battle battle occurred march french austrian armies fought control geographically strategic region present day broader military context battle constitutes campaign southwestern germany wars second coalition french revolutionary wars second battle danube commanded armies met days earlier march fields southeast heights superior strength forced french withdraw french concentrated forces shorter lines creating intense fighting conditions initially charles line extended quickly pulled additional troops reserves strengthen small french force commanded nearly flanked charles personal intervention crucial austrians buying time reinforcements arrive general trying rally men nearly death ultimately french driven rhine river background coalition forces achieved initial victories efforts northern italy pushed austrian forces resulted negotiation peace april subsequent treaty october treaty proved difficult administer austria slow venetian territories congress convened purposes deciding southwestern german states compensate houses territorial losses unable progress supported french republican forces swiss insurgents staged uprisings ultimately causing overthrow months civil war early tactics employed austria uprising naples raised recent gains switzerland suggested timing venture campaign northern italy southwestern germany prelude battle winter broke march general army called crossed rhine crossing officially violated treaty march army renamed orders army met little resistance advanced columns valley southern end forest rhine bank counsel advised establish position eastern slope mountains instead pushed danube plain taking position commander chief army austrian territories eastern force numbered close troops outnumbered french force additional commanded guarded south command count von formed defense austrians reached agreement russia legendary leave retirement assist austria italy troops engagement advanced imperial city upper southern nearby village belonging salem influential wealthy ecclesiastical territory lake objective simple direct cut austrian line border southwestern german states switzerland preventing coalition use switzerland overland route central southern europe isolation theaters prevent austrians assisting furthermore french held interior passes switzerland use routes forces theaters stretching heights village lies flat wide plain places low lying hills small tributary stream village takes lies northern end plain slightly south danube march french forces arrived austrians arrived day later following week additional forces sides arrived armies faced valley french army extended long line division commanded positioned far left flank detached force returning reconnaissance near north shore river commanded positioned slope took position division held southern flank defend charles force set command commanded stood slightly north west late 19th austrian french soldiers outposts hours action growing increasingly intense early hours 21st general informed austrians attacking positions general engagement begin shortly hours fighting austrian forces pushed troops heights blew primary bridge river austrians managed ford stream nearly general forces right flank forces center cut portion southern flank main body troops barely managed pull fully cut finally general von marching north men threatened division south retreat march ordered wounded transported switzerland main army began retreat early morning 22nd reserve division left pulled division pulled northern tip finger lake retreat portion force encircled cut 2nd brigade taken prisoner battle fought junction east west north south roads eastern day long battle pitted armies second time seven days austrians numerical superiority time closer instead consolidated force shorter line direct command charles likewise shortened line caught men approaching austrians left rear march headquarters vicinity recalled far right flank retreated coast northwestern finger lake position close right flank adjacent division wounded unable field commanded left flank considered position felt extended drew concentrate force division camped near 11th century fortress overlooking marshes westernmost point second division advanced guard cavalry division camped heights division camped french called small corps worked position austrian right flank established headquarters plan straightforward simultaneous attack austrian right main force attack austrian center left plan attack points opposition simultaneously reasonable action force numerical superiority center columns included men command field marshal count formed columns approaching north east main force command charles included men columns main force charles command princes plus battalions fourth column north main column south command additional force troops command lieutenant field marshal formed southern flank general engagement general engagement march brutal bloody close opened sending forces attack austrian right coordinated assault austrian left ferocious attack forced austrians woods positioned overnight road village fearing forces flanked charles directed reinforcements general force austrian right squadrons regiment point small corps moved position night march attacked rear forces taken hold woods outside named austrians wood conflict described bloody arrived battalions hungarian squadrons led fight experienced battle hardened objected exposure actually grabbed charles horse stop prepared lead men foot stepped forward volunteer reportedly stating die allowing danger led counter attack hit french case shot killed eventually lead french momentum arrested reversed killed battle progress assault response melee general brigade division lost brother aide camp barely escaped death captured tried rally troops superior number austrians stalled main french assault center french right flank general attempted push austrians followed attack woods sides road columns attacks repulsed finally added column assault resulted austrian reformation line cannons center firing heavy respond run artillery ammunition french fixed charged village successfully taking unable hold night subsequently fell withdrawal evening march arranged abandonment positions withdrawn danube assaults austrian right failed working way west time austrians failed pursue retreating french instead pursuing french charles ordered army far south establishing plan battle forbidden approach rhine switzerland cleared french army charles simply held ground march established set command headquarters cavalry find forage mountains sent aftermath interpretation later claimed austrians lost killed wounded plus prisoners cannons day general engagement french remained field battle meat bread animals forage impossible deny wrote later injustice gained victory sides claimed victory 20th century historians granted austrian force mid april suffering complaint handed command chief staff general division returned paris complain lack men inexperience men supplies size experience supply army face found little sympathy told ill resignation accepted exile years later napoleon analyzed french defeat cause concluded lay division force increased concentration french force extended concentrated force austrians moved troops left reinforce right flank attacked rear furthermore napoleon force french right concentrated sufficiently cavalry assault taken long giving austrians upper hand austrian left halted assault freeing men southern flank reinforce northern importantly austrian line short troops quickly southern flank northern furthermore napoleon argued retreated north northwest protect retreated south join positioned combination combined forces defeat army overall strategy napoleon asserted french defeat jaws victory
Battle of Stockach (1799)