Battle of Neresheim
Battle of Neresheim | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the French Revolutionary War | |||||||
Plan of the battle of Neresheim (published in 1828) | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
French Republic | Habsburg monarchy | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Archduke Charles Count Latour | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Army of Rhin-et-Moselle | Army of the Upper Rhine | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
44,737 | 43,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,400–3,000 | 1,600–3,000 | ||||||
The Battle of Neresheim (11 August 1796) was fought by the
In the
Background
On 8 June 1796, the
Originally, the Army of Rhin-et-Moselle was opposed by 82,776 Austrians and allies under Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser.[3] But 25,330 Austrians were soon transferred to Italy and Wurmser went with this force on 18 June. Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour was appointed the new commander of the Army of the Upper Rhine. The former leader of the Army of the Lower Rhine, Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen was replaced by Wilhelm von Wartensleben so he could take overall command of both Austrian armies.[2]
On 24 June 1796, the Army of Rhin-et-Moselle mounted a successful assault crossing of the Rhine River in the Battle of Kehl. The French sustained losses of 150 killed, wounded and missing out of 10,065 engaged. The Swabian Regional Contingent defenders numbered 7,000 soldiers in eight foot battalions, eight horse squadrons and two artillery batteries. The Swabians suffered over 700 casualties and lost 14 guns and 22 munition wagons. Moreau's forces inflicted a second defeat on a force of 9,000 Swabians and their Austrian allies under Anton Sztáray at Renchen on 28 June. This time the French reported only 200 casualties while inflicting 550 killed and wounded on their enemies. In addition, the French captured 850 soldiers, seven guns and two munition wagons.[4] During this period of maneuvering, Moreau switched the positions of two of his wings. Ferino still commanded the Right Wing, but Desaix now commanded the Left Wing while Saint-Cyr led the Center.[2]
On 30 June, Latour's Army of the Upper Rhine was divided into a Left Wing under Michael von Fröhlich, a Center led by Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg and a Right Wing that Latour personally controlled. Fröhlich's wing was made up of eight battalions and 12 squadrons of Austrians organized in two brigades. Fürstenberg's command consisted of 17 battalions, five companies and 10 squadrons, including Swabians and Bavarians, organized into five brigades. Latour's wing had 25 battalions and 58 squadrons organized into five divisions under Prince von Fürstemberg, Johann Mészáros von Szoboszló, Johann Sigismund Riesch, Karl von Riese, and Sztáray. There were an additional six battalions and six squadrons holding Mannheim and one battalion garrisoning Philippsburg. Archduke Charles was approaching with an Austrian division under Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze and a Saxon division under General von Lindt. Hotze directed 16 battalions and 20 squadrons in three brigades while Lindt commanded nine battalions and 19 squadrons in five brigades.[5]
With Desaix on the left and Saint-Cyr on the right, Moreau pressed north up the east bank of the Rhine to the
Archduke Charles stopped long enough at
Battle
On 13 July in Desaix's Left Wing, the division of Delmas consisted of the 50th and 97th Line and 16th Light Infantry Demi-Brigades and four squadrons each of the 7th
A report from 7 August 1796 showed that Saint-Cyr shuffled the brigades in the Center so that Duhesme's division had only one while Taponier had the other three. In Duhesme's division,
Archduke Charles wished to prevent the army of Moreau from joining with his colleague
The Austrian archduke commanded 43,000 men while Moreau led 44,737 troops. Charles massed his main strength against Saint-Cyr, who commanded 30,426 soldiers if the nearby Reserve was included.[14] On the right flank, Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein led the Advance Guard while Sztáray led the Reserve. They would operate against Bopfingen and seize the Neresheim-Nördlingen road. Charles personally led 5,000 infantry and 1,500 cavalry on Dunstelkingen in the center. To Charles' immediate right, Hotze directed 7,500 foot and 1,800 horse toward Kösingen and Schweindorf. To Charles' immediate left, Latour's 5,500 troops would clear Eglingen and Dischingen. On the left flank, Fröhlich was in charge of the force that would cross the Danube behind the French right flank. He would cooperate with Riese's troops.[15] The outnumbered Duhesme was to be assailed by 7,000 infantry and 2,400 cavalry.[16] Once they crushed the French right flank, 3,000 men under Karl Mercandin were to attack Dischingen while the rest were supposed to circle behind Moreau's army and keep it from escaping.[15]
The sudden Austrian advance at dawn caused the 150-strong regiment of Carabiniers to retreat at the gallop. Saint-Cyr's light cavalry, led by Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty,[14] lost heart at seeing the heavy cavalry fleeing and fell back, leaving the French infantry at Eglingen without support. The Austrian horse fell on the flank of Lambert's brigade, routing its six battalions. This left Taponier's division with 12 battalions to face Charles' assault. At this moment Moreau arrived at Saint-Cyr's headquarters. Before riding off to consult with Desaix, the French army commander placed Bourcier's division in support nearby and agreed to have the Left Wing attack the Austrian right flank. Saint-Cyr deployed nine battalions at Dunstelkingen while keeping Lecourbe's three battalions to protect his right rear at Dischingen. At 9:00 AM the Austrians attacked this position but were beaten back. Their artillery set Dunstelkingen on fire but this actually helped prevent the Austrians from advancing. Moreau then returned from his meeting with Desaix to inform Saint-Cyr that the Left Wing's attack would be delayed until Delmas' division could be recalled from the extreme left.[17]
Hotze seized Kösingen but found himself facing a new French line on high ground between him and Neresheim. He attacked this position but was repulsed by Desaix. On Hotze's right, Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan drove the Austrians back to Schweindorf. The Austrians took Bopfingen but found that the French were moving south to assist the center.[15] The clash at Bopfingen was fought by the Duke Albert Carabinier Regiment Nr. 5 and the Siebenburger Hussar Regiment Nr. 47.[18] Desaix had little trouble fending off these advances. But a message came from the far right that said Duhesme's division was in trouble.[19] Riese attacked Duhesme at Medlingen, forcing him to retreat. A large force of Austrian cavalry reached Giengen to block the French retreat, but Duhesme escaped to the northwest. Mercandin ended the day 3 miles (5 km) short of Dischingen and Riese moved west to Heidenheim an der Brenz rather than making a sweep into the French rear. Fröhlich's column only got as far as Albeck, north of Ulm.[15] Duhesme's division lost some cannons and was not able to rejoin Saint-Cyr for three days. The Center's artillery park at Heidenheim hurriedly displaced north to Aalen. This left Saint-Cyr's troops with no reserve artillery ammunition and dependent on supply from Bourcier's small artillery park. Moreau appeared a third time at Saint-Cyr's headquarters promising that Desaix would soon attack the Austrian right flank. Though Saint-Cyr was in a tight spot, in fact, Charles became anxious about Moreau's commitment of the French Reserve.[19]
The Austrians declined to launch any more serious assaults on Taponier's division and by 1:00 PM the contest degenerated into an artillery duel. Part of Lambert's brigade was rallied and reoccupied Heidenheim. The Austrians threatening the French right flank began withdrawing to Dillingen an der Donau. For the fourth time that day Moreau came to see Saint-Cyr, this time accompanied by Desaix. They informed their colleague that Delmas' division was not available yet and it was too late to attack the Austrian right that day. Everything would be ready the next day.[16] Charles hoped that Moreau might concede defeat, but the morning of 12 August found the French army still in position. Charles then gave the order to fall back. Worried about the artillery ammunition shortage, Moreau did not attack Charles' right, but neither did he panic and retreat. Instead he held his position all day on the 12th waiting for confirmation that the Austrians were withdrawing across the Danube.[20]
Besides the two cavalry regiments that fought at Bopfingen, the Austrian units that came into action were four battalions of Infantry Regiments Reisky Nr. 13 and Slavonier Grenz, three battalions each of Infantry Regiments Manfredini Nr. 12, Nádasdy Nr. 39 and Kinsky Nr. 47, two battalions of Infantry Regiment Schröder Nr. 7, one battalion each of Infantry regiments Archduke Charles Nr. 3, Alton Nr. 15 and Ligne Nr. 30, the Apfaltrern, Candiani, Pietsch and Retz Grenadier Battalions, elements of Archduke Ferdinand Hussar Regiment Nr. 32 and four squadrons of the Archduke Franz Cuirassier Regiment Nr. 29.[18]
Results
According to one source that called the battle a French victory, the Austrians lost 1,100 killed and wounded plus 500 captured while the French suffered 1,200 killed and wounded plus 1,200 captured.[18] Another authority characterized the action as a "drawn battle" and stated that casualties numbered 3,000 on each side. The Austrian retreat was not molested by the French, which was one of the reasons why Charles fought the battle. The Austrian army crossed the Danube at Dillingen and Donauwörth, destroying all the bridges behind them.[21] Furious with Duhesme for retreating, Moreau removed him from command of his division. Saint-Cyr persuaded him to rescind the order a few days later.[20]
Moreau deserved criticism for spreading his forces too widely but he can be credited for keeping his composure despite the defeat of Duhesme.
Notes
- ^ Smith (1998), p. 111
- ^ ISBN 978-1-908692-25-2.
- ^ Phipps (2010), p. 274
- ^ a b Smith (1998), pp. 115-116
- ^ Nafziger, George. "Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine, 30 June 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ Dodge (2011), p. 288
- ^ a b Dodge (2011), p. 290
- ^ Phipps (2011), p. 294
- ^ Smith (1998), p. 117
- ^ a b c d Dodge (2011), p. 292
- ^ Phipps (2011), p. 317
- ^ a b Nafziger, George. "French Army of the Rhine-and-Moselle, 13 July 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014. This source placed the 93rd and 109th Line in the Reserve rather than in the Center.
- ^ Nafziger, George. "French Army of the Rhine-and-Moselle, Center Corps, 7 August 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
- ^ a b c Phipps (2011), pp. 319-320
- ^ a b c d Rickard, J. (2009). "Battle of Neresheim, 11 August 1796". historyofwar.org. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c Phipps (2011), p. 323
- ^ Phipps (2011), p. 321. This source stated that Laroche's brigade was routed but twice afterward said that it was Lambert's troops that ran away.
- ^ a b c d Smith (1998), p. 120
- ^ a b Phipps (2011), p. 322
- ^ a b Phipps (2011), p. 324
- ISBN 978-0-85706-598-8.
- ^ Phipps (2011), pp. 325-326
- ^ Dodge (2011), p. 296
- ^ Smith (1998), p. 121
References
- ISBN 978-0-85706-598-8.
- Nafziger, George. "Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine, 30 June 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- Nafziger, George. "French Army of the Rhine-and-Moselle, 13 July 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
- Nafziger, George. "French Army of the Rhine-and-Moselle, Center Corps, 7 August 1796" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-908692-25-2.
- Rickard, J. (2009). "Battle of Neresheim, 11 August 1796". historyofwar.org. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ISBN 1-85367-276-9.
See also
- Pope, Stephen. The Cassell Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars, Cassell (1999)
External links
- Media related to Battle of Neresheim at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by Battle of Theiningen |
French Revolution: Revolutionary campaigns Battle of Neresheim |
Succeeded by Battle of Amberg |