Battle of Gotthard Pass

Battles at the Saint-Gotthard
Part of Suvorov's Swiss campaign in the war of the Second Coalition

Suvorov's army crosses St. Gotthard Pass in 1799 by Alexander Kotzebue
Date23–27 September 1799
(O.S. — 12–16 September)
Location46°33′22.5″N 8°34′4″E / 46.556250°N 8.56778°E / 46.556250; 8.56778
Result Russo-Austrian victory
Belligerents
Russia Russia
Holy Roman Empire Austria
France France
Commanders and leaders
Russia Alexander Suvorov
Russia Andrei Rosenberg
Russia Iosif Trubnikov
Russia Vasily Svishchov
Russia Fyodor Trevogin
Holy Roman Empire Franz Auffenberg
Holy Roman Empire Gottfried Strauch
France Claude Lecourbe
France Charles Gudin
France Louis Henri Loison
France Col. Daumas
Strength

21,000–23,285
Russia 19,000–21,285[a]
Holy Roman Empire 6,500–9,180 total[b]
Holy Roman Empire ~2,000 engaged[6][1]

6,700 involved in the St. Gotthard Pass and at the Devil's Bridge[7]

7,501–9,000
10,100–11,599 including 2,599 unengaged troops[c][9]

6,000 involved in the St. Gotthard Pass and at the Devil's Bridge[7]
Casualties and losses
2,000–6,000 including the St. Gotthard Pass, Oberalpsee, Hospital, Urseren valley, Devil's Bridge[d] 2,000 including the St. Gotthard Pass, Oberalpsee, Hospital, Urseren valley, Devil's Bridge[4][1][7]
10 guns[4]
Battle of Gotthard Pass is located in Europe
Battle of Gotthard Pass
Location within Europe
Map
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Maps: terms of use
200km
125miles
16
Battle of Hohenlinden on 3 December 1800
15
Battle of Ampfing (1800) on 1 December 1800
14
Battle of Neuburg (1800) on 27 June 1800
13
Battle of Höchstädt (1800) on 19 June 1800
12
Battle of Biberach (1800) on 9 May 1800
11
Battle of Messkirch from 4 to 5 May 1800
10
Battle of Wiesloch (1799) on 3 December 1799
9
8
Battle of Mannheim (1799) on 18 September 1799
7
Battle of Amsteg from 14 to 16 August 1799
Zürich
6
First Battle of Zurich on 7 June 1799 Second Battle of Zurich from 25 to 26 September 1799
5
Battle of Winterthur on 27 May 1799
4
Battle of Frauenfeld on 25 May 1799
3
Battle of Stockach (1799) on 25 March 1799 Battle of Stockach (1800) on 3 May 1800
2
Battle of Feldkirch on 23 March 1799
1
Battle of Ostrach from 20 to 21 March 1799
The color black indicates the current battle.

The battle of (the) Gotthard Pass, also known as the battle of the St. Gotthard Pass or the battle of the St. Gotthard (Russian: Сражение за Сен-Готард; 24 September 1799), saw an Imperial Russian army commanded by Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov supported by two Austrian brigades attack a French division under General of Division Claude Lecourbe. The same day brought clashes at the Oberalp Pass and Hospental (archaic Hospital[1]).

The Austro-Russian army successfully captured the Gotthard Pass after stiff fighting on the first day. Suvorov's main body was assisted by a Russian flanking column led by Lieutenant General Andrei Rosenberg and a smaller Austrian flanking column under General-major Franz Xaver von Auffenberg. The next day, Suvorov's army fought its way north along the upper Reuss River valley past the Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge) in Schöllenen Gorge. By 26 September the army reached Altdorf near Lake Lucerne. The term summarises a total of five battles or engagements between Airolo and Altdorf fought against the retreating French troops over the course of three days. The main engagement of 25 September is known as the battle of the Devil's Bridge. Simultaneously, the combat of the Urnerloch took place.[e]

Suvorov's offensive was part of a misbegotten Allied strategy that planned to unite the Russian armies of Suvorov and Lieutenant General Alexander Korsakov near Zürich. Together with Austrian and Swiss forces led by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze, they would sweep General of Division André Masséna's French Army of Helvetia from Switzerland. However, on 25–26 September, Masséna drubbed Korsakov in the Second Battle of Zurich and General of Division Jean-de-Dieu Soult defeated Hotze in the Battle of Linth River. Two smaller Austrian columns were also turned back by French forces. Instead of advancing to help Allied forces, Suvorov's army was marching into a mountainous country controlled by French troops.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Bodart 1908, p. 343.
  2. ^ Duffy 1999, pp. 165–166.
  3. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 183.
  4. ^ a b c d Smith 1998, pp. 168–169.
  5. ^ Phipps 2011, pp. 142, 143.
  6. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 167.
  7. ^ a b c d Clodfelter 2017, p. 108.
  8. ^ Duffy 1999, p. 171.
  9. ^ Phipps 2011, p. 153.


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