When was the Battle of Eckmühl fought?
The Battle of Eckmühl was fought on the 21st and the 22nd of April 1809, during the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place across terrain between Regensburg and Pfaffenhofen in Bavaria.
Questions about Battle of Eckmühl
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the French forces at the Battle of Eckmühl?
Overall command rested with Napoleon I. Marshal Davout led the III Corps and Marshal Lefebvre commanded the Bavarian VII Corps, the two formations that bore the brunt of the fighting before Napoleon's reinforcements arrived.
What was the significance of the bridge at Regensburg in the Battle of Eckmühl?
Austrian forces captured the bridge at Regensburg on the 20th of April 1809, the same day as the Battle of Abensberg. This gave Archduke Charles a crossing over the Danube, allowing him to reunite his separated forces and plan an envelopment of Davout's corps. It also gave the Austrians a route of escape that Napoleon did not know about.
What were the casualties at the Battle of Eckmühl?
The French inflicted 10,700 casualties on the Austrians while suffering approximately 3,000 of their own. The battle was a clear French tactical victory but not the decisive annihilation Napoleon had sought.
Why did Archduke Charles lose the Battle of Eckmühl despite outnumbering Davout?
Charles's plan to envelop Davout was undermined by two failures. No orders were issued to Count Bellegarde's I Corps of 27,653 men, leaving it unused on the north bank of the Danube. Napoleon also moved his army eighteen miles north in a matter of hours from 2 a.m. on the 22nd, delivering reinforcements faster than Charles anticipated.
What did Napoleon say about the maneuvers at Eckmühl?
Napoleon is reported to have called the series of maneuvers that culminated at Eckmühl the finest he ever conducted. The remark reflects the complexity of pivoting an entire army mid-campaign after losing the strategic initiative at the outset.