Johann Rudolf von Sporck
Johann Rudolf von Sporck | |
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Other work | Inhaber Infantry Regiment Nr. 25 |
Johann Rudolf von Sporck or Spork (proprietor) of an infantry regiment. He died in 1806.
Early career
Johann Rudolf von Sporck was born on 27 November 1755 in
Fighting the French
In 1792, Sporck became Oberst (colonel) in command of Grand Duke of Tuscany Infantry Regiment Nr. 23. He assumed command from Franz von Rottenburg and in 1794 would be succeeded by Anton Bürger.[4] At the start of the War of the First Coalition the regiment was stationed in the Austrian Netherlands. On 23 April 1792, part of the regiment took part in a reconnaissance of Maubeuge.[2] Two battalions of the regiment served during the Siege of Le Quesnoy from 28 August to 13 September 1793.[5] On 1 January 1794, Sporck was promoted Generalmajor to rank from 17 December 1793.[6] He fought at the Battle of Mouscron on 28–29 April 1794.[7] In the aftermath of the Battle of Courtrai, at Ingelmunster on 12 May he led a brigade consisting of two battalions of the Sztáray Infantry Regiment Nr. 33, the 2nd Battalion of the Callenberg Infantry Regiment Nr. 54, and two guns.[8][note 3]
Sporck served in the Army of the Upper Rhine during the Rhine campaign of 1795. In early 1796, he was among the troops transferred to Italy.
At the end of August 1796, Wurmser reorganized his army for the second relief of Mantua. He appointed Paul Davidovich to lead a corps that would defend the Tyrol while Wurmser marched to Bassano via the Valsugana. Davidovich's corps numbered 19,555 men of which the brigades of Sporck and Josef Philipp Vukassovich counted 7,840 infantry and 626 cavalry.[12] Unexpectedly, the French attacked these two brigades with overwhelming force in the Battle of Rovereto in the morning of 4 September, driving them back after a hard combat. Davidovich assigned the 1,700 men of Preiss Infantry Regiment Nr. 24 to hold a narrow defile north of Rovereto. Thinking that they were protected, the 4,800 remaining soldiers of Sporck and Vukassovich bivouacked and began to cook dinner. However, the French rapidly overran the Preiss Regiment and at 4:00 pm charged into the camp without warning, routing both brigades. By the next day, 75% of Sporck's men were casualties or dispersed and 1,000 of Vukassovich's soldiers were casualties.[13]
József Alvinczi was selected as the Austrian army commander for the third relief of Mantua. The plans for the operation were drawn up by Sporck and Franz von Weyrother. They called for Davidovich's corps to advance south through the mountains while Alvinczi's main army moved east to Verona via Bassano.[14] At the start of the operation, Davidovich's corps numbered 18,427 infantry and 1,049 cavalry. This significantly outnumbered the 10,500-strong French division opposed to it. Davidovich's corps was divided into six brigade-sized columns, of which the III Column was led by Sporck and included 2,560 infantry.[15] Davidovich defeated the French at the Battle of Calliano on 6–7 November 1796, though the victorious Austrians suffered 3,567 casualties.[16] After defeating Alvinczi at the Battle of Arcole, Bonaparte turned on Davidovich and forced his corps to retreat. The third relief was beaten back by a very narrow margin.[17]
On 1 March 1797, Sporck was promoted to
Later career
In 1801, Sporck was appointed inhaber of Infantry Regiment Nr. 25. The previous incumbent was Ludwig Brechainville and the regiment's next inhaber would be Franz Julius Zedtwitz.[19] In 1802 Sporck was appointed Grand Master of the Household to Archduke Anton Victor of Austria. He died in Vienna on 10 February 1806.[1]
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ Smith & Kudrna and Schmidt-Brentano spelled the name "Sporck" while Boycott-Brown, Ebert, and Wrede spelled it "Spork".
- ^ Both Ebert (2022) and Wrede (1898b) asserted that he became Oberst in command of Infantry Regiment Nr. 23 in 1792. Smith & Kudrna (2008) stated that he became Oberst on 9 June 1789, which is probably incorrect.
- ^ In the Ingelmunster reference, his name was spelled "Sponek", but there was no such general during the era. It is assumed to be a misprint of "Sporck" (Smith, p. 78).
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Smith & Kudrna 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Ebert 2022.
- ^ Bechinie von Lazan 2024.
- ^ Wrede 1898b, p. 233.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 55.
- ^ a b Schmidt-Brentano 2006, p. 95.
- ^ Brown 2021, p. 152.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 78.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 378.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 382.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 382–395.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 417–418.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 424–427.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 440.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 447–448.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 452–453.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 475–478.
- ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 201–202.
- ^ Wrede 1898a, p. 292.
References
- Arnold, James R. (2005). Marengo & Hohenlinden: Napoleon's Rise to Power. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. ISBN 1-84415-279-0.
- Bechinie von Lazan, Wenzel (2024). "Johann Rudolf von Sporck". MyHeritage. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Boycott-Brown, Martin (2001). The Road to Rivoli: Napoleon's First Campaign. London, UK: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35305-1.
- Brown, Steve (2021). The Duke of York's Flanders Campaign: Fighting the French Revolution 1793–1795. Havertown, Pa.: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 9781526742704.
- Ebert, Jens-Florian (2022). "Die Österreichischen Generäle 1792-1815: Field Marshal Lieutenant Graf von Spork" (in German). napoleon-online.de. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Schmidt-Brentano, Antonio (2006). "Kaiserliche und k.k. Generale (1618-1815)" (in German). Österreichisches Staatsarchiv. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ISBN 1-85367-276-9.
- Smith, Digby; Kudrna, Leopold (2008). "Austrian Generals of 1792-1815: Sporck, Johann Rudolf Graf von". napoleon-series.org. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Wrede, Alphons (1898a). "Geschichte der K. und K. Wehrmacht, Vol. 1" (in German). Vienna: L. W. Seidel & Sohn. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Wrede, Alphons (1898b). "Geschichte der K. und K. Wehrmacht, Vol. 2" (in German). Vienna: L. W. Seidel & Sohn. Retrieved 6 May 2024.