Battle of Mehrnbach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mehrnbach
Part of the War of the Third Coalition
Marc-Antoine de Beaumont
Date 30 October 1805 Location Mehrnbach, modern-day Austria 48°12′32″N 13°26′11″E / 48.20889°N 13.43639°E / 48.20889; 13.43639 Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Russian Empire Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Marc Antoine de Beaumont	Pyotr Bagration
Casualties and losses
54	hundreds of POWs

The Battle of Mehrnbach, also called the Battle of Ried, happened on October 30, 1805. It was a fight during the War of the Third Coalition. French soldiers, led by Marc Antoine de Beaumont, fought against a group of Austrian and Russian soldiers. These Austrian and Russian troops were protecting the main army as it retreated.

Why the Battle Happened

This battle happened soon after a big event called the Battle of Ulm. In Ulm, many Austrian soldiers had to give up. This opened up the road to Vienna, the capital city. The French army, known as the Grande Armée, could now march straight to Vienna.

French and Bavarian soldiers chased after the Austrian troops. These Austrian troops were led by Michael von Kienmayer. They joined up with Russian soldiers in a town called Braunau am Inn. In Braunau, Maximilian von Merveldt took charge of the Austrian forces. He led them towards Vienna. There were several small battles along the way. These fights were often between the main army and a "rearguard." A rearguard is a small group of soldiers who stay behind. Their job is to protect the main army as it moves away. They fight off anyone chasing them.

The Fight at Mehrnbach

The French soldiers left Braunau and marched towards Ried. At the front of their column were cavalry units. These included the 1st Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval and the 8th and 12th Dragoon Regiments. Chasseurs à Cheval and Dragoons were types of cavalry, or soldiers on horseback.

Alongside the cavalry, there were also French infantry soldiers. These foot soldiers came from Davout's Corps. They included two battalions from the 17th Line Infantry Regiment and two from the 30th Line Infantry Regiment. A battalion is a large group of soldiers, usually hundreds.

Near Mehrnbach, they met an Austrian cavalry unit. These Austrian horsemen were waiting on some high ground. Joachim Murat, a French general, led his cavalry to attack the Austrians. They pushed the Austrian cavalry back. At the same time, an Austrian infantry company gave up to the French. This company was positioned in front of Mehrnbach. A company is a smaller group of soldiers.

The official French newspaper, Moniteur, wrote about this fight. They called it the victorious "battle of Ried." Even though it was a small fight, it was important for the French.

What Happened Next

The Austrian and Russian soldiers could not stop the fast-moving French army. On the same day as the battle, the French took over the city of Ried. They kept marching further west. They soon fought the Austrian and Russian allies again. This next fight happened at Gaspoltshofen.