Battle of Dürenstein order of battle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Dürenstein (or Dürnstein)
Part of the War of the Third Coalition
Battle site, on the curve of the Danube, meant that the combatants at one end could not see what happened at the other.
Date 11 November 1805 Location Dürenstein, Wachau region, Austria Result inconclusive
Belligerents
First French Empire	Austrian Empire Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Édouard Mortier Théodore Maxime Gazan Pierre Dupont de l'Étang	Mikhail Kutuzov Johann Heinrich von Schmitt   † Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich Dmitry Dokhturov
Strength
initially about 6,000–8,000, expanded to 8,000-10,000 by the end of the battle	about 24,000
Casualties and losses
~4,000, plus 47 officers and 895 men captured Two Eagles, a guidon, and five guns.	~4,000 dead and wounded. Two colors of Muskova Regiment Viatka.

The Battle of Dürenstein was a fierce fight during the War of the Third Coalition in 1805. It happened near the town of Dürenstein in Austria. This battle involved the French army, led by General Édouard Mortier, fighting against a combined force of Russian and Austrian troops. Their commander was General Mikhail Kutuzov.

The battle took place on November 11, 1805. It was a very close fight, and neither side truly won. Both armies suffered heavy losses. This battle is a good example of how tricky military plans can be.

What Happened at Dürenstein?

Much of the battle was fought after dark.

The French army was chasing the retreating Austrian forces. General Mortier had spread out his troops too much along the Danube River. This made one of his divisions, led by General Théodore Maxime Gazan, vulnerable.

General Kutuzov, the Russian commander, saw a chance to trap Gazan's division. He lured them into a narrow valley. The French soldiers found themselves attacked from the front and the back by Russian columns. They were stuck in the Danube canyon.

The fighting was very intense and lasted all day. It even continued into the night. Just when things looked bad for the French, another French division arrived. This division was led by General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang. Dupont's troops attacked the Russian column from behind. This helped to save Gazan's trapped soldiers.

Who Won? And What Were the Losses?

After hours of fighting in the dark, both sides finally stopped. The battle was very costly for everyone involved.

The French lost more than a third of their soldiers in Mortier's corps. Gazan's division, which was caught in the trap, lost over 40% of its men. This was a huge blow for the French.

The Austrian and Russian armies also had heavy losses. About 16% of their soldiers were killed or wounded. A very important loss for the Austrians was the death of Johann Heinrich von Schmitt. He was one of their most skilled military leaders.

Because both sides suffered so much and neither truly gained an advantage, the battle is considered inconclusive. This means there was no clear winner.

The Armies Involved

The Battle of Dürenstein involved different parts of the French, Russian, and Austrian armies.

The French Army

The French troops were part of the newly formed VIII Corps. This corps was led by General Édouard Mortier. Their job was to chase the Austrian army and stop the Russian army from joining up with other forces.

Mortier's corps had about 12,000 soldiers. However, not all of them were directly involved in the main fighting at Dürenstein.

The Allied Army

The combined Russian and Austrian forces were called the Allied Army. They were commanded by the Russian General Mikhail Kutuzov. This army was much larger than the French force involved in the battle, with about 24,000 soldiers.

The Allied Army was made up of many different groups of soldiers. These included infantry (foot soldiers), cavalry (soldiers on horseback), and artillery (cannons).

Images for kids

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  Battle site, on the curve of the Danube, meant that the combatants at one end could not see what happened at the other.