War of the Third Coalition
Part of Napoleonic Wars
Date 1805 Location Central Europe, Italy, and Trafalgar Result French victory, Treaty of Pressburg
Combatants
Austria Russia United Kingdom Naples and Sicily Portugal Sweden	France Batavia Italy Etruria Spain Bavaria Württemberg
Commanders
Francis II Karl Mack von Leiberich Archduke Charles Alexander I Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov Horatio Nelson†	Napoleon I André Masséna Pierre-Charles Villeneuve

The War of the Third Coalition was a military conflict in 1805 between an alliance of primarily Austria, Russia, and Great Britain against France and its client states under Napoleon I. Major engagements between France, Austria, and Russia, the main participants on land, unfolded over much of Central Europe from August to December. Britain, not involved on the European continent due to fears of an impending French invasion, dealt a crushing blow to a combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in October and secured mastery of the seas. The war, however, was decided on the continent, and the major land operations that sealed the swift French victory involved the Ulm Campaign, a large wheeling maneuver by the Grand Army lasting from late August to mid-October that captured an entire Austrian army, and the Battle of Austerlitz in early December, which led to a decisive French triumph over a combined Russo-Austrian force under Tsar Alexander I. The name First Coalition (1793–1797) designates the first major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ... Combatants Ottoman Empire Great Britain France The Battle of the Pyramids, Louis-François, Baron Lejeune, 1808. ... The name Second Coalition (1798 - 1800) designates the second major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Russian Empire United Kingdom Sweden Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Sicily First French Empire: - Kingdom of Italy - Kingdom of Naples - Kingdom of Holland - Kingdom of Etruria - Confederation of the Rhine - Swiss Confederation - Polish insurgents Kingdom of Spain Commanders Duke of Brunswick Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen Count... Battle between the frigate HMS Tartar and Norwegian gunboats near Bergen in 1808 The Gunboat War (1807-1814) was the naval conflict between Denmark-Norway against the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. ... Combatants Kingdom of Spain, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War or Spanish War of Independence (Guerra de la Independencia Española) was a war in the Iberian Peninsula. ... The Fifth Coalition was an alliance between Austria and Great Britain formed in 1809 to fight Napoleon Bonapartes French Empire. ... Combatants First French Empire Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Naples Duchy of Warsaw Confederation of the Rhine Kingdom of Bavaria Kingdom of Saxony Kingdom of Westphalia Swiss Confederation Austrian Empire Kingdom of Prussia Russian Empire Commanders Napoleon Eugène de Beauharnais Jérôme Bonaparte Jaques MacDonald Prince Schwarzenberg Alexander... Combatants Prussia Russia Austria United Kingdom Sweden Sicily Sardinia French Empire Italy Naples Warsaw Confederation of the Rhine[1] Swiss Confederation Commanders Gebhard von Blücher Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Kutuzov Prince Wittgenstein Prince Schwarzenberg Prince Charles John Napoleon I of France Michel Ney Jozef Antoni Poniatowski Europe... The Hundred Days (French Cent-Jours) or the Waterloo Campaign commonly refers to the period between 20 March 1815, the date on which Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris after his return from Elba, and 8 July 1815, the date of the restoration of King Louis XVIII. The phrase Cent jours... The battle of Cape Finisterre was a naval battle of the War of the Third Coalition in the Napoleonic Wars, fought on 22 July 1805 off Cape Finisterre in northwest Spain between a British fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Robert Calder and a French fleet commanded by Admiral Pierre Charles... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Joachim Murat, Jean Lannes Franz Xavier Auffenberg Strength 12,000 5,500 Casualties >200 killed or wounded 400 killed or wounded 3,000 captured The Battle of Wertingen, fought on October 8, 1805, was part of the War of the 3rd Coalition, which... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Pierre Dupont de lEtang Karl Mack von Lieberich Strength <6,000 25,000 Casualties 1,000 killed or wounded 400 killed, 1,100 wounded, 4,000 captured The Battle of Haslach-Jungingen, fought on October 11, 1805, was part of the War... The Battle of Elchingen was fought on October 14, 1805, between French forces and a small Austrian force. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Mack von Liebereich # Strength 150,000 72,000 Casualties 5,980 dead or wounded 12,000 dead or wounded, 30,000 captured The Ulm Campaign September-October 1805. ... Combatants United Kingdom First French Empire Kingdom of Spain Commanders Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson † Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve Strength 27 ships of the line and 6 others. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders André Masséna Archduke Charles of Austria Strength 37,000 50,000 Casualties about 4,000 killed or wounded about 3,000 killed or wounded, 8,000 captured The Battle of Caldiero took place on October 30, 1805. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Russian Empire Commanders Marshal Murat Jean Lannes Kienmayer Pyotr Bagration Strength Around 10,000 soldiers 6,700 soldiers Casualties Under 1,000 total Russian Empire: 300 K.I.A. or W.I.A. <700 P.O.W. Austrian Empire: 1,000 K.I.A... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland First French Empire Commanders Sir Richard Strachan Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley Strength 4 ships of the line, 2 frigates 4 ships of the line The Battle of Cape Ortegal was fought on 3 November 1805 between a British squadron and a French... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Russian Empire Commanders Édouard Mortier Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov Strength about 8,000 about 24,000 The Battle of Dürenstein (also known as the Battle of Dürrenstein or Battle of Dürnstein) was an engagement in the Napoleonic Wars during the War of... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire, Russian Empire Commanders Joachim Murat Petr Bagration Strength about 20,600 about 7,300 Casualties about 1,200 2,402 The Battle of Schöngrabern (also known as the Battle of Hollabrunn) was an engagement in the Napoleonic Wars during the War of the... Combatants French Empire Russian Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Alexander I Francis II Strength 65,000[1] 73,000[2] Casualties 1,305 dead, 6,940 wounded, 573 captured, 1 standard lost[3] 15,000 dead or wounded, 12,000 captured, 180 guns lost, 50 standards lost[3] War... During Napoleons invasions to Italy,many client (puppet) republics were established. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Central Europe The Alpine Countries and the Visegrád Group (Political map, 2004) Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... Combatants United Kingdom First French Empire Kingdom of Spain Commanders Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson † Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve Strength 27 ships of the line and 6 others. ... Combatants First French Empire, Kingdom of Bavaria Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Mack von Liebereich # Strength 235,000 (including 25,000 Bavarians)[1] 72,000[2] Casualties 2,000[3] 60,000[2] The Ulm Campaign was a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles in 1805, during... La Grande Armée (French for the Great Army or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain and re-deployed it East... Combatants French Empire Russian Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Alexander I Francis II Strength 65,000[1] 73,000[2] Casualties 1,305 dead, 6,940 wounded, 573 captured, 1 standard lost[3] 15,000 dead or wounded, 12,000 captured, 180 guns lost, 50 standards lost[3] War... Aleksandr I Pavlovich (Russian: Александр I Павлович) (December 23, 1777–December 1, 1825?), was Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801-1 December 1825 and Ruler of Poland from 1815–1825, as well as the first Grand Duke of Finland. ...

Austerlitz effectively brought the Third Coalition to an end. On December 26, 1805, Austria and France signed the Treaty of Pressburg, which took the former out of the war, reinforced the earlier treaties of Campo Formio and Lunéville, made Austria cede land to Napoleon's German allies, and imposed an indemnity of 40 million francs on the defeated Habsburgs. Russian troops were allowed to head back to home soil. Victory at Austerlitz also permitted the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine, a collection of German states intended as a buffer zone between France and the rest of Europe. In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist when Holy Roman Emperor Francis II kept Francis I of Austria as his only official title. These achievements, however, did not establish a lasting peace on the continent. Prussian worries about growing French influence in Central Europe sparked the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806. is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Treaty of Pressburg was signed on December 26, 1805 between France and Austria as a consequence of the Austrian defeats by France at Ulm (September 25 - October 20) and Austerlitz (December 2). ... The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on October 17, 1797 (26 Vendémiaire, Year VI of the French Republic) by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Ludwig von Cobenzl as representatives of France and Austria. ... The Treaty of Lunéville was signed on February 9, 1801 between the French Republic and the Holy Roman Empire by Joseph Bonaparte and Louis, Count Cobentzel, respectively. ... Look up Indemnity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... The Confederation of the Rhine in 1812 Capital Frankfurt Political structure Confederation Protector Napoleon I Primate  - 1806-1813 Karl von Dalberg  - 1813 Eugène de Beauharnais Historical era Napoleonic Wars  - Formation 12 July, 1806  - Collapse 19 October, 1813 The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (German: ; French: ) lasted from... World map showing the location of Europe. ... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire around 1630, superimposed over modern European state borders Capital None Language(s) Latin, German, many others Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy Emperor  - 962–967 Otto I  - 973–983 Otto II  - 996–1002 Otto III  - 1014– 1024 Henry II  - 1027–1039 Conrad II  - 1046... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Francis I in Austrian coronation regalia, 1832 Austrian thaler of Francis II, dated 1821. ... Francis II Francis I Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, who may also be referred to as Francis von Habsburg or Emperor Franz I of Austria (February 12, 1768 - March 2, 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until August 6, 1806, when the Empire was disbanded. ... Anthem Preußenlied, Heil dir im Siegerkranz (both unofficial) The Kingdom of Prussia at its greatest extent, at the time of the formation of the German Empire, 1871 Capital Berlin Government Monarchy King  - 1701 — 1713 Frederick I (first)  - 1888 — 1918 William II (last) Prime minister  - 1848 Adolf Heinrich von Arnim... Central Europe The Alpine Countries and the Visegrád Group (Political map, 2004) Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Russian Empire United Kingdom Sweden Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Sicily First French Empire: - Kingdom of Italy - Kingdom of Naples - Kingdom of Holland - Kingdom of Etruria - Confederation of the Rhine - Swiss Confederation - Polish insurgents Kingdom of Spain Commanders Duke of Brunswick Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen Count...

Prelude

Europe had been embroiled in the French Revolutionary Wars since 1792. After five years of war, the French Republic subdued the First Coalition in 1797. A Second Coalition was formed in 1798, but this too was defeated by 1801, leaving Britain the only opponent of the new French Consulate. Combatants Great Britain Austria Prussia Spain[1] Russia Sardinia Ottoman Empire Portugal Dutch Republic[2] France The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states. ... The name First Coalition (1793–1797) designates the first major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ... The name Second Coalition (1798 - 1800) designates the second major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

From Amiens to the Third Coalition

In March 1802, France and Britain agreed to end hostilities under the Treaty of Amiens. For the first time in ten years, all of Europe was at peace. However, many problems persisted between the two sides, making implementation of the treaty increasingly difficult. The British government resented having to turn over all colonial conquests since 1793. Napoleon was angry that British troops had not evacuated the island of Malta.^[1] The tense situation only worsened when Napoleon sent an expeditionary force to crush the Haitian Revolution.^[2] In May 1803, Britain declared war on France. The Treaty of Amiens was signed on March 25, 1802 (Germinal 4, year X in the French Revolutionary Calendar) by Joseph Bonaparte and the Marquis Cornwallis as a Definitive Treaty of Peace between France and the United Kingdom. ... Combatants Haiti France Commanders Toussaint LOuverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines Charles Leclerc, vicomte de Rochambeau, Napoleon Bonaparte Strength Regular army: <55,000, Volunteers: <100,000 Regular army: 60,000, 86 warships and frigates Casualties Military deaths: unknown, Civilian deaths: <100,000 Military deaths: 57,000 (37,000 combat; 20,000...

In December 1804, an Anglo-Swedish agreement led to the creation of the Third Coalition. British Prime Minister William Pitt spent 1804 and 1805 in a flurry of diplomatic activity geared towards forming a new coalition against France. Mutual suspicion between the British and the Russians eased in the face of several French political mistakes, and by April of 1805 the two had signed a treaty of alliance.^[3] Having been defeated twice in recent memory by France and keen on revenge, Austria also joined the coalition a few months later.^[4] The First War against Napoleon or the Pomeranian War, was the first involvement by Sweden in the Napoleonic Wars. ... William Pitt the Younger (28 May 1759 – 23 January 1806) was a British politician of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. ...

La Grande Armée at Boulogne

Prior to the formation of the Third Coalition, Napoleon had assembled the Army of England, an invasion force meant to strike at the British Isles, around six camps at Boulogne in Northern France. Although they never set foot on British soil, Napoleon's troops received careful and invaluable training for any possible military operation. Boredom among the troops occasionally set in, but Napoleon paid many visits and conducted lavish parades in order to boost morale.^[5] This article describes the archipelago in north-Western Europe. ... Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city and commune in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais département of which it is a sous-préfecture. ...

The men at Boulogne formed the core for what Napoleon would later call La Grande Armée (English: The Great Army). At the start, this French army had about 200,000 men organized into seven corps, which were large field units containing about 36 to 40 cannon each and capable of independent action until other corps could arrive to the rescue.^[6] On top of these forces, Napoleon created a cavalry reserve of 22,000 organized into two cuirassier divisions, four mounted dragoon divisions, and two divisions of dismounted dragoons and light cavalry, all supported by 24 artillery pieces.^[6] By 1805, the Grande Armée had grown to a force of 350,000,^[7] was well equipped, well trained, and possessed a competent officer class. La Grande Armée (French for the Great Army or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain and re-deployed it East... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A corps (plural same as singular; a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: (cor), but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or... Not to be confused with Canon. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... French cuirassier armour, 1854 Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... French dragoon, 1745. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...

Russian and Austrian armies

The Russian army in 1805 had many characteristics of ancien régime organization: there was no permanent formation above the regimental level, senior officers were largely recruited from aristocratic circles, and the Russian soldier, in line with 18th century practice, was regularly beaten and punished to instill discipline. Furthermore, many lower-level officers were poorly trained and had difficulty getting their men to perform the sometimes complex manoeuvres required in a battle. Nevertheless, the Russians did have a fine artillery arm manned by soldiers who regularly fought hard to prevent their pieces from falling into enemy hands.^[8] Ancien Régime, a French term meaning Former Regime, but rendered in English as Old Rule, Old Order, or simply Old Regime, refers primarily to the aristocratic social and political system established in France under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties. ... British regiment A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - commanded by a colonel. ...

Archduke Charles, brother of the Austrian Emperor, had started to reform the Austrian army in 1801 by taking away power from the Hofkriegsrat, the military-political council responsible for decision-making in the Austrian armed forces.^[9] Charles was Austria's best field commander,^[10] but he was unpopular with the royal court and lost much influence when, against his advice, Austria decided to go to war with France. Karl Mack became the new main commander in Austria's army, instituting reforms on the infantry on the eve of war that called for a regiment to be composed of four battalions of four companies rather than the older three battalions of six companies. The sudden change came with no corresponding officer training, and as a result these new units were not led as well as they could have been.^[11] Austrian cavalry forces were regarded as the best in Europe, but the detachment of many cavalry units to various infantry formations precluded the hitting power of their massed French counterparts.^[11] Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen (de: Erzherzog Karl von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen, also known as Karl von Österreich-Teschen) (September 5, 1771–April 30, 1847) was a son of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (1747–1792) and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain (1745–1792). ... Karl Mack (1752—1828) was an Austrian general during the Napoleonic Wars. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of between two and six companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. ... Standard NATO code for a friendly infantry company. ...

Ulm Campaign

European strategic situation in 1805 before the start of the Ulm Campaign and the war.

In August 1805, Napoleon, Emperor of the French since May of the previous year, turned his army's sights from the English Channel to the Rhine in order to deal with the new Austrian and Russian threats. The War of the Third Coalition began with the Ulm Campaign, a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles designed to outflank an Austrian army under General Mack. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1260x970, 202 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Napoleonic Wars Third Coalition Ulm Campaign ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1260x970, 202 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Napoleonic Wars Third Coalition Ulm Campaign ... It has been suggested that Regents: France and French States be merged into this article or section. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: , the sleeve) is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... The Rhine canyon (Ruinaulta) in Graubünden in Switzerland Length 1. ... Combatants First French Empire, Kingdom of Bavaria Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Mack von Liebereich # Strength 235,000 (including 25,000 Bavarians)[1] 72,000[2] Casualties 2,000[3] 60,000[2] The Ulm Campaign was a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles in 1805, during... The Free State of Bavaria (German: Bayern or Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ...

Austrian plans and preparations

General Mack thought that Austrian security relied on sealing off the gaps through the mountainous Black Forest area in Southern Germany that had witnessed much fighting during the campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars. Mack believed that there would be no action in Central Germany. Mack decided to make the city of Ulm the centerpiece of his defensive strategy, which called for a containment of the French until the Russians under Kutuzov could arrive and alter the odds against Napoleon. Ulm was protected by the heavily fortified Michelsberg heights, giving Mack the impression that the city was virtually impregnable from outside attack.^[12] A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ...

Fatally, the Aulic Council decided to make Northern Italy the main theater of operations for the Habsburgs. Archduke Charles was assigned 95,000 troops and directed to cross the Adige River with Mantua, Peschiera, and Milan as the initial objectives.^[13] Archduke John was given 23,000 troops and commanded to secure Tyrol while serving as a link between his brothers, Charles and Ferdinand; the latter's force of 72,000 was effectively controlled by Mack.^[13] The Austrians also detached individual corps to serve with the Swedish in Pomerania and the British in Naples, though these were designed to obfuscate the French and divert their resources. Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen (de: Erzherzog Karl von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen, also known as Karl von Österreich-Teschen) (September 5, 1771–April 30, 1847) was a son of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (1747–1792) and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain (1745–1792). ... Adige (Italian; Etsch in German) is a river with its source in the region of South Tyrol / Alto Adige. ... Mantua (in Italian Mantova, in the local dialect of Emiliano-Romagnolo language Mantua) is an important city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... There are communes that have the name Peschiera (from Italian pesce meaning fish) in Italy: Peschiera Borromeo, in the province of Milano Peschiera del Garda, in the province of Verona This is a disambiguation page &#8212; a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ... Archduke Johann (or John) of Austria (January 20, 1782 - May 11, 1859) was the 13th child of Grand Duke Leopold of Tuscany, who later became Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor. ... Coat of arms of Tyrol: *[1] The Tyrol is a historical region in Western Central Europe, which includes the Austrian state of Tyrol (consisting of North Tyrol and East Tyrol) and the Italian regions known as the South Tyrol and Trentino. ... Archduke Ferdinand Karl Anton Joseph Johann Stanislaus of Austria-Este (1 June 1754-24 December 1806), was the fourth son and fourteenth child of Franz I and Maria Theresa, became heir to the Duchies of Modena and Reggio through his marriage on 15 October 1771 to Beatrice dEste, the... Swedish Pomerania (Swedish: Svenska Pommern) was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from the 17th to the 19th century, situated on the German Baltic Sea coast. ... For other uses see, Naples (disambiguation) and Napoli (disambiguation) Location of the city of Naples (red dot) within Italy. ...

French plans and preparations

The French concentrated around the Rhine from early to mid-September. 210,000 troops of the Grande Armée prepared to cross into Germany and encircle the Austrians.

In both the campaigns of 1796 and 1800, Napoleon had envisaged the Danube theater as the central focus of French efforts, but in both instances the Italian theater became the most important. The Aulic Council thought Napoleon would strike in Italy again. Napoleon had other intentions: 210,000 French troops would be launched eastwards from the camps of Boulogne and would envelop General Mack's exposed Austrian army if it kept marching towards the Black Forest.^[14] Meanwhile, Marshal Murat would conduct cavalry screens across the Black Forest to fool the Austrians into thinking that the French were advancing on a direct west-east axis. The main attack in Germany would be supported by French assaults in other theaters: Masséna would confront Charles in Italy with 50,000 men, St. Cyr would march to Naples with 20,000 men, and Brune would patrol Boulogne with 30,000 troops against a possible British invasion.^[15] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 236 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 236 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... It has been suggested that River Rhine Pollution: November 1986 be merged into this article or section. ... La Grande Armée (in English, the Big or Grand Army) is the French military term for the main force in a military campaign. ... Joachim Murat, King of Naples, Marshal of France. ... André Masséna, duc de Rivoli, prince dEssling, maréchal dEmpire. ... Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, Marshal of France Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (April 13, 1764 – March 17, 1830) was a French marshal. ... Lithograph of Guillaume Marie Anne Brune by Delpech Guillaume Marie Anne Brune (March 13, 1763 – August 2, 1815) was a marshal of France. ...

Murat and Bertrand conducted reconnaissance between the area bordering the Tyrol and the Main as Savary, chief of the planning staff, drew up detailed road surveys of the areas between the Rhine and the Danube.^[15] The left wing of the Grande Armée would move from Hanover and Utrecht to fall on Württemberg; the right and center, troops from the Channel coast, would concentrate along the Middle Rhine around cities like Mannheim and Strasbourg.^[15] While Murat was making demonstrations across the Black Forest, other French forces would then invade the German heartland and swing towards the southeast by capturing Augsburg, a move that was supposed to isolate Mack and interrupt the Austrian lines of communication.^[15] Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand (March 28, 1773 - January 31, 1844), French general, was born at Châteauroux as a member of a well to do bourgeois family. ... Map showing the position of the Main in Germany The Main (pronounced in German like the English word mine) is a river in Germany, 524 km long (including White Main 574 km), and one of the more significant tributaries of the Rhine river. ... Anne Jean Marie René Savary, duke of Rovigo (April 26, 1774 - June, 1833), French general and diplomatist, was born at Marcq in the Ardennes. ... , Hanover(i) (German: , IPA: ), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. ... Utrecht ( (help· info)) is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... Arms of the Kingdom of Württemberg The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Wuerttemberg. ... St. ... Mannheim is a city in Germany. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... Augsburg is a city in south-central Germany. ...

The French invasion

The French invasion in late September and early October caught the Austrians unprepared and severed their lines of communication.

On September 22, Mack decided to hold the Iller line anchored on Ulm. In the last three days of September, the French began the furious marches that would find them at the Austrian rear. Mack believed that the French would not violate Prussian territory, but when he heard that Bernadotte's I Corps had marched through Prussian Ansbach, he made the critical decision to stay and defend Ulm rather than retreat to the south, which would have offered a reasonable opportunity at saving the bulk of his forces.^[16] Napoleon had little accurate information about Mack's intentions or maneuvers; he knew that Kienmayer's Corps was sent to Ingolstadt east of the French positions, but his agents greatly exaggerated its size.^[17] On October 5, Napoleon ordered Ney to join Lannes, Soult, and Murat in concentrating and crossing the Danube at Donauwörth.^[18] The French encirclement, however, was not deep enough to prevent Kienmayer's escape: the French corps did not all arrive at the same place – they instead deployed on a long west-east axis – and the early arrival of Soult and Davout at Donauwörth incited Kienmayer to exercise caution and evasion.^[18] Napoleon gradually became more convinced that the Austrians were massed at Ulm and ordered sizeable portions of the French army to concentrate around Donauwörth; on October 6, three French infantry and cavalry corps headed to Donauwörth to seal off Mack's escape route.^[19] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 244 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 244 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... The Iller (ancient name Hilaria) is a river in Bavaria, Germany. ... Charles XIV John (Swedish: Carl XIV Johan), born Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (January 26, 1763 – March 8, 1844) was King of Sweden and Norway (where he was known as Karl III Johan) from 1818 until his death. ... Ansbach, or Anspach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. ... Ingolstadt (Austro-Bavarian: InglstÃ¥dt) is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. ... Michel Ney, Marshal of France. ... Marshal of France Jean Lannes by Jean Charles Nicaise Perrin Jean Lannes, Duke of Montebello (April 11, 1769 – May 31, 1809), Marshal of France, was born at Lectoure, Gers. ... Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie (March 29, 1769 – November 26, 1851) was a French general and statesman, named Marshal of France in 1804. ... Known as Nordschwabens freundliche Mitte (North Swabias Friendly Center), Donauwörth is a city in the German State of Bavaria (Bayern), in the region of Swabia (Schwabenland). ...

Battles of Ulm

October 7–10, 1805

The strategic situation from October 7 to October 9. With Kutuzov too far away to offer significant aid, the Austrians found themselves in a precarious position.

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Wertingen.

Realizing the danger of his position, Mack decided to go on the offensive. On October 8, he commanded the army to concentrate around Günzburg and hoped to strike at Napoleon's lines of communication. Mack instructed Kienmayer to draw Napoleon further east towards Munich and Augsburg. Napoleon did not seriously consider the possibility that Mack would cross the Danube and move away from his central base, but he did realize that seizing the bridges at Günzburg would yield a large strategic advantage.^[20] To accomplish this objective, Napoleon sent Ney's Corps to Günzburg, completely unaware that the bulk of the Austrian army was heading to the same destination. On October 8, however, the campaign witnessed its first serious battle at Wertingen between Auffenburg's troops and those of Murat and Lannes. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 242 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 242 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: The Department of History, United States Military Academy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Mikhail Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (Russian: ) (September 16, 1745 – April 28, 1813 (n. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Joachim Murat, Jean Lannes Franz Xavier Auffenberg Strength 12,000 5,500 Casualties >200 killed or wounded 400 killed or wounded 3,000 captured The Battle of Wertingen, fought on October 8, 1805, was part of the War of the 3rd Coalition, which... For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Wertingen is a town in the district of Dillingen in Bavaria, Germany. ...

For reasons not entirely clear, Mack ordered Auffenburg on October 7 to take his division of 5,000 infantry and 400 cavalry from Günzburg to Wertingen in preparation for the main Austrian advance out of Ulm.^[20] Uncertain of what to do and having little hope for reinforcements, Auffenburg was in a dangerous position. The first French forces to arrive were Murat's cavalry divisions – Klein's 1st Dragoons, Beaumont 3rd Dragoons, and Nansouty's cuirassiers. They began to assault the Austrian positions and were soon joined by Oudinot's grenadiers, who were hoping to outflank the Austrians from the north and west. Auffenburg attempted a retreat to the southwest, but he was not quick enough: the Austrians were decimated, losing nearly their entire force, 1,000 to 2,000 of which were prisoners.^[21] The Battle of Wertingen had been an easy French victory. French cuirassier armour, 1854 Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. ... Nicolas Charles Oudinot (April 25, 1767 - September 13, 1847), duke of Reggio, was a marshal of France. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Joachim Murat, Jean Lannes Franz Xavier Auffenberg Strength 12,000 5,500 Casualties >200 killed or wounded 400 killed or wounded 3,000 captured The Battle of Wertingen, fought on October 8, 1805, was part of the War of the 3rd Coalition, which...

The actions at Wertingen convinced Mack to operate on the left bank of the Danube instead of making a direct eastwards retreat on the right bank. This would require the Austrian army to cross at Günzburg. On October 8, Ney was operating under Berthier's directions that called for a direct attack on Ulm the following day. Ney sent in Mahler's 3rd Division to capture the Günzburg bridges over the Danube. A column of this division ran into some Tyrolean jaegers and captured 200 of them, including their commander General d'Apsré, along with two cannons.^[22] The Austrians noticed these developments and reinforced their positions around Günzburg with three infantry battalions and 20 cannons.^[22] Malher's division conducted several heroic attacks against the Austrian positions, but all failed. Mack then sent in Gyulai with seven infantry battalions and fourteen cavalry squadrons to repair the destroyed bridges, but this force was charged and swept away by the delayed French 59th Infantry Regiment.^[23] Fierce fighting ensued and the French finally managed to establish a foothold on the right bank of the Danube. While the Battle of Günzburg was being fought, Ney sent General Loison's 2nd Division to capture the Danube bridges at Elchingen, which were lightly defended by the Austrians. Having lost most of the Danube bridges, Mack marched his army back to Ulm. By October 10, Ney's corps had made significant progress: Malher's division had crossed to the right bank, Loison's division held Elchingen, and Dupont's division was heading towards Ulm. Louis Alexandre Berthier, Marshal of France Louis Alexandre Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel (February 20, 1753 – June 1, 1815), marshal of France, Vice-Constable of France beginning in 1808, and chief of staff under Napoleon, was born at Versailles. ... Elchingen is a municipality about 7 km east of Ulm/Neu-Ulm in the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria, Germany Municipality parts: Thalfingen: 4. ... Pierre-Antoine, comte Dupont de lÉtang (1765-1840) was a French general of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as well as a political figure of the Bourbon Restoration. ...

October 11–14, 1805

The strategic situation from October 11 to October 14. The French hurl themselves westwards to capture the Austrian army.

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Haslach-Jungingen.

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Elchingen.

The demoralized Austrian army arrived at Ulm in the early hours of October 10. Mack was deliberating about a course of action to pursue and the Austrian army remained inactive at Ulm until the 11th. Meanwhile, Napoleon was operating under flawed assumptions: he believed the Austrians were moving to the east or southeast and that Ulm was lightly guarded. Ney sensed this misapprehension and wrote to Berthier that Ulm was, in fact, more heavily defended than the French originally thought.^[24] During this time, the Russian threat to the east began to preoccupy Napoleon so much that Murat was given command of the right wing of the army, consisting of Ney's and Lannes's corps.^[25] The French were separated in two massive rings at this point: the forces of Ney, Lannes, and Murat to the west were containing Mack while those of Soult, Davout, Bernadotte, and Marmont to the east were charged with guarding against any possible Russian and Austrian incursions. On October 11, Ney made a renewed push on Ulm; the 2nd and 3rd divisions were to march to the city along the right bank of the Danube while Dupont's division, supported by one dragoons division, was to march directly for Ulm and seize the entire city. The orders were hopeless because Ney still did not know that the entire Austrian army was stationed at Ulm. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 249 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: [http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 779 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1260 × 970 pixel, file size: 249 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author and Source: [http://www. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Pierre Dupont de lEtang Karl Mack von Lieberich Strength <6,000 25,000 Casualties 1,000 killed or wounded 400 killed, 1,100 wounded, 4,000 captured The Battle of Haslach-Jungingen, fought on October 11, 1805, was part of the War... The Battle of Elchingen was fought on October 14, 1805, between French forces and a small Austrian force. ... Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Marshal of France. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 32nd Infantry Regiment in Dupont's division marched from Haslach towards Ulm and ran into four Austrian regiments holding Bolfingen. The 32nd carried out several ferocious attacks, but the Austrians held firm and repulsed every single one of them. The Austrians flooded the battle with more cavalry and infantry regiments to Jungingen hoping to score a knockout blow against Ney's corps by enveloping Dupont's force. Dupont sensed what was happening and preempted the Austrians by launching a surprise attack on Jungingen that captured at least 1,000 prisoners.^[24] Renewed Austrian attacks drove these forces back to Haslach, which the French managed to hold. Dupont was eventually forced to fall back on Albeck, where he joined d'Hilliers's troops. The effects of the Battle of Haslach-Jungingen on Napoleon's plans are not fully clear, but the Emperor may have finally ascertained that the majority of the Austrian army was concentrated at Ulm.^[26] Accordingly, Napoleon sent the corps of Soult and Marmont towards the Iller, meaning he now had four infantry and one cavalry corps to deal with Mack; Davout, Bernadotte, and the Bavarians were still guarding the region around Munich.^[26] Napoleon did not intend to fight a battle across rivers and ordered his marshals to capture the important bridges around Ulm. He also began shifting his forces to the north of Ulm because he expected a battle in that region rather than an encirclement of the city itself.^[27] These dispositions and actions would lead to a confrontation at Elchingen on the 14th as Ney's forces advanced on Albeck. Haslach is a small city in south-west Germany, in the district Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. ... Jungingen is a ditrict of Ulm in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg with a population around 3,200. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Pierre Dupont de lEtang Karl Mack von Lieberich Strength <6,000 25,000 Casualties 1,000 killed or wounded 400 killed, 1,100 wounded, 4,000 captured The Battle of Haslach-Jungingen, fought on October 11, 1805, was part of the War...

At this point in the campaign, the Austrian command staff was in full confusion. Ferdinand began to openly oppose Mack's command style and decisions, charging that the latter spent his days writing contradictory orders that left the Austrian army marching back and forth.^[28] On October 13, Mack sent two columns out of Ulm in preparation for a breakout to the north: one under General Reisch headed towards Elchingen to secure the bridge there and the other under Werneck went north with most of the heavy artillery.^[29] Ney hurried his corps forward to reestablish contact with Dupont. Ney led his troops to the south of Elchingen on the right bank of the Danube and began the attack. The field to the side was a partially wooded flood plain, rising steeply to the hill town of Elchingen, which had a wide field of view.^[30] The French cleared the Austrian pickets and a regiment boldly attacked and captured the abbey at the top of the hill at bayonet point. The Austrian cavalry was also defeated and Riesch's infantry fled; Ney was given the title "Duke of Elchingen" for his impressive victory.^[30]

Endgame

Marshal Murat proved instrumental during the Ulm Campaign.

For more details on this topic, see Battle of Ulm.

Other actions took place on the 14th. Murat's forces joined Dupont at Albeck just in time to drive off an Austrian attack from Werneck; together Murat and Dupont beat the Austrians to the north in the direction of Heidenheim. By night on the 14th, two French corps were stationed in the vicinity of the Austrian encampments at Michelsberg, right outside of Ulm.^[31] Mack was now in a dangerous situation: there was no longer any hope of escaping along the north bank, Marmont and the Imperial Guard were hovering at the outskirts of Ulm to the south of the river, and Soult was moving from Memmingen to prevent the Austrians escaping south to the Tyrol.^[31] Troubles continued with the Austrian command as Ferdinand overrode the objections of Mack and ordered the evacuation of all cavalry from Ulm, a total of 6,000 troopers.^[32] Murat's pursuit was so effective, however, that only eleven squadrons joined Werneck at Heidenheim.^[32] Murat continued his harassment of Werneck and forced him to surrender with 8,000 men at Trochtelfingten on October 19; Murat also took an entire Austrian field park of 500 vehicles, then swept on towards Neustadt and captured 12,000 Austrians.^[32] Joachim Murat This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Joachim Murat This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Joachim Murat, King of Naples, Marshal of France. ... Combatants First French Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Mack von Liebereich # Strength 150,000 72,000 Casualties 5,980 dead or wounded 12,000 dead or wounded, 30,000 captured The Ulm Campaign September-October 1805. ... The Imperial Guard (French:Garde impériale) was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. ... Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region Swabia in Germany. ... Titisee-Neustadt is a city in southwest Baden-Württemberg, in the Freiburg administrative region. ...

Events at Ulm were now reaching a conclusion. On October 15, Ney's troops successfully charged the Michelsberg encampments and on the 16th the French began to bombard Ulm itself. Austrian morale was at a low point and Mack began to realize that there was little hope of rescue. On October 17, Napoleon's emissary, Ségur, signed a convention with Mack in which the Austrians agreed to surrender on October 25 if no aid came by that date.^[32] Gradually, however, Mack heard of the capitulations at Heidenheim and Neresheim and agreed to surrender five days before schedule on October 20. 10,000 troops from the Austrian garrison managed to escape, but the vast majority of the Austrian force marched out on the 21st and laid down their arms without incident, all with the Grande Armée drawn up in a vast