Second Battle of Szolnok | |||||||
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Part of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 | |||||||
Second Battle of Szolnok by Mór Than | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Hungarian Revolutionary Army Polish Legion | Austrian Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
János Damjanich Károly Vécsey |
Leopold Karger Ferenc Ottinger | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
14,483 men[1] 35 cannons[2] |
7,233 men 18 cannons[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
300 men[2] |
800-900 men 330 horses 5 cannons 16-17 ammunition wagons[3] |
The Second Battle of Szolnok took place during the Hungarian war of Independence of 1848-1849 on 5 March 1849. It was fought between the two divisions of the revolutionary Hungarian army led by Major-General János Damjanich and Major-General Károly Vécsey against the brigades of the Austrian Empire led by Major General Leopold Edler von Karger and General Ferenc Ottinger. The Hungarians won the battle and drove out the Austrian troops from the city, causing them heavy losses. This victory gave a moral boost to the Hungarians and shook the overconfidence of the Austrian main commander Field Marshal Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz who reported after the Battle of Kápolna from 26 to 27 February, that he scattered them and destroyed the rebellious hordes, and that he will capture the nest of the rebellion, Debrecen in a few days.