Battle of Schwarze Lackenau facts for kids

The Battle of Schwarze Lackenau was a small but important fight during the War of the Fifth Coalition. It happened near Vienna on May 13, 1809. The French army tried to cross the Danube River at an island called Schwarze Lackenau, but they didn't succeed. This island was close to the villages of Jedlesee and Floridsdorf.

Why the Battle Happened

After Vienna was captured, Napoleon wanted to cross the Danube River. He needed to fight the main Austrian army, led by Archduke Charles. On May 13, 1809, French soldiers tried to cross to Schwarze Lackenau island. Their goal was to set up a base there. This would help them move more troops across the river later.

The island was about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long. It was between 100 and 500 meters (330 to 1,640 feet) wide. A small channel called the Schwarze Lacke ("Black Water") separated the island from the northern bank of the Danube. A small dam connected the island to the northern shore.

The French Attack Begins

At 2 PM, General Saint-Hilaire sent three companies of French soldiers. They were from the 72nd Ligne regiment. They used boats to reach the island. By 4 PM, these troops had reached the other side of the island. Austrian lookout posts on the northern Danube shore spotted them.

Austrian Response

Colonel von Csollich was the chief of staff for General Hiller. He quickly sent a unit of Austrian Landwehr (a type of local militia) to check out the situation. The first Landwehr company met the French soldiers. The French chased the Austrians back towards a dyke.

Meanwhile, Colonel Csollich ordered the rest of the Landwehr battalion to cross. Their job was to slow down the French. This would give time for regular Austrian army troops to arrive.

The Fight on the Island

Soon, the first regular Austrian troops arrived. These were soldiers from the Kerpen Infantry Regiment (Nr. 49). By this time, the Landwehr units were struggling. The regular Austrian troops managed to hold their ground. They pushed the French 72nd Ligne regiment back. The French fell back towards a hunting lodge on the southern side of the island.

The French managed to hold their position at the lodge. More French troops from the 105th Ligne regiment joined them. Napoleon also placed 26 artillery guns on the southern bank of the Danube. These guns supported the French soldiers on the island.

Austrian Victory

By 7:30 PM, the Austrians launched another attack. Major O’Brien led this attack. His troops used a fence for cover. They managed to get around the side of the French line. This surprise attack broke the French position. The French soldiers on the island were forced to give up. They surrendered to the Austrian troops.

Aftermath of the Battle

The French lost about 700 men in this battle. They had sent about 1,000 soldiers across the river. The Austrians lost about 300 men from the Kerpen regiment. They also lost about 150 Landwehr soldiers.

This attempt at Schwarze Lackenau failed for the French. It also showed the Austrians that this location was weak. So, the Austrians took steps to protect the area better. This battle made Napoleon look for a different place to cross the Danube. His next attempt, about a week later, led to the much larger Battle of Aspern-Essling.