Battle of Austerlitz
In December 1804, an Anglo-Swedish agreement set the stage for a new alliance against France. British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger spent 1804 and 1805 in intense diplomatic activity to build this force. By April 1805, Britain and Russia had signed a formal alliance. Austria joined the Coalition a few months later after suffering two recent defeats by France. The Third Coalition aimed to stop French expansion across Europe. Napoleon had assembled an invasion force called the Armée d'Angleterre around six camps at Boulogne in Northern France. This army numbered about 150,000 men and was intended to strike England. Although they never invaded, these troops received careful training that proved invaluable later. Boredom among the troops occasionally set in, but Napoleon paid many visits to boost morale. He conducted lavish parades to keep spirits high while waiting for orders to cross the Channel.
Days before any fighting began, Napoleon gave every indication that his army was weak. He abandoned the dominant Pratzen Heights near Austerlitz to lure the Allies into thinking they faced a pitiful state. On the 25th of November, General Savary was sent to the Allied headquarters at Olmütz to deliver a message expressing desire to avoid battle. When Francis I offered an armistice on the 27th, Napoleon accepted enthusiastically. The next day, he ordered Soult to abandon both Austerlitz and the Pratzen Heights while creating an impression of chaos during retreat. Napoleon requested a personal interview with Alexander I on the 28th of November. He received a visit from the Tsar's most impetuous aide, Prince Peter Dolgorukov. The meeting served as another part of the trap, as Napoleon intentionally expressed anxiety and hesitation to his opponents. Dolgorukov reported additional indications of French weakness back to the Tsar. Many Allied officers strongly supported an immediate attack after these displays. Kutuzov's plan to retreat further to the Carpathian region was rejected by the Russian nobles and Austrian commanders. The Allied forces soon fell directly into Napoleon's carefully constructed psychological trap.
The battle began at about 8 a.m., with the first allied lines attacking the village of Telnitz. This sector witnessed heavy fighting as several ferocious Allied charges evicted the French from the town. The first men of Davout's corps arrived and threw the Allies out before they were attacked again. Meanwhile, the mist that had previously concealed the French position began to clear around 8:45 a.m. Napoleon got a good look at the picture and asked Soult how long it would take for his men to reach the heights. The Marshal replied less than twenty minutes. About fifteen minutes later, Napoleon ordered the attack, adding one sharp blow and the war is over. A dense fog helped cloud the advance of St. Hilaire's division, but as they ascended the slope, the legendary Sun of Austerlitz ripped the mist apart. Russian soldiers and commanders on top of the heights were stunned to see so many French troops coming towards them. Over an hour of fighting destroyed much of this unit. Mikhail Kutuzov commanded the battle at the location of this column. The other men from the second column, primarily inexperienced Austrians, also participated in the struggle. They swung the numbers against one of the best fighting forces in the French army, eventually forcing them to withdraw down the slopes.
The blame for the Allied disaster initially lies with supreme commander Emperor Alexander I of Russia. Together with Austrian chief of staff Franz von Weyrother, they fell into Napoleon's trap at Austerlitz. The Tsar stripped Kutuzov of his authority as Commander-in-Chief and gave it to Weyrother. In the battle, Kutuzov could mainly command the IV Corps of the Allied army. The Allies deployed most of their troops into four columns that would attack the French right flank. This decision left the Allied center and left flank exposed and vulnerable. The young Tsar did not understand the importance of Pratzen Heights like Kutuzov did. He ordered the IV Corps to withdraw from the Heights, which quickly pushed the Allied army into its grave. Buxhowden was completely drunk and fled during the general panic. Kienmayer covered his withdrawal with O'Reilly light cavalry before retreating themselves. Many Russian soldiers drowned in the cold ponds when the ice broke under artillery fire. Estimates suggest dozens of Russian artillery pieces went down with them. The fleeing men were pursued by reinvigorated French cavalry for about a quarter of a mile. Kutuzov was severely wounded while Ferdinand von Tiesenhausen, his son-in-law, was killed.
Allied casualties stood at about 36,000 out of an army of 89,000, representing about 38% of their effective forces. The French lost around 9,000 out of an army of 66,000, or about 13% of their forces. The Allies also lost some 180 guns and about 50 standards. As per more recent data, 186 guns and 45 standards were captured. A famous episode occurred during this retreat when defeated Russian forces withdrew south towards Vienna via frozen Satschan ponds. French artillery pounded towards the men, and the ice was broken by bombardment. The fleeing men drowned in the cold ponds, with estimates ranging between 200 and 2,000 dead. Many drowning Russians were saved by their victorious foes. However, local evidence later made public suggests Napoleon's account may have been exaggerated. On his instructions, the lakes were drained a few days after the battle. Corpses of only two or three men, with some 150 horses, were found. Tsar Alexander I attested to the incident after the wars ended.
France and Austria signed a truce on the 4th of December, and the Treaty of Pressburg took effect 22 days later. This agreement removed Austria from both the war and the Coalition while reinforcing earlier treaties of Campo Formio and Lunéville. The treaty confirmed Austrian loss of lands in Italy and Bavaria to France, and in Germany to Napoleon's German allies. It also imposed an indemnity of 40 million francs on the Habsburgs. The treaty allowed fleeing Russian troops free passage through hostile territories back to their home soil. Victory at Austerlitz permitted creation of the Confederation of the Rhine, a collection of German states intended as buffer zone. These achievements failed to establish lasting peace on the continent. Prussian resistance to France's growing military power led to War of Fourth Coalition in 1806. The Holy Roman Empire was extinguished, 1806 being seen as its final year. Francis dissolved the empire but remained emperor of Austria. Napoleon created the Confederation of the Rhine to serve as buffer between France and Prussia.
In years following the battle, many memorials were set up around affected villages to commemorate individual episodes and thousands of victims. Since 1992, area where Battle of Austerlitz took place has been protected by law as landscape monument zone. Its value lies in historical peculiarities of place, connections of settlements, landscapes, and terrain formations. Area extends to 19 of today's municipalities including Slavkov u Brna and Sokolnice. Near Prace is Cairn of Peace Memorial, claimed to be first peace memorial in Europe. It was designed and built in Art Nouveau style by Josef Fanta in 1910, 1912. World War I postponed monument dedication until 1923. It stands high with four female statues symbolizing France, Austria, Russia, and Moravia. Within is chapel with ossuary. Every year events of Battle of Austerlitz are commemorated in ceremony. Other memorials include Monument to Three Emperors erected at Staré Vinohrady height near Zbýšov in 2005. In Paris, 44-metre-high bronze Colonne Vendôme celebrates Napoleon, initially called Column of Austerlitz.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Battle of Austerlitz take place?
The Battle of Austerlitz took place on the 2nd of December 1805. This engagement occurred during the War of the Third Coalition in which France fought against an alliance including Russia and Austria.
Who commanded the Allied forces at the Battle of Austerlitz?
Emperor Alexander I of Russia served as the supreme commander alongside Austrian chief of staff Franz von Weyrother. Mikhail Kutuzov commanded only the IV Corps after being stripped of his authority by the Tsar.
What were the casualty figures for the Battle of Austerlitz?
Allied casualties stood at about 36,000 out of an army of 89,000 representing approximately 38% of their effective forces. The French lost around 9,000 men from an army of 66,000 or about 13% of their total strength.
Where did the Battle of Austerlitz occur today?
The battle site lies within 19 municipalities including Slavkov u Brna and Sokolnice in the Czech Republic. Since 1992 this area has been protected by law as a landscape monument zone containing historical terrain formations.
How many guns were captured during the Battle of Austerlitz?
Recent data indicates that 186 guns and 45 standards were captured by the French forces. Earlier estimates suggested the Allies lost some 180 guns and about 50 standards during the engagement.