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Combat of Schöngrabern
Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition
Date10 July 1809
Location
Hollabrunn, present-day Austria, then Austrian Empire
48°34′N 16°6′E / 48.567°N 16.100°E / 48.567; 16.100
Result French victory
Belligerents
France French Empire Austrian Empire Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
France Claude Legrand Austrian Empire Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
Strength
11,000 men
24 cannons
27,000 men (6,000 engaged)
32 cannons
Casualties and losses
unknown unknown
200km
125miles
22
Armistice of Znaim from 10–11 July 1809
21
Battle of Hollabrunn (1809) on 9 July 1809 Combat of Schöngrabern on 10 July 1809
20
Combat of Stockerau on 8 July 1809
19
Combat of Korneuburg on 7 July 1809
Wagram
18
Battle of Wagram from 5 to 6 July 1809
17
Battle of Graz from 24 to 26 June 1809
16
Battle of Raab on 14 June 1809
15
Battle of Sankt Michael on 25 May 1809
Aspern
14
Battle of Aspern-Essling from 21 to 22 May 1809
12
Battle of Tarvis (1809) from 15 May to 18 May 1809
11
Battle of Wörgl on 13 May 1809
10
Battle of Piave River (1809) on 8 May 1809
9
Battle of Ebelsberg on 3 May 1809 Battle of Linz-Urfahr on 17 May 1809
8
Battle of Caldiero (1809) from 27 to 30 April 1809
7
Battle of Neumarkt-Sankt Veit on 24 April 1809
6
Battle of Ratisbon on 23 April 1809
5
Battle of Eckmühl from 21 to 22 April 1809
4
Battle of Landshut (1809) on 21 April 1809
3
Battle of Abensberg on 20 April 1809
2
Battle of Teugen-Hausen on 19 April 1809
1
Battle of Sacile from 15 to 16 April 1809
  current battle
  Napoleon in command
  Napoleon not in command

The Combat of Schöngrabern was a relatively minor rearguard action fought by Austrian V Korps and supporting elements of the Kaiserlich-königliche Hauptarmee under Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen against elements of the French IV Corps of the Armée d'Allemagne, under the command of Claude Legrand. [1]

The brief combat ended in favour of the French but Reuss did manage to delay the French sufficiently in order to prevent them from getting to the battle of Znaim on 10 July. [1]

Context

Following Johann von Klenau's successful Austrian rearguard action at Hollabrunn the day before, Austrian Prince Reuss, commander of V Korps, to which several additional units were attached for a total of 27,000 men and 32 cannons, took position near Schöngrabern. Reuss's orders were to form a rearguard and delay the enemy before him, preventing them from arriving at Znaim, where the main Austrian force was massed and combat was set to begin. Opposite to Reuss lay the vanguard of the Marshal André Masséna's IV Corps, under the overall command of General Legrand. Legrand's command was 11,000 men and 24 cannons strong and included the 1st division of IV Corps and the Corps cavalry. Masséna's orders were to push on towards Haugsdorf and then head to Znaim where General Auguste de Marmont's XI Corps had made contact with the enemy's main force. [1] [2]

Battle

Masséna sent his cavalry, as well as Legrand's and Claude Carra Saint-Cyr's infantry divisions towards Haugsdorf, while leaving Jean Boudet's division at Stockerau and Gabriel Jean Joseph Molitor's division in between. Executing his orders, Legrand moved forward but, towards 09:00, encountered staunch opposition towards Schöngrabern, a village in front of which Reuss had left a rearguard of 6,000. It took Legrand some time before he was able to take the position, with the Austrians leading a superb fighting retreat. Losses following this battle are unknown but it is clear that Masséna's march to Znaim had been delayed, as towards 20:00, he had to stop at Jetzlsdorf, with the divisions of Legrand, Carra Saint-Cyr and his cavalry after these troops had been fighting and then marching all day. The delaying action at Schöngrabern meant that Masséna was only able to arrive to the battle of Znaim on 11 July. However, Reuss also had difficulties in containing Masséna and was himself only able to arrive at Znaim late on the evening of 10 July. Masséna and Reuss would face each other again on 11 July, at the battle of Znaim. [1] [2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Pigeard 2004, p. 781.
  2. ^ a b Pigeard 2004, p. 967.

References

  • Pigeard, Alain (2004). Dictionnaire des batailles de Napoléon (in French). Tallandier, Bibliothèque Napoléonienne. ISBN  2-84734-073-4.

External links

Preceded by
Battle of Hollabrunn (1809)
Napoleonic Wars
Combat of Schöngrabern
Succeeded by
Armistice of Znaim