Battle of Wischau

The Battle of Wischau occurred on 28 November 1805 between the Russian and French armies. The conflict resulted in a minor Russian success. It followed the action at Hollabrun and Schöngrabern, and preceded the Battle of Austerlitz. The relatively easy Russian victory convinced the Third Coalition Allies that the French army would be easy to beat, having reached the end of their supply and communication lines and having suffered several losses in previous weeks of fighting.

Battle of Wischau
Part of the War of the Third Coalition
Lasalle, by Antoine-Jean Gros (1808)
Date 28 November 1805 Location Wischau, Moravia, present-day Czech Republic 49°16′39″N 16°59′56″E Result Russian victory
Belligerents
French Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Frédéric Henri Walther Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle	Prince Pyotr Bagration
Strength
1,400	24,000
Casualties and losses
Unclear, Imperial Eagle and Guidon (11th Dragoons)	Unclear

War of the Third Coalition:
Austria

100km
62miles

7

Austerlitz

6

5

4

3

2

1

   

  current battle

  Napoleon in command

  Napoleon not in command

Orders of Battle

French forces

• General of Division Frédéric Henri Walther
  • Division of Reserve Cavalry
• General of Division Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle
  • Division of Lannes' V Corps
    • 6th and 11th Dragoons (4 squadrons each)
    • 9th and 10th Hussar Regiments (4 squadrons each), and
    • 22nd Chasseurs Chevalier (4 squadrons)
    • 12 guns

Total: 20 squadrons, 12 guns, approximately 1400 men.

11th Dragoons lost an Imperial Eagle and a guidon during the fight.

Russian forces

Advanced Guard

• Lieutenant General Bagration commanding
  • Major Generals Dolgoruky, Ulanius, and Tschaplitz
    • 6th Jägers (3 battalions)
    • 9 battalions of the Infantry Regiments Alt-Ingermannland, Archangel, and Pskov
    • Leib Kür Regiment (4 squadrons)
    • Dragoon Regiment Twer (5 squadrons)
    • Dragoon Regiment St. Petersburg (5 squadrons)
    • Hussar Regiment Pavlograd (10 Squadrons
    • Hussar Regiment Mariupol (10 squadrons)
    • Cossacks (8 sotnia)
    • 24 guns

Total: 12 battalions, 35 squadrons, and 8 sotnias, 24 guns, approximately 12,000 men.

Sources

• Digby Smith. The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Databook. London, Greenhill Books, 1998, p. 215.

External links

• Media related to Battle of Wischau at Wikimedia Commons