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Battle of Hohenlinden

Coordinates:48°09′35″N11°59′53″E/ 48.15972°N 11.99806°E/48.15972; 11.99806
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Battle of Hohenlinden
Part of theWar of the Second Coalition

Moreau at Hohenlinden (Galerie des Batailles,Palace of Versailles)
Date3 December 1800
Location
Hohenlinden,east ofMunich
48°09′35″N11°59′53″E/ 48.15972°N 11.99806°E/48.15972; 11.99806
Result French victory[1][2]
Belligerents
French First RepublicFrance Habsburg monarchyAustria
Electorate of BavariaBavaria
Commanders and leaders
French First RepublicJean Moreau Habsburg monarchyArchduke John
Strength
Total:53,595
41,990 infantry
11,805 cavalry
99 guns[3]		 Total:60,261
46,130 infantry
14,131 cavalry
214 guns[4]
Casualties and losses
2,500-3,000[5]dead or wounded
1 gun		 Total:13,550-15,500[6]
  • • 11,860 Austrians
  • • 1,868 Bavarians
4,600-5,500[6]dead or wounded
  • • 4,665 Austrians[7]
  • • 114 Bavarians[7]
8,950-10,000[6]captured
  • • 7,195 Austrians[7]
  • • 1,754 Bavarians[7]
76 guns
Battle of Hohenlinden is located in Europe
Battle of Hohenlinden
class=notpageimage|
Location within Europe
War of the Second Coalition:
Austria
Map
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Maps: terms of use
200km
125miles
16
15
Battle of Ampfing (1800) on 1 December 1800
14
Battle of Neuburg (1800) on 27 June 1800
13
Battle of Höchstädt (1800) on 19 June 1800
12
Battle of Biberach (1800) on 9 May 1800
11
Battle of Messkirch from 4 to 5 May 1800
10
Battle of Wiesloch (1799) on 3 December 1799
9
Battle of Gotthard Pass from 24 to 26 September 1799
8
Battle of Mannheim (1799) on 18 September 1799
7
Battle of Amsteg from 14 to 16 August 1799
Zurich
6
First Battle of Zurich on 7 June 1799 Second Battle of Zurich from 25 to 26 September 1799
5
Battle of Winterthur on 27 May 1799
4
Battle of Frauenfeld on 25 May 1799
3
Battle of Stockach (1799) on 25 March 1799 Battle of Stockach (1800) on 3 May 1800
2
Battle of Feldkirch on 23 March 1799
1
Battle of Ostrach from 20 to 21 March 1799
The color black indicates the current battle.

TheBattle of Hohenlindenwas fought on 3 December 1800[8]during theFrench Revolutionary Wars.AFrencharmy underJean Victor Marie Moreauwon a decisive victory over anAustrianandBavarianforce led by 18-year-oldArchduke John of Austria.The allies were forced into a disastrous retreat that compelled them to request anarmistice,effectively ending theWar of the Second Coalition.Hohenlindenis 33 km east ofMunichin modern Germany.

General of DivisionMoreau's 56,000-strong army engaged some 64,000 Austrians and Bavarians. The Austrians, believing they were pursuing a beaten enemy, moved through heavily wooded terrain in four disconnected columns. Moreau ambushed the Austrians as they emerged from theEbersbergforest while launchingAntoine Richepanse's division in a surprise envelopment of the Austrian left flank. Displaying superb individual initiative, Moreau's generals managed to encircle and smash the largest Austrian column.

This crushing victory, coupled with the narrow French victory at theBattle of Marengoon 14 June 1800, ended theWar of the Second Coalition.In February 1801, the Austrians signed theTreaty of Lunéville,[8]accepting French control up to theRhineand the French puppet republics inItalyand theNetherlands.The subsequentTreaty of Amiensbetween France and Britain began the longest break in thewars of the Napoleonic period.

Background[edit]

Archduke John

From April to July 1800, Moreau's army drove the Austrian army ofFeldzeugmeisterPál Krayfrom theRhine Riverto theInn Riverwith victories atStockach,Messkirch,andHöchstädt.On 15 July, the combatants agreed to an armistice. Realizing that Kray was no longer up to the task,Emperor Francis IIremoved him from command.[9]The Austrian chancellorJohann Amadeus von Thugutfirst offeredArchduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-EsteandArchduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungarycommand of the army but both declined.[10]Because his brother, the capableFeldmarschallArchduke Charles, Duke of Teschen,also refused the command, the emperor appointed another brother, the 18-year-old Archduke John. The inexperienced youth could not cope with this enormous responsibility, so the emperor nominatedFranz von Laueras John's second-in-command and promoted him toFeldzeugmeister.John was directed to follow Lauer's instructions.[9]To further complicate the clumsy command structure, the aggressiveOberst(Colonel)Franz von Weyrotherwas named John'schief of staff.[11]

The armistice was renewed in September but lapsed on 12 November. By this time, Weyrother had convinced John and Lauer to adopt an offensive posture. Weyrother's plan called for crushing the French left wing nearLandshutand lunging south to cut Moreau's communications west ofMunich.After a few days of marching, it became obvious that the Austrian army was too slow to execute such an ambitious plan. Therefore, Lauer convinced the archduke to convert the enterprise into a direct attack onMunich.Even so, the sudden advance caught Moreau's somewhat scattered French forces by surprise and achieved local superiority.[11]

In theBattle of Ampfingon 1 December, the Austrians drove back part of General of DivisionPaul Grenier's Left Wing. The defeated French managed to inflict 3,000 casualties on the Austrians while only suffering 1,700 losses. Yet, when the Austrian leaders found that Grenier evacuatedHaag in Oberbayernthe next day, they became ecstatic. Archduke John and Weyrother overrode Lauer's cautious counsel and launched an all-out pursuit of an enemy they believed to be fleeing.[12]However, Moreau decided to stand and fight, deploying his army in open ground nearHohenlinden.To approach his position, the Austro-Bavarians had to advance directly west through heavily wooded terrain.[13]

Plans[edit]

Further information on the French and Austrian army organizations at the Battle of Hohenlinden:Hohenlinden Order of Battle
Jean Victor Moreau

Moreau's main defensive position consisted of four divisions facing east. From north to south, these were commanded by General of DivisionClaude Legrand(7,900),General of BrigadeLouis Bastoul(6,300), General of DivisionMichel Ney(9,600) and General of DivisionEmmanuel Grouchy(8,600). The divisions of Legrand, Bastoul and Ney belonged to Grenier's corps. Moreau held 1,700 heavy cavalry under General of DivisionJean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoulin reserve. Off to the south nearEbersbergwere two more divisions, under Generals of DivisionAntoine Richepanse(10,700) andCharles Decaen(10,100). The divisions of d'Hautpoul, Richepanse, Decaen, and Grouchy formed Moreau's Reserve Corps. Moreau planned to have Richepanse march northeast to strike the Austrian left, or southern flank. His main line would maneuver in open terrain and counterattack the Austrians as they emerged from the woods. Decaen would support Richepanse.[14]

According to the battle plan drawn up by Weyrother, the Austrians advanced west in four corps. From north to south they wereFeldmarschall-LeutnantMichael von Kienmayer's Right Column (16,000), Feldmarschall-LeutnantLudwig Anton, Count Baillet de Latour's Right Center Column (10,800),[15][16]FeldzeugmeisterJohann Kollowrat's Left Center Column (20,000), and Feldmarschall-LeutnantJohann Sigismund Riesch's Left Column (13,300). The three southern columns marched near the main road from Haag to Hohenlinden. Meanwhile, Kienmayer followed theIsen Rivervalley fromDorfenwest toLengdorf,then south toIsen,before approaching the Hohenlinden plain from the east.[17]Archduke John rode with Kollowrat's force, which used the main east–west highway. Latour used trails just to the north of the highway, while Riesch followed tracks just to the south. Due to the densely forested terrain, bad roads, and poor staff work, the Austrian columns were not mutually supporting. Their commanders mistakenly thought the French were in retreat and were rushing to catch their enemies before they could escape.[13]

Battle[edit]

Plan of battle, from Schirmer's Kriegsgeschichtlicher Atlas

Kollowrat and Grouchy's fight[edit]

All Austrian columns started at dawn. Marching on the all-weather highway, Kollowrat's column made good time despite heavy snow. At 7:00 am, his advance guard under General-Major Franz Löpper collided with ColonelPierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet's 108th Line InfantryDemi-Brigadeof Grouchy's division. Defending deep in the forest, the 108th held their ground at first. However, General-Major Lelio Spannochi sent agrenadierbattalion in a flank attack and drove the French back. Kollowrat committed General-MajorBernhard Erasmus von Deroy's Bavarian brigade and a second grenadier battalion to keep the attack rolling.[18]

As the Austrians burst from the tree line, Grouchy led a powerful infantry and cavalry counterattack. Kollowrat's troops reeled back as the 11thChasseurs à chevalRegiment broke a square of grenadiers and the 4thHussarRegiment overran an artillery battery. Both Spannochi and the wounded Marcognet became prisoners. Having lost five cannon, Kollowrat decided to suspend his drive until Latour and Riesch came up on his flanks. Anxious about his open left flank, he sent two grenadier battalions back in search of Riesch's column.[19]

Attack on Grenier's wing[edit]

Paul Grenier

To the north, Kienmayer flushed French outposts from Isen. These executed a planned withdrawal westward to Grenier's main line of defense. Feldmarschall-LeutnantPrince Karl of Schwarzenberg,who led Kienmayer's left division, pushed southwest to crash into the divisions of Bastoul and Ney. An Austrian force captured the town ofForstern,but Moreau committed d'Hautpoul's reserve cavalry to help drive them out. A back and forth struggle began over thehamletsof Tading, Wetting, Kreiling, and Kronacker, which run in a north to south line. The AustrianMurrayInfantry Regiment Nr. 55 distinguished itself in the fighting for Kronacker, which lies only 1.3 km north of Hohenlinden. On the far north flank, Feldmarschall-LeutnantArchduke Ferdinand'sdivision began coming into action against Legrand near the town of Harthofen.[20]

Latour, moving along muddy forest trails amid snow and sleet squalls, fell badly behind schedule. At 10:00 am, his column was still well to the rear of Kollowrat's corps. By this time, the gunfire from Kienmayer's and Kollowrat's combats could be clearly heard to the front. Even more disturbing were sounds of battle from the south. Latour made the extraordinary decision to divide the divisions of Feldmarschall-Leutnants Prince Friedrich of Hessen-Homburg and Friedrich Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen into small task forces. He sent one infantry battalion and six cavalry squadrons to the north to look for Kienmayer. One battalion and four squadrons marched south to find Kollowrat. After advancing the bulk of his column to the village of Mittbach, Latour sent two battalions and two squadrons to assist Schwarzenberg's attack and three battalions and an artillery battery to help Kollowrat. This left him with only three battalions and six squadrons.[21]

Richepanse's envelopment[edit]

Hohenlinden: Richepanse's march

Like Latour, Riesch's troops had to contend with terrible roads and snow squalls. They fell far behind Kollowrat, reachingAlbachingonly at 9:30 am. Consequently, Richepanse's division passed in front of Riesch. Near the village of St. Christoph, the two Austrian grenadier battalions sent by Kollowrat stumbled upon Richepanse's marching column, cutting his division in half. With single-minded determination, the Frenchman left his rear brigade under General of BrigadeJean-Baptiste Drouetto fight it out and drove to the north with his leading brigade.[22]

With the 8th Line Demi-Brigade and 1st Chasseurs à Cheval leading, Richepanse seized the village ofMaitenbethand advanced to the main highway. There he confronted elements of Feldmarschall-LeutnantPrince Johann of Liechtenstein'scavalry division. Leaving his two advance units to bear the brunt of General-major Christian Wolfskeel'scuirassiercharges, Richepanse wheeled the 48th Line Demi-Brigade west onto the highway. Aware that this route took him directly into Kollowrat's rear area, he formed the demi-brigade's three battalions side by side with skirmishers protecting the flanks. Hearing firing to the east, Weyrother gathered up three Bavarian battalions from Kollowrat's column and sent them to investigate. These units moved to the southeast and became embroiled in the fight with Drouet. Two more Bavarian battalions under General-majorKarl Philipp von Wredenow appeared and blocked Richepanse's path. After a brief fight, the 48th Line overwhelmed Wrede's men and Weyrother fell wounded.[23]

Riesch's patrols told him that two French divisions were in the area. Instead of pushing into the combat raging to his front, he cautiously decided to wait for his stragglers to arrive at Albaching. He then fell into the same error as Latour. Dividing his two powerful divisions under Feldmarschall-LeutnantIgnaz Gyulaiand Feldmarschall-LeutnantMaximilian, Count of Merveldtinto five small columns, he sent each forward on a separate forest trail. Riesch held back three battalions and most of his cavalry as a reserve.[24]

Crisis[edit]

Michel Ney

At 11:00 am, Decaen came up in support of Drouet's brigade near the southern edge of the battlefield. The situation was very fluid, with units blundering into each other in a heavy snowfall. The fresh infusion of French troops finally broke through the opposition. Drouet led his troops north to the highway, where the 8th Line still battled Liechtenstein's cavalry. Spearheaded by the PolishDanube Legion,Decaen turned east to grapple with Riesch. Decaen's men overcame Riesch's small columns one by one and pushed them back to the heights of Albaching.[25]The Austrian managed to hold onto his hilltop position and capture 500 French soldiers while suffering 900 casualties.[26]

Sensing victory, Moreau ordered Grenier's divisions and Grouchy to attack around noon. Undeterred by Latour's weak pressure on his front, Ney swung to his right and began pounding Kollowrat's troops. Pressing his attack, he overran their positions, capturing 1,000 soldiers and ten cannons. Grouchy also returned to the offensive. Hemmed in on three sides by Ney, Grouchy and Richepanse, Kollowrat's column finally disintegrated in a disorderly rout.[25]Archduke John escaped capture on a fast horse, but many of his men were not so lucky and thousands of demoralized Austrians and Bavarians surrendered. In addition, over 60 artillery pieces fell into French hands.[27]

Latour learned of the left center column's fate when its fugitives flooded the nearby woods. Abandoning his position, he retreated to Isen, leaving Kienmayer to fend for himself. When Kienmayer got news of Kollowrat's destruction, he ordered his division commanders to fall back. After a brief fight against Legrand on the north flank, Archduke Ferdinand pulled back with General-majorKarl von Vincent'sdragoonbrigade covering his withdrawal. Legrand reported fewer than 300 casualties while rounding up 500 prisoners and three guns. Thanks to Schwarzenberg's able combat leadership, his division escaped a very tight spot. At one point, a French officer came forward under a flag of truce to demand his surrender, but the Austrian successfully disengaged his command and brought them to safety that evening without the loss of a single cannon.[clarification needed][28]

Aftermath[edit]

Black and white print of a balding man with white hair in a late 18th Century military coat.
Franz Lauer

The Austrians reported losses of 798 killed, 3,687 wounded, and 7,195 prisoners, with 50 cannons and 85artillery caissonscaptured. Bavarian casualties numbered only 24 killed and 90 wounded, but their losses also included 1,754 prisoners, 26 artillery pieces, and 36 caissons. In round numbers, this amounts to 4,600 killed and wounded, plus 8,950 soldiers and 76 guns captured. The French admitted casualties of 1,839 soldiers, one cannon, and two caissons. Since several units failed to turn in reports, Moreau's army probably lost at least 3,000 men. Bastoul was mortally wounded.[29]

After the disaster, theAustrian high commandfound its scapegoat in Lauer who was summarily retired. Archduke John heaped blame on Riesch for being slow, but also considered Latour and Kienmayer at fault. Weyrother escaped censure and in 1805 his plan at theBattle of Austerlitzcontributed to that disaster. BavarianLieutenant GeneralChristian Zweibrücken blamed Austrian ignorance and ineptitude. Apart from Schwarzenberg, the Austrian commanders showed little initiative. Meanwhile, Moreau's division commanders performed well, particularly Richepanse.[30]

Archduke John ordered his demoralized army into a retreat. Moreau pursued slowly until 8 December. Then, in 15 days, his forces advanced 300 km and captured 20,000 Austrians.[31]General of DivisionClaude Lecourbe's Right Wing brushed aside Riesch atRosenheimon 9 December. AtSalzburgon 14 December, the archduke held off Lecourbe in a successful rearguard action.[32]However, in a series of actions atNeumarkt am Wallersee,Frankenmarkt,Schwanenstadt,Vöcklabruck,LambachandKremsmünsterduring the following week, the Austrian army lost cohesion. Richepanse greatly distinguished himself in the pursuit. On 17 December, when Archduke Charles relieved his brother John, the Austrian army was practically a rabble.[33]With French forces 80 km fromVienna,Charles requested an armistice, which Moreau granted on 25 December. The resultingTreaty of Lunévillewas signed in February 1801,[8]which was highly favourable to France. The decisive French victory at Hohenlinden made Moreau a potential rival to Napoleon Bonaparte.[34]

Legacy[edit]

The battle is the subject of a poemHohenlindenbyThomas Campbell(1777–1844). The first verse is:

On Linden, when the sun was low,
All bloodless lay the untrodden snow;
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.
— Thomas Campbell.[35]

The American citiesLinden, Alabama,andLinden, Tennessee,are named in honor of this battle. The former was established to serve as thecounty seatofMarengo County, Alabama.The county's first European settlers were exiled French Bonapartists and many of the settlements they established were named in honor of Napoleonic victories.[36][37][38]

References[edit]

  1. ^Russell F. Weigley (1 April 2004).The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo.Indiana University Press. p. 373.ISBN978-0-253-21707-3.Retrieved23 April2013.
  2. ^Terry Crowdy (18 September 2012).Incomparable: Napoleon's 9th Light Infantry Regiment.Osprey Publishing. p. 175.ISBN978-1-78200-184-3.Retrieved23 April2013.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^Arnold, p 275
  4. ^Arnold, p 277
  5. ^Arnold, p 253
  6. ^abcBodart 1908,p. 357.
  7. ^abcdErnest Picard,Hohenlinden,pp. 235-236
  8. ^abc"Battle of Hohenlinden".Encyclopædia Britannica.
  9. ^abArnold, p 206
  10. ^Rothenberg, p 64
  11. ^abArnold, pp 213–214
  12. ^Arnold, pp 219–221
  13. ^abArnold, p 223
  14. ^Arnold, p 225
  15. ^Smith-Kudrna,Latour-Merlemont.Arnold incorrectly calls this corps commander FZM Maximilian Baillet. It was actually his brother, FML Ludwig Baillet.
  16. ^Ebert,Graf Baillet de Latour-Merlemont
  17. ^Arnold, p 222
  18. ^Arnold pp 229–230
  19. ^Arnold, pp 230–233
  20. ^Arnold, pp 233–234
  21. ^Arnold, p 233
  22. ^Arnold, p 237
  23. ^Arnold, pp 237–243
  24. ^Arnold, p 235
  25. ^abArnold, pp 243–244
  26. ^Arnold, p 248
  27. ^Arnold, p 247
  28. ^Arnold, pp 248–249
  29. ^Arnold, p 253
  30. ^Arnold, pp 253–255
  31. ^Eggenberger, p 193
  32. ^Smith, p 190
  33. ^Smith, pp 190–192
  34. ^Chandler, p 201
  35. ^Campbell, Thomas (1875),"CCXV: Hohenlinden",in Palgrave, Francis T. (ed.),The Golden Treasury: of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language,London: Macmillan
  36. ^Marengo County Heritage Book Committee.The Heritage of Marengo County, Alabama,pages 1–4. Clanton, Alabama: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000.ISBN1-891647-58-X
  37. ^Blaufarb, Rafe (2006).Bonapartists in the Borderlands: French Exiles and Refugees of the Gulf Coast, 1815–1835.Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. pp. 6–10.
  38. ^Smith, Winston (2003).The Peoples City: The Glory and the Grief of an Alabama Town 1850–1874.Demopolis, Alabama: The Marengo County Historical Society. pp. 32–56.OCLC54453654.

Further reading[edit]


External links[edit]

Preceded by
Convention of Alessandria 		French Revolution: Revolutionary campaigns
Battle of Hohenlinden 		Succeeded by
Second League of Armed Neutrality
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