry. Initially part of the house guard at the royal residences fo ...

(16 squadrons of the 1st, 14th, 20th and 26th Dragoon Regiments) and General of Division

Marc Antoine de Beaumont Marc-Antoine de Beaumont (; 23 September 1763 – 4 February 1830) a French nobleman, became a page to the king and joined the army of the Old Regime. He stayed in the army during the French Revolution and narrowly escaped being executed. ...

(18 squadrons of the 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 12th and 16th Dragoons), plus

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 ...

Antoine Lasalle Antoine-Charles-Louis, Comte de Lasalle (10 May 1775, Metz6 July 1809, Wagram) was a French cavalry general during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, often called "The Hussar General". He first gained fame for his role in the Capitulation ...

's light cavalry brigade (8 squadrons of 9th and 10th Hussars), a total of 42 squadrons. These were supported by eight battalions of General of Division Nicolas Oudinot's Grenadier division and three battalions of the 28th Light Infantry Regiment. Auffenberg's command included 26 battalions, 20 cavalry squadrons and 24 guns. Feldmarschall-Leutnant Maximilien de Baillet's division included Infantry Regiments ''Kaunitz'' Nr. 20, ''Archduke Ludwig'' Nr. 8, ''

Franjo Jelačić Baron Franjo Jelačić Bužimski (English: Franz Jellacic, also Francis Yellachich of Buzhim or German: Franz Jellačić von Buzim, Hungarian: Ferenc Jellacsics de Buzim) (14 April 1746 – 4 February 1810) was a Croatian nobleman, a member ...

'' Nr. 62, a brigade of four grenadier battalions, Cuirassier Regiment ''Albert'' Nr. 3 and

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 ''Rosenberg'' Nr. 6. 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 division was made up of Infantry Regiments ''Spork'' Nr. 25, ''Wurttemberg'' Nr. 38, ''Reuss-Greitz'' Nr. 55, ''Stuart'' Nr. 18, Hussar Regiment ''

Palatine A palatine or palatinus (in Latin; plural ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times.

'' Nr. 12 and Chevau-léger Regiment ''Latour'' Nr. 4.Smith, p 203

Battle

Apparently because his troops were surprised, Auffenberg seems to have only brought nine battalions and one squadron,Chandler, p 489 about 5,500 men, into action. There are conflicting accounts. One historian talks about individual battalions being broken by cavalry or surrounded and forced to surrender. Another writer says that Austrian grenadiers formed in a massive square which resisted cavalry charges until the French brought up Oudinot's grenadiers.Emmert, p 14 French losses are stated as 319 killed and wounded. The Austrians suffered 400 killed and wounded, plus 2,900 men and 6 cannons captured. One historian says 2,000 Austrians were captured. Cut off from Vienna, the Austrians retreated westward toward their base at Ulm.

Commentary

One historian remarks, "It is not clear why ... Mack had sent this small force to such an isolated position." He added, "His continual reorganization of the troops on the battlefield sowed confusion and demoralization."

References

* Bowden, Scott, "Napoleon and Austerlitz", Chicago, The Emperor's Press, 1997, * Chandler, David. ''Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars.'' New York: Macmillan, 1979. * Emmert, H. D. ''Wargamers Digest Magazine.'' "A History of Broken Squares 1798-1915," January 1979. * Smith, Digby. ''The Napoleonic Wars Data Book.'' London: Greenhill, 1998.

Footnotes

External links

Wertingen 1805, Obscure Battles
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wertingen 1805, Battle of Conflicts in 1805 Battles of the Napoleonic Wars Battles involving Austria Battles involving France 1805 in the Austrian Empire 1805 in France 1805 in Germany War of the Third Coalition Battles of the War of the Third Coalition 1805 in Bavaria October 1805 events Battles in Bavaria Battles inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe Joachim Murat