Battle of Ulm
In 1805, the United Kingdom, Austria, Sweden and Russia formed the Third Coalition against France. An Austrian army of 72,000 men under Karl Mack von Leiberich prematurely invaded Bavaria while Russian troops were still marching through Poland. The Austrians expected the main battles to take place in northern Italy rather than Germany. They intended only to protect the Alps from French forces. This strategic miscalculation left their flank exposed when Napoleon moved his forces south.
Napoleon had 177,000 troops at Boulogne ready to invade England. These soldiers marched south on the 27th of August and reached the Rhine by the 24th of September. After crossing the river from Mannheim to Strasbourg, the French army made a gigantic right wheel. Their corps reached the Danube simultaneously facing south. On the 7th of October, Mack learned that Napoleon planned to cross the Danube and march around his right flank. He changed front placing his left at Ulm and his right at Rain but could not stop the advance.
On the 8th of October Franz Xaver von Auffenberg's division was cut to pieces by Joachim Murat's Cavalry Corps and Jean Lannes' V Corps at Wertingen. The following day Mack attempted to cross the Danube and move north. He was defeated in the Battle of Günzburg by Jean-Pierre Firmin Malher's division of Michel Ney's VI Corps. During this action the French seized a bridgehead on the south bank. By the 11th Nicolas Soult's IV Corps reached Landsberg am Lech and turned east to cut off Mack from Tyrol. Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's I Corps and Louis Nicolas Davout's III Corps converged on Munich while Auguste Marmont's II Corps held Augsburg.
By the 16th of October Napoleon had surrounded Mack's entire army at Ulm. Four days later Mack surrendered with 25,000 men, 18 generals, 65 guns, and 40 standards. On the 14th of October Ney crushed Riesch's small corps at Elchingen and chased its survivors back into Ulm. Murat detected Werneck's force and raced in pursuit with his cavalry. Over the next few days Werneck's corps was overwhelmed in actions at Langenau Herbrechtingen Nördlingen and Neresheim. On the 18th of October he surrendered the remainder of his troops. Only Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este and about 1,200 cavalry escaped to Bohemia.
Some 20,000 Austrians escaped while 10,000 were killed or wounded and the rest made prisoner. About 500 French soldiers were killed and 1,000 wounded which was a low number for such a decisive battle. In less than 15 days the French neutralized 60,000 Austrians and 30 generals. At the surrender known as the Convention of Ulm Mack offered his sword and presented himself to Napoleon as the unfortunate General Mack. Mack was court-martialed and sentenced to two years' imprisonment after the campaign concluded.
Napoleon issued a proclamation in the Bulletin de la Grande Armée on the 21st of October 1805 stating that he obtained success with no risk thanks to bad combinations by the enemy. The campaign won without a major battle though it remains an example of strategic victory. Like the Battle of Austerlitz the Ulm Campaign is still taught in military schools worldwide. It influenced future leaders including the Schlieffen Plan developed by Germany to envelope what they assumed would be French-led allied troops during World War I. Historian Dupuy noted the issue was never seriously contested in tactical combat.
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Common questions
Who commanded the Austrian army at the Battle of Ulm in 1805?
Karl Mack von Leiberich commanded an Austrian army of 72,000 men during the campaign. He surrendered his forces to Napoleon on the 20th of October after being surrounded.
When did Napoleon surround the Austrian army at Ulm?
Napoleon had surrounded Mack's entire army by the 16th of October 1805. The surrender took place four days later on the 20th of October.
How many Austrians were captured or killed during the Battle of Ulm?
Some 20,000 Austrians escaped while 10,000 were killed or wounded and the rest made prisoner. Approximately 60,000 Austrians were neutralized within less than 15 days.
What was the result for Karl Mack von Leiberich after the surrender?
Mack offered his sword to Napoleon and presented himself as the unfortunate General Mack. He was court-martialed and sentenced to two years' imprisonment after the campaign concluded.
Why is the Battle of Ulm considered a strategic victory without major battles?
The French neutralized 60,000 Austrians in less than 15 days without engaging in a major battle. Historian Dupuy noted the issue was never seriously contested in tactical combat.