Battle of Linz-Urfahr

Battle of Linz-Urfahr
Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition
Date 17 May 1809 Location Linz, Austrian Empire 48°18′N 14°17′E / 48.300°N 14.283°E / 48.300; 14.283 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
First French Empire K. of Württemberg Kingdom of Saxony	Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
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

War of the Fifth Coalition

200km
125miles

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  current battle

  Napoleon in command

  Napoleon not in command

The Battle of Linz-Urfahr^[1] 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.

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.