field army southwestern campaign valley formed march simple renaming observing austrian movements border french republic commanded general 1st formation army long term strategy undermine influence conversely strengthen french central europe wars despite treaty austria france remained suspicious motives purpose watch austrian border understanding negotiations going instructed cross rhine rhine secure strategic positions southwestern germany present day engage austrian army meantime command secure strategic locations pass upper rhine basin army participated battles battles withdrew suffering heavy losses reorganization elements army combined switzerland withdrew engagement charles superior force early june second battle secure victory december merged background initially rulers europe holy roman emperor viewed revolution france event french king subjects interfere rhetoric grew started view events distrust succeeded saw situation surrounding sister children greater greater alarm revolution grew radical sought avoid war late summer consultation french nobles prussia issued declaration declared interest monarchs europe interests louis family threatened vague consequences happen royal family french republican position increasingly difficult internal economic social problems french agitated abroad support counter revolution restore absolute monarchy chief prince cousin son duke grandson duke base immediately french border sought direct support military intervention royal houses europe raised small army ascension young francis holy roman emperor elect death father july contributed april declared war austria war coalition france ranged european states sharing land water borders plus portugal ottoman_empire coalition forces achieved victories efforts northern italy pushed austrian forces italian austrian border resulted negotiation peace april subsequent treaty october october crossed germany march signatories treaty avoided armed conflict despite agreement primary combatants france austria remained suspicious motives diplomatic incidents undermined agreement french demanded additional territory mentioned treaty reluctance hand designated territories additional ones congress proved transfer territories compensate german princes losses ferdinand naples refused pay tribute france followed general rebellion french suppression subsequent establishment republicans swiss supported french army central government established factors contributed rising tensions way egypt napoleon stopped malta forcibly removed possessions paul russia honorary head order furthermore convinced austrians start war weaker seriously austrians russians english actually discussed possibility purpose formation military planners paris understood northern south western german territories switzerland strategically important defense republic swiss passes commanded access northern italy consequently army held passes troops northern southern theaters quickly river formidable barrier french perceived austrian aggression state controlled crossings controlled river finally control allow france troops italy north_sea point offering immense strategic value end early november arrived near swiss city command called function observe security french border rhine assessed quality disposition forces identified needed supplies manpower found army inadequate assignment army flanking armies switzerland equally short manpower supplies ammunition training documented shortages pointing lengthy correspondence consequences manned supplied army petitions little effect sent significant additional manpower supplies orders army germany secure strategic positions particularly roads western border lake similarly commander acquire strategic positions switzerland particular passes particularly hold central plateau positions prevent allies second coalition moving troops forth northern italian german theaters french access strategic passes ultimately positioning allow french control western roads leading vienna finally complete vienna isolation army sweep north blocking access vienna northern provinces britain crossing rhine march order battle approximately men divisions crossed rhine units crossed took advance guard approximately men general temporary commanded included detached left flank eventually took approximately men general division approximately men general iii division approximately men constituted left flank reserve approximately men army advanced columns division right wing assembled crossed advanced eastward north shore rhine lake crossed led north east mountains column eventually left flank followed rhine division division reserve crossed divided columns iii division traveling reserve artillery horse south valley find forage mountains past established position immediate eastern slope mountains better advised pushed eastward danube plain taking temporary position eventually directed army establish line centered planned engage austrian army commander chief plateau like good plan choice ground created problems later plain streams brooks danube tributary drained marshes swamps spring years best choice ground moderate heights north village establish reasonable artillery positions diminish impact austrian line marsh prone hinder visual planning tactics furthermore ground use cavalry difficult cavalry maneuvers difficult likelihood fog finally major charles army immediately east knew sent agents germany instructions identify location strength enemy kilometers distant passage facilitated available bridges permanent construction temporary traverse friendly territory engagements march engaged major battles southwestern german theater battle march battle war second coalition austrian forces command defeated french forces french suffered significant losses forced retreat region taking new positions spelled second battle march austrian army achieved decisive victory french forces pushed french army west instructed generals positions established base general relegated command army chief staff traveled paris ask better troops ultimately forthcoming request medical leave army reorganized portion placed command merged following reorganization change command army participated months later second battle battle battle called battle occurred march early march pressed forward imperial city nearby village belonging salem goal cut austrian line switzerland preventing coalition use switzerland overland route central southern europe ostensibly armies coalition northern italy germany prevent assisting furthermore french held interior passes switzerland use routes forces theaters battle occurred holy week amid rain dense fog marsh southeast village initially march french able hold village nearby hamlet morning march general later wrote austrian army attacked men disappear cloud referred austrian uniforms evening hours general engagement austrians flanked left wing force pressed heights early morning fog lifted formidable force plains arrangements clear heights withdrew portion right flank cut main force casualties appeared numbers sides austrians fielded significantly larger fighting force nearly stretched line lake french casualties amounted percent force austrian approximately percent french forced march armies engaged time greater losses sides decisive austrian victory battle battle directed french force austrian force respectively attempting rally troops nearly death soldiers barely escaped capture austrians charles personal intervention crucial austrians thick fighting buying time reinforcements arrive french defeated driven rhine general engagement brutal bloody march french left wing launched attack austrian right wing coordinated assaults austrian left ferocious attack forced austrians woods positioned overnight pushed village fearing forces shortly flanked charles directed reinforcements right wing led battalions hungarian fight action killed french case shot main french assault austrian center stalled superior numbers french right flank general attempted push austrians followed attack woods sides road hamlet charge succeeded taking road austrian forces reformed line artillery head wedge bombarded french troops bayonet charge french took hamlet troops hold withdrew night ordered general withdrawal region instructing divisions retreat lines march followed region establishing command post sent cavalry western horses expect find better forage mid austrians control eastern portions newly formed french forces pushed sizable force strong crossed rhine west prepared join armies friedrich baron count switzerland command tried prevent merger austrian forces crossroads sent newly promoted general division stop austrian advance eastern switzerland austrians succeeded uniting army east directly north lay north west french half encircled dangerously exposed morning assembled force columns marched opposite deployed force heights called ring low lying hills kilometers north city overall commander forward line informed send division support understood mean stand entire outpost line isolated small force receive reinforcements division consequently directed weakest brigade command long valley brigade command right preventing austrian flanking maneuver mid morning advanced guard encountered moderate french resistance brigades disposal austrian advance troops quickly overran weaker brigade took possession woods surrounding village securing villages west deployed columns facing french angled french right expected appeared later court withdrew forces main force outskirts day later force united main austrian force battle battle june approximately french austrians clashed plains city left wing battalions infantry plus support artillery squadrons cavalry total men right wing general count commanded battle cost sides general brigade killed french austrian general infantry count killed french died wounded captured austrian killed wounded captured austrians took french positions city captured guns ultimately french general yielded city austrians retreated managed positions force harassed retreat secured river shoreline despite aggressive harassment french retreat charles follow withdrawal established opposite bank threat pursuit main body annoyance russian liaison officer august russian force cavalry infantry joined force vice like operation russians surround smaller army banks taken refuge previous spring divert attack general attacked bridges austrians crossed rhine destroying making rest charles orders arrived imperial body vienna charged conduct war plan charles troops leave supposedly capable hands cross rhine march north charles stalled operation long eventually vienna orders consequently russian troops general replaced austrian troops seasoned commander strategically important city charles withdrew force north rhine marched slowly italy russian horrified heard depended stable austro russian presence switzerland protect flank expected join army september october latest order charles rhine march north eventually time instructions reached gone far return time second battle second battle french regained control city rest switzerland notably surrounded tricked took half army prisoner captured baggage train cannons inflicted casualties fighting took place banks river gates city declared neutral spared general destruction general commanded french forces right bank general left time led small force musket men river men held muskets heads water protected crossing site remainder force baron commander austrian force advanced position near direct defense killed french musket ball successor push french organized retreat region falling losing men guns time arrived early october austrians russians pushed forced lead men alps resulting additional losses organizational command problems french army experienced variety command problems especially early operations southwestern germany defeat army withdrew relinquished command capable staff officer insufficient experience hold varied force retired claimed time arrived command organization discipline divisional generals remained posts arrest pending courts martial failure organize timely cavalry attack disappeared different parts southwest gone france knew gone retired injured withdrawn paris recover strategically remained late november able offer napoleon direct assistance coup acquired attention gratitude school initially army included future commander chief saint joseph defeat army reorganized command shifted future marshal subsequent variations portions merged joint command april june portions strengthen army rhine army rhine subsequently merged november form new enlarged army designated army rhine commanders
Army of the Danube