Eggmühl—Day 1

Napoleon was about to repeat the mistake he had made at Jena. On the evening of the 20th, he ordered Davout to advance, attack and destroy the enemy before him. Meanwhile Napoleon would take the greater part of the army …

1809-04-21

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Napoleon was about to repeat the mistake he had made at Jena. On the evening of the 20th, he ordered Davout to advance, attack and destroy the enemy before him. Meanwhile Napoleon would take the greater part of the army south, toward Landshut, in pursuit of what he believed was the main Austrian Army. In reality, Davout’s corps and German allied formations were again in considerable danger. The gallant French 65th Regiment of line infantry, holding Ratisbon and its vital bridge, was forced to surrender when its ammunition ran out. Archduke Charles now had a secure retreat route if he chose to retreat, or an avenue for two additional corps in Bohemia to join him if he chose to attack – and attacking was what he chose. Davout’s counting skills were undiminished. One of those fresh corps had indeed joined Charles, and Davout properly expressed concern to Napoleon that he was facing more than just the right flank of the Austrian army. Using the wooded countryside, Davout hoped he could secure his flank and hold, but Friant’s division was pushed back. With news that help was on the way, Davout ordered an all out attack in an attempt to pin the Austrians in place. Charles personally led a counter attack and drove the French back into the woods. Believing he had time to finish Davout’s destruction on the morrow, Charles ordered a halt to the attack, forfeiting victory and making defeat virtually inevitable – Napoleon was countermarching with all possible speed.

Eggmühl, Germany

The Battle of Eckmühl, fought on 21 April – 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. Napoleon I had been unprepared for the start of hostilities on 10 April 1809, by the Austrians under the Archduke Charles of Austria and for the first time since assuming the French Imperial Crown had been forced to cede the strategic initiative to an opponent. Thanks to the dogged defense waged by the III Corps, commanded by Marshal Davout, and the Bavarian VII Corps, commanded by Marshal Lefebvre, Napoleon was able to defeat the principal Austrian army and wrest the strategic initiative for the remainder of the war.

Wikipedia: Battle of Eckmühl

French

Austrians

Fifth Coalition