Battle of Austerlitz 1805

The Battle of Austerlitz also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire (modern-day Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic). The decisive victory of Napoleon's Grande Armée at Austerlitz brought the War of the Third Coalition to a rapid end, with the Treaty of Pressburg signed by the Austrians later in the month. The battle is often cited as a tactical masterpiece, in the same league as other historic engagements like Cannae or Gaugamela.

Part of the War of the Third Coalition

Date

2 December 1805

Location 

Austerlitz, Moravia, Austria

Coordinates

49°8′N 16°46′E

Result 

French victory

Treaty of Pressburg

Effective end of the Third Coalition

Territorial

changes Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine

Belligerents

 French Empire

 Russian Empire

 Austrian Empire

Combatants

 French Empire

Napoleon I

 Jean-Baptiste Bessières

 Jean Bernadotte

 Louis-Nicolas Davout

 Jean-de-Dieu Soult

 Jean Lannes

 Géraud Duroc

 Joachim Murat

 Russian Empire

 Alexander I

 Mikhail Kutuzov

 Pyotr Bagration

 Konstantin Pavlovich

 Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden

 Mikhail Miloradovich

Austria Empire

 Francis II

 Franz Weyrother

 Johann I

Units involved

 French Empire

Imperial Guard

 I Corps

 III Corps

 IV Corps

 V Corps

 Grenadier Division

 Reserve Cavalry Corps

 Russian Empire

 Russian Imperial Guard

 Advance Guard of the Tsar

 Advance Guard of General von Buxhoeveden

 First Column

 Second Column

 Third Column

 Fourth Column

 Fifth Cavalry Column

Strength

French Empire

65,000–75,000

Russian Empire

84,000–95,000

Casualties and losses

French Empire

1,288 killed

6,991 wounded

573 captured

Russian Empire

16,000 killed and wounded

20,000 captured

Background

 Though fighting in Europe had ended with the Treaty of Amiens in March 1802, many of the signatories remained unhappy with its terms. Increasing tensions saw Britain declare war on France on May 18, 1803. This saw Napoleon revive plans for a cross-channel invasion and he began concentrating forces around Boulogne. Following the French execution of Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien, in March 1804, many of the powers in Europe became increasingly concerned over French intentions.

Later that year, Sweden signed an agreement with Britain opening the door to what would become the Third Coalition. Mounting a relentless diplomatic campaign, Prime Minister William Pitt concluded an alliance with Russia in early 1805. This came about despite British concern over Russia's growing influence in the Baltic. A few months later, Britain and Russia were joined by Austria, which having been twice defeated by the French in recent years, sought to exact revenge.

With threats emerging from Russia and Austria, Napoleon abandoned his ambitions to invade Britain during the summer of 1805 and turned to dealing with these new adversaries. Moving with speed and efficiency, 200,000 French troops departed their camps near Boulogne and began crossing the Rhine along a 160-mile front on September 25. Responding to the threat, Austrian General Karl Mack concentrated his army at the fortress of Ulm in Bavaria. Conducting a brilliant campaign of maneuver, Napoleon swung north and descended on the Austrian rear.

After winning a series of battles, Napoleon captured Mack and 23,000 men at Ulm on October 20. Though the victory was dampened by Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson's triumph at Trafalgar the next day, the Ulm Campaign effectively opened the way to Vienna which fell to French forces in November. To the northeast, a Russian field army under General Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev-Kutusov had gathered and absorbed many of the remaining Austrian units. Moving towards the enemy, Napoleon sought to bring them to battle before his lines of communication were severed or Prussia entered the conflict.

Battle

On December 1, the Russian and Austrian leadership met to decide their next move. While Tsar Alexander I wished to attack the French, Austrian Emperor Francis II and Kutuzov preferred to take a more defensive approach. Under pressure from their senior commanders, it was finally decided that an attack would be made against the French right (southern) flank which would open a path to Vienna. Moving forward, they adopted a plan devised by Austrian Chief of Staff Franz von Weyrother which called for four columns to assault the French right.

Allied (red) and French (blue) deployments at 1800 hours on 1 December 1805

The Allied plan played directly into Napoleon's hands. Anticipating that they would strike at his right, he thinned it to make it more alluring. Believing that this assault would weaken the Allied center, he planned on a massive counterattack in this area to shatter their lines, while Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout's III Corps came up from Vienna to support the right. Positioning Marshal Jean Lannes's V Corps near Santon Hill at the northern end of the line, Napoleon placed General Claude Legrand's men at the southern end, with Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult's IV Corps in the center.

Around 8:00 AM on December 2, the first Allied columns began hitting the French right near the village of Telnitz. Taking the village, they threw the French back across Goldbach Stream. Regrouping, the French effort was reinvigorated by the arrival of Davout's corps. Moving to the attack, they recaptured Telnitz but were driven out by Allied cavalry. Further Allied attacks from the village were halted by French artillery.

Slightly to the north, the next Allied column hit Sokolnitz and was repulsed by its defenders. Bringing in artillery, General Count Louis de Langéron commenced a bombardment and his men succeeded in taking the village, while a third column assaulted the town's castle. Storming forward, the French managed to retake the village but soon lost it again. Fighting around Sokolnitz continued to rage throughout the day.

The decisive attacks on the Allied center by St. Hilaire and Vandamme split the Allied army in two and left the French in a golden tactical position to win the battle.

Around 8:45 AM, believing that the Allied center had been sufficiently weakened, Napoleon summoned Soult to discuss an attack on the enemy lines atop Pratzen Heights. Stating that "One sharp blow and the war is over," he ordered the assault to move forward at 9:00 AM. Advancing through the morning fog, General Louis de Saint-Hilaire's division attacked up the heights. Reinforced with elements from their second and fourth columns, the Allies met the French assault and mounted a fierce defense. This initial French effort was thrown back after bitter fighting. Charging again, Saint-Hilaire's men finally succeeded in capturing the heights at bayonet point.

To their north, General Dominique Vandamme advanced his division against Staré Vinohrady (Old Vineyards). Employing a variety of infantry tactics, the division shattered the defenders and claimed the area. Moving his command post to St. Anthony's Chapel on the Pratzen Heights, Napoleon ordered Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's I Corps into the battle on Vandamme's left.

As the battle raged, the Allies decided to strike Vandamme's position with the Russian Imperial Guards cavalry. Storming forward, they had some success before Napoleon committed his own Heavy Guards cavalry to the fray. As the horsemen battled, General Jean-Baptiste Drouet's division deployed on the flank of the fighting. In addition to providing refuge for the French cavalry, fire from his men and the Guards' horse artillery forced the Russians to retreat from the area.

At the northern end of the battlefield, fighting began as Prince Liechtenstein led Allied cavalry against General François Kellermann's light cavalry. Under heavy pressure, Kellermann fell back behind General Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli's division of Lannes' corps which blocked the Austrian advance. After the arrival of two additional mounted divisions allowed the French to finish off the cavalry, Lannes moved forward against Prince Pyotr Bagration's Russian infantry. After engaging in a hard fight, Lannes forced the Russians to retreat from the battlefield.

Completing the Triumph

To complete the victory, Napoleon turned south where fighting was still raging around Telnitz and Sokolnitz. To drive the enemy from the field, he directed Saint-Hilaire's division and part of Davout's corps to launch a two-pronged attack on Sokolnitz. Enveloping the Allied position, the assault crushed the defenders and forced them to retreat. As their lines began to collapse all along the front, Allied troops started to flee the field. In an attempt to slow the French pursuit General Michael von Kienmayer directed some of his cavalry to form a rearguard. Mounting a desperate defense, they helped cover the Allied withdrawal.

Aftermath

One of Napoleon's greatest victories, Austerlitz effectively ended the War of the Third Coalition. Two days later, with their territory overrun and their armies destroyed, Austria made peace through the Treaty of Pressburg. In addition to territorial concessions, the Austrians were required to pay a war indemnity of 40 million francs. The remains of the Russian army withdrew east, while Napoleon's forces went into camp in southern Germany.

Having taken much of Germany, Napoleon abolished the Holy Roman Empire and established the Confederation of the Rhine as a buffer state between France and Prussia. French losses at Austerlitz numbered 1,288  killed, 6,991 wounded, and 573 captured. Allied casualties were massive and included 16,000 killed and wounded, as well as 20,000 captured.