Battle of Aspern-Essling
On the 10th of April 1809, Austrian troops under Archduke Charles crossed the border into Bavaria. This action began hostilities without a formal declaration of war. The French army was initially taken by surprise during these early days. They managed to defeat the Austrians at Eckmühl and Abensberg shortly after. Ratisbon fell to Napoleon's forces as well. By the 13th of May, Napoleon had entered Vienna itself. Archduke Charles feared his army might be destroyed if he stayed put. He retreated towards Bohemia to regroup his forces. Francis urged Charles to take immediate offensive action given their numerical superiority. Charles argued that remaining on the left bank retained freedom of manoeuvre for his army. Napoleon wanted an early battle but faced potential unrest in his rear. He worried about John's army approaching from Tyrol and Bohemia. Prussian intervention and Russia's shifting position added to his concerns. The French needed to cross the Danube to continue their campaign. A first crossing attempt on the Schwarze Lackenau failed with some 700 French losses. Lobau island became the selected point for the next crossing attempt. Careful preparations were made throughout the night of the 19th to the 20th of May. The French bridged all channels on the right bank to Lobau. Masséna's corps crossed to the left bank and dislodged Austrian outposts. By daybreak on the 21st, 25,000 men stood on the Marchfeld plain.
Archduke Charles commanded a Kaiserlich-Königliche Hauptarmee totaling 99,000 men. This force included 84,000 infantry and 14,250 cavalry supported by 288 guns. Johann von Hiller led the VI Corps as part of the 1st Column. Heinrich Graf von Bellegarde commanded the I Corps within the 2nd Column. Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Hechingen directed the II Corps in the 3rd Column. Prince Franz Seraph of Rosenberg-Orsini led the IV Corps attacking Essling. Prince Johann of Liechtenstein held the reserve cavalry in the center ready to move. Napoleon commanded the Armée d'Allemagne with 77,000 men total. His forces comprised 67,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry backed by 152 guns. Marshal Jean Lannes officially commanded the II Corps but took temporary control of Boudet's division. Masséna led the IV Corps which included divisions under Legrand and Carra Saint-Cyr. Cavalry Reserve Corps was under Bessières with divisions from Nansouty and Saint-Sulpice. The French position stretched between Aspern on the left and Essling on the right. Both villages lay close to the Danube river banks. Molitor's division moved between Aspern and Essling during the overnight redeployment. Bessiéres' cavalry occupied the area between the two villages along a slightly banked east-west road. Lannes defended Essling while Legrand and Carra St. Cyr covered the left flank at Aspern.
Napoleon had not anticipated a significant engagement on the northern bank of the Danube. At 4:00 p.m. on the 21st, he convened a meeting with his senior military officers. They reviewed intelligence that suggested no major Austrian force was nearby. Bessières' advanced cavalry patrols sent back no information about enemy presence. Lannes stated he believed the army would encounter no more than 8,000 Austrians. Only Masséna estimated the enemy might already be nearby in force. At approximately 1:00 p.m., the leading elements of the Austrian 1st Corps drove Molitor's outposts back into Aspern. A low ridge and dust storm hid the attack until the last moment. The French defence held firm despite repeated attacks throughout the afternoon. By 5:00 p.m. the Austrian forces formed a half-circle around Aspern. Archduke Charles ordered a general assault against the village. Aspern changed hands no less than six times during the fighting. Molitor remained determined to hold his position until reinforced by Legrand and Carra St. Cyr. Meanwhile, 7,000 sabers under Bessières engaged in a prolonged battle against Austrian cavalry. The garrison at Essling held its own on the extreme right flank. Rosenberg's 4th Corps effectively attacked Essling from 6:00 p.m. onwards. Lannes successfully repulsed three successive Austrian attacks using Boudet's troops within the town. Just before 7:00 p.m., St. Germain's brigade arrived for Bessiéres' final assault. Darkness brought most combat to a halt except for ongoing engagement at Aspern.
Sporadic fighting continued throughout the night after hostilities ceased earlier that evening. At approximately 5:00 a.m., the Austrian 1st and 5th Corps initiated a new full-scale assault. They attacked the town of Aspern and the nearby wooded area known as Gemeinde-Au under cover of darkness. A thick mist concealed their movements until they were close to French positions. Massena launched a particularly successful counterattack at approximately 7:00 a.m. This resulted in the French recapturing the entirety of Aspern. Dedovich and Rosenberg led columns attacking Essling but failed to gain the upper hand. Napoleon ordered an attack from the center of his position shortly after 7:00 a.m. Saint-Hilaire led on the right while Oudinot followed in the center and left. The Austrians wavered under bombardment but Charles sent reserve grenadier divisions forward. These units halted the French advance completely. Napoleon tried to salvage the situation with cavalry charges under Bessières but they were driven back. Shortly after eight o'clock he learned that the bridge had broken down again. Davout's corps could not cross due to this collapse. When Archduke Charles heard of the new collapse at 10 a.m., he ordered his troops to attack again. Fighting raged on both flanks throughout the morning hours. The first and second Austrian columns attacked Aspern again until artillery drove defenders back. At approximately two in the afternoon, Lannes was struck by a cannonball resulting in a fatal injury. Napoleon withdrew to Lobau at the insistence of his personal guards. Rosenberg's IV Corps forced Boudet out of Essling. General Mouton advanced into Essling but risked isolation by Austrian reinforcements. Rapp advised Mouton to launch a counterattack against the Austrian troops in Essling. The French battalions charged and dispersed the enemy at the point of the bayonet.
The total number of casualties was estimated to be between 20,000 and 23,000 killed and wounded. An additional 3,000 men were captured during the fighting. Among them fell Marshal Jean Lannes, one of Napoleon's ablest field commanders. The Emperor acknowledged only 4,100 killed and wounded in his subsequent bulletin. He characterized the battle as a memorial to the glory and firmness of the French army. This represented the closest admission of defeat he could offer. Austrian losses were comparable with 19,000 killed and wounded though only 700 captured. When Emperor Francis I learnt of this victory, he wrote a letter expressing relief. The victory demonstrated progress made by the Austrian army since defeats in 1800 and 1805. It also showed that Napoleon's army was now capable of being defeated in battle. The loss of Marshal Lannes proved an especially severe blow to Napoleon. He lost one of the few marshals who was capable of independent command. Accounts from Marcellin Marbot described the bloodshed and sadness which came to the Grande Armée after crossing the Danube. Army surgeon Dominique-Jean Larrey mentioned how he fed the wounded at Lobau with bouillon seasoned with gunpowder.
At Aspern-Essling, the Emperor's reputation for invincibility was significantly damaged. This marked the first time Napoleon had been personally defeated in a major battle. It was also his first battle defeat in ten years since the siege of Acre. The Austrians secured their first major victory against the French for over a decade. Archduke Charles drove out the French but fell short of destroying their army entirely. By the 23rd of May, the last French troops had left the north bank of the Danube. Deciding that enough had been achieved, Charles did not pursue the retreating enemy. The decision not to pursue allowed Napoleon to withdraw his army safely back to Lobau. Patrick Rambaud wrote a fictionalized account of the conflict entitled The Battle using many first-hand sources. The novel provides a realistic description of combat in the Napoleonic era. Detailed depictions of famous commanders such as Napoleon, Massena, and Lannes appear throughout the text. Marbot described the amount of bloodshed and sadness which came to the Grande Armée after crossing the Danube. Larrey is quoted describing how he fed wounded soldiers with horse meat bouillon seasoned with gunpowder.
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Common questions
When did the Battle of Aspern-Essling take place?
The Battle of Aspern-Essling took place on the 21st of May 1809. Fighting continued sporadically through the night and resumed at dawn on the same day.
Who commanded the Austrian forces at the Battle of Aspern-Essling?
Archduke Charles commanded the Austrian Kaiserlich-Königliche Hauptarmee totaling 99,000 men during the battle. His force included infantry under Johann von Hiller and Heinrich Graf von Bellegarde along with cavalry reserves held by Prince Johann of Liechtenstein.
How many casualties occurred during the Battle of Aspern-Essling?
Total casualties were estimated to be between 20,000 and 23,000 killed and wounded plus an additional 3,000 captured men. Austrian losses were comparable with 19,000 killed and wounded though only 700 captured.
Why was the Battle of Aspern-Essling significant for Napoleon?
This marked the first time Napoleon had been personally defeated in a major battle since the siege of Acre ten years prior. The loss of Marshal Jean Lannes proved an especially severe blow to his command capabilities.
Where did the main fighting occur during the Battle of Aspern-Essling?
The French position stretched between Aspern on the left and Essling on the right near the Danube river banks. Both villages lay close to the Danube river banks where Molitor's division moved during redeployment.