Battle of Linz-Urfahr

Overview

The Battle of Linz-Urfahr on 17 May 1809 saw soldiers from the Austrian Empire fighting against troops from two of Emperor Napoleon's allies, the Kingdom of Württemberg and the Kingdom of Saxony. An Austrian corps led by Feldzeugmeister Johann Kollowrat attacked General of Division Dominique Vandamme's Württembergers who held a fortified bridgehead on the north bank of the Danube opposite the city of Linz. As the combat got underway, Saxons led by Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte began reinforcing the defenders. This prompted Kollowrat to order a retreat, which was followed up by Napoleon's German allies.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Linz-Urfahr, fought on 17 May 1809 during the War of the Fifth Coalition, centered on control of a fortified bridgehead on the north bank of the Danube opposite Linz — a position of operational value along one of central Europe's principal river corridors. An Austrian corps under Kollowrat moved to dislodge Vandamme's Württemberg troops from that bridgehead, but the timely arrival of Bernadotte's Saxon corps shifted the balance of strength against the attackers. Kollowrat's decision to withdraw rather than press the assault preserved French-allied control of the crossing and demonstrated the practical contribution of Napoleon's German client states to coalition operations in the 1809 campaign.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (5)