Battle of Ebelsberg

Battle context

At Ebelsberg on 3 May 1809, Masséna's French force drove Johann von Hiller's Austrian left wing from its position on the Traun river, compelling Hiller to withdraw and ceding French control of the crossing. The engagement formed part of the broader French advance during the War of the Fifth Coalition, in which Napoleon's forces pressed into Austrian territory along the Danube corridor. Austrian casualties—ranging as high as 8,340 by some accounts against French losses of up to 6,000—indicate the severity of the fighting relative to the forces engaged. By forcing Hiller's withdrawal, the battle removed a significant blocking force from the French line of advance and secured a river crossing that anchored Austrian defensive hopes in the region.