Combat of Schöngrabern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Combat of Schöngrabern |
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| Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Austrian Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Claude Legrand |
Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 11,000 men 24 cannons |
27,000 men (6,000 engaged) 32 cannons |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| unknown | unknown | ||||||
The Combat of Schöngrabern was a small but important battle fought on July 10, 1809. It involved soldiers from the Austrian Empire and the French Empire. The battle was a "rearguard action," which means one army fought to slow down the enemy. This allowed their main army to get away or prepare for a bigger fight.
In this combat, Austrian forces led by Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen faced French troops under General Claude Legrand. The French won the battle, but the Austrians achieved their main goal. They managed to delay the French army enough. This delay stopped the French from joining the main battle at Znaim on July 10.
Why This Battle Happened
This battle was part of the larger War of the Fifth Coalition. The day before, Austrian General Johann von Klenau had successfully slowed down the French at Hollabrunn. After that, Prince Reuss took up a new position near Schöngrabern. His job was to form a "rearguard." This meant he had to hold back the French. His goal was to stop them from reaching Znaim. The main Austrian army was gathering there for a big battle.
Who Was Fighting?
Prince Reuss commanded about 27,000 Austrian soldiers and 32 cannons. However, only about 6,000 of his men were directly involved in the fighting at Schöngrabern. Facing him was the "vanguard" (the leading part) of the French army. This French force was led by General Legrand. He had about 11,000 soldiers and 24 cannons.
The Fight at Schöngrabern
The French commander, Marshal André Masséna, ordered his troops to move forward. They were to push towards Haugsdorf and then on to Znaim. General Legrand's French soldiers advanced as ordered. Around 9:00 AM, they met strong resistance near Schöngrabern village. Prince Reuss had left a smaller group of 6,000 Austrian soldiers there. This group was meant to slow down the French.
A Tough Delay
It took General Legrand some time to capture the village. The Austrian soldiers fought very well. They slowly pulled back while still fighting, which is called a "fighting retreat." We don't know exactly how many soldiers were hurt or killed in this battle. However, it's clear that the Austrians succeeded in their mission.
The fight at Schöngrabern delayed the French advance. Marshal Masséna's troops had to stop at Jetzlsdorf around 8:00 PM. They had been fighting and marching all day. Because of this delay, Masséna's army could not reach the main battle of Znaim until July 11. Prince Reuss also had a tough time holding back the French. He only reached Znaim late on the evening of July 10. Masséna and Reuss would face each other again the next day at Znaim.
