Battle of Linz-Urfahr
The Battle of Linz-Urfahr on 17 May 1809 saw soldiers from the Austrian Empire fighting against troops from two of Emperor Napoleon's allies, the Kingdom of Württemberg and the Kingdom of Saxony. An Austrian corps led by Feldzeugmeister Johann Kollowrat attacked General of Division Dominique Vandamme's Württembergers who held a fortified bridgehead on the north bank of the Danube opposite the city of Linz. As the combat got underway, Saxons led by Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte began reinforcing the defenders. This prompted Kollowrat to order a retreat, which was followed up by Napoleon's German allies.
| Battle of Linz-Urfahr | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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First French Empire K. of Württemberg Kingdom of Saxony | Austrian Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Jean Bernadotte D. Vandamme | Johann Kollowrat | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 10,000–18,000 | 15,000–20,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 391 | 883, 4 guns–891, 6 guns | ||||||
The Austrian commander-in-chief, Generalissimo Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen detached Kollowrat's III Armeekorps from the main army to guard Bohemia. Later, Charles directed his subordinate to threaten Napoleon's long and vulnerable supply line which followed the Danube valley. Accordingly, Kollowrat descended upon the Linz bridgehead, but the presence of a strong defending force thwarted his plans. The action was fought during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Urfahr is part of the modern city of Linz, on the north bank of the Danube.