Andreas Karaczay

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Andreas Karaczay
Feldmarschall-Leutnant
Battles/wars
Awards
Order of Maria Theresa, CC 1790
Order of Saint Anna
, 1790

Andreas Karaczay de Vályeszáka[1] or Andreas Karaiczay de Wallje Szaka[2] or András Karacsaj de Válje-Szaka[3] (Croatian: Andrija Karadžić; Serbian: Андрија Караџић; 30 November 1744 – 22 March 1808) served in the Austrian army beginning in the

Stockach
in 1800, he retired from his military offices in 1801.

Early career

Karaczay was born to a noble family on 30 November 1744 in

captain) to the Darmstadt Dragoon Regiment Nr. 19 serving in Galicia. While inspecting the troops, Emperor Joseph II was so impressed that he promoted Karaczay to major.[2] Karaczay married Rosalia Freiin von Wimmersberg auf Peterwitz.[1]

Ottoman War

Karaczay proved his mettle during the Austro-Turkish War, earning fame and distinction. He participated in the 1788 Siege of Khotyn.[2] He was promoted to oberst (colonel) in 1788.[1] On 19 April 1789, he led two squadrons each of the Kaiser Chevau-léger Nr. 1, Barco Hussar Nr. 35, and Levenehr Dragoon Nr. 19 Regiments, six companies of the Kaunitz Infantry Regiment Nr. 20, and four field pieces in action at Valea Seacă (Vályeszáka). That day, his troops defeated 5,000 Ottoman cavalry, capturing several flags and a number of enemy soldiers. He fought at the Battle of Focșani on 1 August 1789 and the Battle of Rymnik (Martinestje) on 22 September.[2]

Suvorov found the Austrian commander

Order of Maria Theresa on 21 December 1789 for courage and intelligence on the battlefield. Empress Catherine the Great awarded Karaczay the Order of Saint Anna which he had to refuse because Austrians were not allowed to accept foreign medals at that time. However, the empress appointed his new-born son an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Fanagoria Grenadier Regiment.[5] In December 1790 he received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa.[3]

French Revolutionary Wars

Painting shows a white-haired man standing in a blue uniform with red collar and cuffs and a light blue sash. He gestures with his right hand toward a battle scene. His bicorne hat and sword lie on a map next to him.
Alexander Suvorov was a friend of Karaczay.

After the Austro-Turkish War, Karaczay lived in Lviv (Lemberg). However, when the War of the First Coalition broke out, he transferred to the Army of the Rhine. He fought at Schwegenheim and later at Schifferstadt[5] on 23 May 1794 alongside allied Prussian and Bavarian troops.[6] He also led his soldiers in skirmishes at Weingarten (near Speyer) on 1 August, at Epstein on 29 August, and at Frankenthal on 3 October, and Ilochspier on 20 November 1794. He fought at Kaiserslautern, most likely in the Raid on Kaiserslautern[5] on 17–20 September 1794 which was led by Wilhelm von Wartensleben and included the Vecsey Hussars Nr. 34, Waldeck Dragoons Nr. 6, Diedrich and Weidenfeld Grenadier Battalions, De Vins Infantry Regiment Nr. 37, Serbian Freikorps, and Gyulai Freikorps.[7]

On 24 September 1795, Karaczay's brigade guarded

Siege of Mannheim in October and November 1795. In some way Karaczay ran afoul of his commander Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, becoming the target of his "envy and resentment".[5] He also suffered from frequent illness because of "war fatigue". Pleading sickness, he was released from service and went to live with his family at Lemberg and later Budapest.[3] On 1 October 1798 Karaczay was ennobled as a Graf (count). His proprietary unit was renamed Dragoon Regiment Nr. 4 in 1798.[1]

At the start of the

First Battle of Marengo on 16 May but only his outposts were engaged in the action. On that occasion his command included five battalions of Infantry Regiments Nr. 8 and Nr. 28.[3] Karaczay fought at the Battle of Trebbia on 17–20 June 1799, the Siege of Alessandria, and the Battle of Novi on 15 August.[5]

The Siege of Alessandria lasted from 22 June to 22 July 1799 and ended with the surrender of

Feldmarschall-Leutnant on 2 October 1799.[1]

To the west near

Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr brushed aside the Austrian outpost in Capriata d'Orba and pushed as far north as Tassarolo. Another French column drove 400 Grenz infantry from Pasturana into Novi Ligure. In response, Karaczay retreated with 4,000 soldiers to Asti on 6 October. The next day, Saint-Cyr seized Novi and, in response, Karaczay rushed his cavalry to Bosco Marengo, with his infantry coming up behind. By 9 October, Karaczay's division was assembled between Basaluzzo and Fresonara, facing east toward Novi. Saint-Cyr withdrew from Novi and took a position farther south.[15]

Black and white oval print of a serious-looking man in a white military coat and a frilled shirt-front.
Paul Kray

Saint-Cyr commanded 16,675 soldiers in the divisions of

Rivalta Scrivia on the right flank, Laboissière in Bosco and Frugarolo on the left, and Dąbrowski in Quattro Cascine in the center.[15]

In the

Jägers, and 12 artillery pieces.[15]

The Austrian high command decided that Karaczay's performance was "inadequate" and sent Paul Kray to take command.[15] Kray advanced against the French with 16 battalions, 2,800 cavalry, and 25 guns. Saint-Cyr's cavalry was weak and he had no horses to haul his four guns. Yet, Saint-Cyr led Kray into an ambush that sent the Austrian soldiers fleeing.[17] In the Third Battle of Novi on 6 November 1799, Kray's 12,000 Austrians suffered losses of 1,000 men and five guns while the 11,000 French sustained 400 casualties.[18] Karaczay was put in command of Cuneo fortress which was captured from the French in December. As part of his job, he stored enough food in the fortress to last three months for 4,000 soldiers.[5]

Later career

When Kray was appointed commander-in-chief in Germany in 1800, he asked that Karaczay be transferred to his new army. At the end of the

Battle of Engen on 3 May 1800, Karaczay was hit in the abdomen by two musket balls.[5] During the subsequent retreat, Karaczay was not able to get proper medical treatment for his wounds. He retired to his home in Wiener Neustadt where he suffered in pain from his injuries until he died on 22 March 1808. Karaczay was brave and had a quick eye for the battlefield. He was blunt and plainspoken in the criticism of his superiors, which earned him many enemies and blocked him from higher promotion.[19] In 1801 Karaczay's regiment passed to the next inhaber, Prince Friedrich Franz Xaver of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.[20]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Smith & Kudrna 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hirtenfeld 1857, p. 293.
  3. ^ a b c d e Acerbi 2007.
  4. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 15.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Hirtenfeld 1857, p. 294.
  6. ^ Smith 1998, p. 80.
  7. ^ Smith 1998, p. 92.
  8. ^ Boycott-Brown 2001.
  9. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 30.
  10. ^ Smith 1998, pp. 160–161.
  11. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 147.
  12. ^ Phipps 2011, p. 340.
  13. ^ a b Acerbi 2009a.
  14. ^ a b Smith 1998, p. 172.
  15. ^ a b c d e Acerbi 2009b.
  16. ^ Phipps 2011, p. 338.
  17. ^ a b Phipps 2011, pp. 339–340.
  18. ^ Smith 1998, p. 173.
  19. ^ Hirtenfeld 1857, p. 295.
  20. ^ Pivka 1979, p. 90.

References


Military offices
Preceded by
Christian Philipp von Löwenstein-Wertheim
 Inhaber of Chevau-léger Regiment Nr. 18
1789–1798 		Succeeded by
renamed
Preceded by
renamed
 Inhaber of Dragoon Regiment Nr. 4
1798–1801 		Succeeded by
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