Battle of Feistritz
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The Battle of Feistritz (6 September 1813) saw an Imperial French corps led by
Paul Grenier Count Paul Grenier (29 January 1768 – 17 April 1827) joined the French royal army and rapidly rose to general officer rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led a division in the 1796-1797 campaign in southern Germany. During the 1800 c ...
attack an Austrian brigade under August von Vécsey. After putting up a stout resistance, the outnumbered Austrians were defeated and forced to retreat. The clash occurred during the
War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...
, part of the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
.
Feistritz im Rosental Feistritz im Rosental ( sl, Bistrica v Rožu), often referred to as simply Feistritz (), is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography It is located in the ''Rosental'', the U-shaped valley of ...
is located on the right bank of the
Drava The Drava or Drave''Utrata Fachwörterbuch ...
River near the southern border of
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, about southwest of
Klagenfurt Klagenfurt am WörtherseeLandesgesetzblatt 2008 vom 16. Jänner 2008, Stück 1, Nr. 1: ''Gesetz vom 25. Oktober 2007, mit dem die Kärntner Landesverfassung und das Klagenfurter Stadtrecht 1998 geändert werden.'/ref> (; ; sl, Celovec), usually ...
. At the time, it was located at the border with the French-controlled
Illyrian Provinces The Illyrian Provinces sl, Ilirske province hr, Ilirske provincije sr, Илирске провинције it, Province illirichegerman: Illyrische Provinzen, group=note were an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province of France d ...
to its west and south. When hostilities commenced between the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
and Imperial France,
Johann von Hiller Johann Baron von Hiller (13 October 1754 – 5 June 1819) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He held an important command during the 1809 campaign against France, playing a prominent role at the B ...
led an Austrian army to attack the Illyrian Provinces. The Austrians made rapid gains in the south, but in
Carinthia Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German language, German. Its regional dialects belong to t ...
, Hiller's first bridgehead across the Drava River at
Villach Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...
was eliminated by the Franco-Italian army of
Eugène de Beauharnais Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (; 3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824) was a French nobleman, statesman, and military commander who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Through the second marr ...
, the
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
of the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
. When the Austrian general established a second bridgehead at Feistritz, Eugène sent Grenier to wipe it out. The minor victory only delayed the inevitable, and within a few weeks Eugène was compelled to abandon Illyria and fall back to the borders of the Kingdom of Italy.


Background

In 1812, the best French and Italian units from the
French Army of Italy The Army of Italy (french: Armée d'Italie) was a field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best kno ...
were assigned to the IV Corps for the
French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign, the Second Polish War, the Army of Twenty nations, and the Patriotic War of 1812 was launched by Napoleon Bonaparte to force the Russian Empire back into the continental block ...
. The troops fought well under the command of
Eugène de Beauharnais Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (; 3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824) was a French nobleman, statesman, and military commander who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Through the second marr ...
but only about 3,000 soldiers survived the campaign. To rebuild his army in Germany for the 1813 campaign, Emperor
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
transferred four more divisions from the garrison of Italy to join the newly established IV and
XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII ...
. The emperor then gave his stepson Eugène permission to organize a new army out of French and Italian draftees to defend the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
. By May 1813, the new army began forming around the French 46th, 47th, and 48th Divisions, the Italian 49th Division, and one cavalry division. In fact, only 13,000 French conscripts joined the army and the so-called French divisions were largely recruited from areas of Italy that had been annexed by France. Since military equipment was scarce, some soldiers were sent to the front dressed in police uniforms. Nevertheless, the army continued to expand and Eugène eventually renumbered his divisions 1 through 6, with the Italian Royal Guard kept as a discrete unit. Meanwhile, the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
prepared for war with Napoleon by expanding their army. While their main army was based in
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
, Austria also stationed one army corps on the
Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
and another in the
Duchy of Carinthia The Duchy of Carinthia (german: Herzogtum Kärnten; sl, Vojvodina Koroška) was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, and was the first newly created Imperial Sta ...
. The troops in Carinthia were placed under the command of
Feldzeugmeister ''Feldzeugmeister'' was a historical military rank in some German and the Austro-Hungarian armies, especially in use for the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found at the beginning of the 20th century ...
Johann von Hiller Johann Baron von Hiller (13 October 1754 – 5 June 1819) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He held an important command during the 1809 campaign against France, playing a prominent role at the B ...
and designated the Army of Inner Austria. Since it was considered a minor theater, Hiller's army only counted 35,000 soldiers and 120 artillery pieces in August. This total was smaller than the number of troops in his opponent's army. The Austrian general had veteran division and brigade commanders, but he was handicapped by a clumsy command system and large numbers of indifferently-equipped conscripts in the ranks. Though the Danube corps remained in place, reinforcements were continually switched from there to the Army of Inner Austria throughout the autumn. In August 1813, Hiller's army consisted of an Advanced Guard under
General-major Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Aron Stanisavlevics and divisions commanded by
Feldmarschall-Leutnant Lieutenant field marshal, also frequently historically field marshal lieutenant (german: Feldmarschall-Leutnant, formerly , historically also and, in official Imperial and Royal Austrian army documents from 1867 always , abbreviated ''FML''), was ...
s Peter Marchal de Perclat,
Johann Maria Philipp Frimont Johann Maria Philipp Frimont, ''Count of Palota, Prince of Antrodoco'' (3 February 1759 – 26 December 1831) was an Austrian general. Frimont was born at Fénétrange, in what is now French Lorraine. He entered the Austrian cavalry as a trooper ...
, Franz Marziani,
Hannibal Sommariva Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Pun ...
, and
Paul von Radivojevich Paul von Radivojevich (1759 – 15 July 1829) was an Austrian army corps commander in the army of the Austrian Empire during the late Napoleonic Wars. He joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy in 1782 and fought in one of the early battles of ...
. The Advanced Guard had two
Grenz infantry Grenz infantry or Grenzers or Granichary (from german: Grenzer "border guard" or "frontiersman"; Serbo-Croatian: graničari, krajišnici, sr-cyr, граничари, крајишници, Russian Cyrillic: граничары) were light infantr ...
battalions and two
hussar A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
squadrons. Marchal's division was made up of a light brigade of one jäger and one Grenz battalion and four hussar squadrons under General-major Christoph Ludwig von Eckhardt and a brigade of four line battalions under General-major Timotheus Winczian. Frimont's division had three brigades led by General-majors Franjo Vlašić,
Ferdinand Daniel Pulszky Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
, and August von Vécsey. Vlašić's light brigade comprised one jäger and one Grenz battalion and six hussar squadrons, Pulszky's brigade consisted of four line battalions, and Vécsey's cavalry brigade had 12 squadrons of
uhlans Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Pr ...
. Marziani's division was made up of a single brigade led by General-major Johann Mayer von Heldensfeld with seven line battalions. Sommariva's division counted three brigades commanded by Generals-major Joseph Xaver von Stutterheim, Joseph von Fölseis, and Georg Johann von Wrede. Stutterheim led four battalions of
grenadiers A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
, Fölseis had one Grenz, one line, and one
landwehr ''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national army, armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortif ...
battalions, and two squadrons of hussars, and Wrede directed 10 squadrons of
dragoons Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat ...
. Radivojevich's division had three brigades under General-majors Ignaz Csivich von Rohr, Matthias Rebrovich, and
Laval Nugent von Westmeath Laval Graf Nugent von Westmeath (3 November 1777 – 21 August 1862) was a soldier of Irish birth, who fought in the armies of Austria and the Two Sicilies. Biography Born at Ballynacor, Ireland, Nugent was the son of Count Michael Anton N ...
. Csivich commanded two Grenz and two line battalions, Rebrovich led one Grenz and two line battalions, and Nugent supervised four squadrons of hussars.


Operations

On 12 August 1813, the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
declared war on Imperial France, putting the
Illyrian Provinces The Illyrian Provinces sl, Ilirske province hr, Ilirske provincije sr, Илирске провинције it, Province illirichegerman: Illyrische Provinzen, group=note were an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province of France d ...
and the Kingdom of Italy on the front lines. Hiller sent Radivojevich and 10,000 troops of his left wing to capture first Karlovac (Karlstadt) and Novo Mesto (Rudolfswerth), and later Rijeka (Fiume) and
Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
. Meanwhile, Hiller led the remainder of the army in a thrust across the
Drava The Drava or Drave''Utrata Fachwörterbuch ...
River at
Villach Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...
. By the beginning of August, Eugène had advanced into Illyria with 47,000 troops and set up his headquarters in Ljubljana (Laibach). The Franco-Italian army defended an arc from Tarvisio (Tarvis) in the north to Ljubljana in the center to Karlovac in the south. When the French first gained control of Illyria, many
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...
hoped that the new masters would spur economic expansion and lighten their military obligations. Over time, their hopes were not realized and when Radivojevich's columns crossed the frontier, the Croats rose in rebellion against the French occupation. Though the
Hofkriegsrat The ''Hofkriegsrat'' (or Aulic War Council, sometimes Imperial War Council) established in 1556 was the central military administrative authority of the Habsburg monarchy until 1848 and the predecessor of the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of War. Th ...
(Austrian high command) did not wish to promote nationalism, they ultimately sent 12,000 muskets with Radivojevich to arm the insurgents. The Croatian revolt helped the Austrian left wing capture territory. Mass desertions also became a severe problem in the Illyrian units of Eugène's army. Hiller's troops started to advance into Illyria on 16 August 1813. Radivojevich enjoyed early success, taking Karlovac and Novo Mesto with little resistance. On 20 August, Frimont and over 6,000 Austrians appeared before Villach, initiating a week-long series of skirmishes. Frimont seized Villach's east bank suburb on the 21st. Three days later, a 3,000-strong French brigade under
General of Brigade Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...
Jean-Pierre Piat Jean-Pierre or Jean Pierre may refer to: People * Karine Jean-Pierre Karine Jean-Pierre (born August 13, 1974) is a French-American political advisor and has served as the White House press secretary since May 13, 2022. She is the first Black ...
tried to rush the bridge at Villach and was bloodily repulsed with 604 casualties. The Austrians only lost 251 men in the clash. On 28 August,
General of Division Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corp ...
Pierre Guillaume Gratien Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
attacked Villach with an entire division. Though three Austrian divisions were in the area, Gratien managed to eject his foes from the town and drive them back to the east bank of the Drava. Gratien's 10,000-man 3rd Division suffered 112 casualties while inflicting 167 on the Austrians. In the struggle, four-fifths of Villach burned down and three arches of the bridge were destroyed.


Battle

Thwarted at Villach, Hiller sought to create a bridgehead farther east on the Drava. He found a crossing point south of
Klagenfurt Klagenfurt am WörtherseeLandesgesetzblatt 2008 vom 16. Jänner 2008, Stück 1, Nr. 1: ''Gesetz vom 25. Oktober 2007, mit dem die Kärntner Landesverfassung und das Klagenfurter Stadtrecht 1998 geändert werden.'/ref> (; ; sl, Celovec), usually ...
and pushed troops across the river at
Feistritz im Rosental Feistritz im Rosental ( sl, Bistrica v Rožu), often referred to as simply Feistritz (), is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography It is located in the ''Rosental'', the U-shaped valley of ...
around the end of August. Eugène felt that the Austrian position menaced the communications between his right and his left wings. He ordered one of his corps commanders, General of Division
Paul Grenier Count Paul Grenier (29 January 1768 – 17 April 1827) joined the French royal army and rapidly rose to general officer rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led a division in the 1796-1797 campaign in southern Germany. During the 1800 c ...
to take two divisions and eliminate the Austrian bridgehead. Grenier marched with Generals of Division
François Jean Baptiste Quesnel François Jean Baptiste Quesnel du Torpt (18 January 1765 – 8 April 1819) became a division commander under the First French Empire of Napoleon. By the time the French Revolutionary Wars began, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the Fr ...
and
Marie François Rouyer Marie François Rouyer (; 2 March 1765 – 10 August 1824) was a French general during the Napoleonic Wars. Biography In 1783 he joined the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire and became a lieutenant of dragoons within three years. He serv ...
, leaving Gratien to hold Tarvisio. The Italian Guard moved from Tarvisio to Jesenice (Assling) while the 4th Division under General of Division
Pierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet Pierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet (14 November 1765 – 19 December 1854) joined the French army in 1781 as an officer cadet and fought in the American Revolutionary War. During the French Revolutionary Wars he fought in the Army of the Rhine and ...
held a position at Bistrica (Neumarkt). Hiller was aware of recent French probes in the Feistritz area so he sent two battalions of grenadiers to nearby
Schloss Hollenburg Burg Hollenburg ( sl, Humberk) is a medieval castle near Köttmannsdorf in Carinthia, Austria. It is on a rock of the northern slope of the Drava valley. Burg Hollenburg is above sea level. One Swiker, Lord of Hollenburg in the Duchy of Carin ...
on the morning of 6 September 1813. A line battalion was sent to Weizelsdorf to act as a reserve. Vécsey entrenched his brigade along the Bärenthal ravine with his right flank on the Drava and his left on steep forested hills to the south. The Austrians were supported by eight artillery pieces. Two cannons and a howitzer were on the opposite bank of the river at
Ludmannsdorf Ludmannsdorf ( Slovene: ''Bilčovs'') is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography It is located on the left bank of the Drava river. Population According to the 2001 census, 28.3% of the population ...
in a position to enfilade any attack. Vécsey's 3,300-man brigade. It is not clear if all the reinforcing grenadiers are included in the total, since the author listed only the ''Chimani'' Battalion. consisted of 10 companies of the ''Reisky'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 10, the 1st and Landwehr Battalions of the ''Chasteler'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 27, the 9th Jäger Battalion, and four squadrons of the ''Merveldt'' Uhlan Regiment Nr. 1. The grenadier reserve at Hollenburg included the ''Chimani'' and ''Welsperg'' Grenadier Battalions. Vécsey posted his main line behind the Bärenthal ravine on the east side, but he established strong positions on the west side at Feistritz Castle, Holy Cross Cemetery, and the hamlets of Mittel- and Ober-Feistritz. The bridge over the ravine was blocked by a barricade. Grenier had 15,186 soldiers and 28 guns available, with 7,700 men in Quesnel's 1st Division and 7,486 troops in Rouyer's 2nd Division. An unspecified number of cannons were also attached as regimental artillery. Quesnel had two brigades under Generals of Brigade Jean Gaudens Claude Pegot and
Toussaint Campi ''Toussaint'' (French for All Saints' Day, literally: "All Saints") may refer to: * Toussaint (name) (list of people named Toussaint) * Toussaint, Seine-Maritime, a commune in the arrondissement of Le Havre in the Seine-Maritime département of Fr ...
plus one eight-gun foot and one six-gun horse artillery batteries. Rouyer led two brigades under Generals of Brigade
Nicolas Schmitz Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...
and Jacques Darnaud with one eight-gun foot and one six-gun horse artillery batteries. Pegot's brigade comprised four battalions of the
84th Line Infantry Regiment {{no footnotes, date=February 2013 The 84th Line Infantry Regiment is an infantry unit of the French Army. It was heir of the ''Quercy'' Regiment and the 9th Light Regiment, created in 1684. In December 1795 the 84e demi-brigade was created from ...
. Campi's brigade consisted of four battalions each of the 92nd Line Infantry Regiment and the 30th Provisional Demi-Brigade. Schmitz commanded four battalions of the 9th Line Infantry Regiment and three battalions of the 28th Provisional Demi-Brigade. Darnaud's brigade was made up of four battalions of the 35th Line Infantry Regiment. On the morning of 6 September, Grenier's troops started their march from
Sankt Jakob im Rosental Sankt Jakob im Rosental ( sl, Šentjakob v Rožu) is a town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography The municipality borders on Slovenia in the south, and the northern boundary is formed by the Drau River. I ...
in three columns. The right column left the bivouac first under the command of Campi. The column consisted of Campi's brigade with the 84th Line's regimental guns attached. Quesnel led the center column which set out after the right column cleared Sankt Jakob. This force was formed from Pegot's brigade, the Italian ''Queen's'' Dragoon Regiment, one battery of horse artillery, and a half-battery of foot artillery. The left column left the camp last, about 9:00 AM. Schmitz led the column which was made up of his own brigade. When the right column reached the hamlet of Matschach, Campi dropped off a battalion and two cannons as a flank guard. The right column then moved into the hills overlooking Feistritz, leaving a second battalion behind as a reserve. As the center column crossed the Klein Dürrenbach ravine about west of Feistritz, it chased away some Austrian skirmishers and detached a battalion of the 84th Line to observe enemy movements on the north bank of the Drava. Quesnel's column reached the hamlet of Suetschach and took cover until called upon to attack. When the left column came up, Schmitz relieved the 84th Line battalion with one of his own. Grenier instructed Quesnel to form the center column in two lines with skirmishers out in front. His objective was to get soldiers onto the east side of the Bärenthal ravine. Schmitz, who fought under the eye of his division commander Rouyer, was also ordered to form his men into two lines. He was to clear Mittel- and Ober-Feistritz of enemies so that the French soldiers could fire on the Austrian soldiers on the east side of the ravine. Off to the right, Campi already had instructions to assist the attacks of the center and left columns as well as to attack the Austrians from the rear. From Jesenice in the upper
Sava The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally th ...
valley, Eugène directed two battalions of the Italian Guard to move north and clear away any Austrian outposts to the south of Feistritz. Skirmishing between the two sides began around 10:00 AM and became general by noon. The main assault began at 3:00 PM when Campi came down on the Austrian left flank while Quesnel and Schmitz attacked in front. Seeing his left turned, Vécsey sent a message to Hollenburg asking for assistance. The French scored an early coup when they captured a group of Austrians as they were withdrawing toward the castle. A battalion of the 84th Line became heavily engaged and it was supported by the 28th Provisional. The assault focused on the church, the cemetery, and a redoubt on the west side of the ravine. A battalion of the 28th Provisional rushed the redoubt and slaughtered its defenders. Meanwhile, the 9th Line threatened the church and Mittel-Feistritz. When units of the 9th Jägers saw the redoubt fall and French soldiers get into the ravine, they retreated from the Holy Cross Church and Cemetery into the Feistritz Castle. Schmitz led a force from the 9th Line in a charge against the castle, while the 84th supported him. But the attack stalled as the troops clawed their way through abatis under heavy musketry. After his men were beaten back several times, Schmitz ordered the castle set on fire. As soon as the structure took fire, the 116 defenders surrendered. At this time, the 84th Line rushed the bridge, which was defended by elements of the ''Reisky'' and ''Chasteler'' Regiments. When the 84th carried the position, Vécsey's men abandoned their positions and began to retreat. After a ''voltigeur'' company of the 9th Line crossed the Bärenthal ravine, they were charged by a squadron of uhlans, but they managed to drive off the horsemen. As units of the 9th Line and 28th Provisional moved through the abandoned Austrian camps, they were backed by four platoons of the 84th Line arrayed in close order. By about 5:30 PM, amid heavy rain, the entire Feistritz position was in French hands. When the pursuit reached Hundsdorf, Vécsey counterattacked. Momentarily stopped, the French units soon closed up and pushed their foes back to Sankt Johann im Rosental. At this place, the Austrians fought back against one of Campi's battalions which had come down from the heights. At some point during the late afternoon, the two grenadier battalions arrived and covered the retreat. At 8:00 PM, the grenadiers repulsed one last attempt by Campi to cut off Vécsey's withdrawal. That evening Vécsey retreated to the north bank of the Drava at Hollenburg and destroyed the bridge.


Aftermath

The French suffered 60 killed and 300 wounded, including 12 officers of the 84th Line. Chef de bataillon (Major) Charrier of the 9th Line was killed. Their opponents admitted losses of 67 killed, 364 wounded, and 394 captured. In addition, the two grenadier battalions lost 88 casualties. Eugène reported that most of the prisoners came from the ''Reisky'', ''Chasteler'', ''Chimani'', and ''Merveldt'' units. Though Hiller was aware of the significance of his bridgehead, he failed to properly support Vécsey's brigade by placing the nearest reinforcements a six-hour march distant. With Feistritz in his possession, Eugène had the use of the
Loibl Pass The Loibl Pass (german: Loiblpass) or Ljubelj Pass ( sl, prelaz Ljubelj) is a high mountain pass in the Karawanks chain of the Southern Limestone Alps, linking Austria with Slovenia. The Loibl Pass road is the shortest connection between the Cari ...
to communicate between Tarvisio and Ljubljana. He hoped to mount an attack on Hiller's left flank brigade at Kamnik (Stein). Eugène failed to capitalize on his momentary advantage because his forces suffered a series of setbacks. On 7 September 1813, a 2,563-man brigade belonging to General of Division Giuseppe Federico Palombini's 5th Division was defeated by Nugent and 2,100 Austrians at Lippa. The Italians lost 104 killed and 200 captured while Austrian losses were light. The next day near
Trzin Trzin ( or ; german: link=no, Tersain''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 30.) is a town in the eastern part of the Upper Carniola regi ...
, General of Brigade Gaspare Bellotti's 3,600-man brigade was ambushed by General-major Joseph von Fölseis and 2,000 Austrians. The Italian 3rd Line Infantry Regiment was routed, losing 60 killed, 200 wounded, 600 prisoners, two colors, two guns, and three caissons. The prisoners included Bellotti and the colonel of the regiment. Austrian losses were only five killed, 14 wounded, and five missing. On 11 September 1813, Austrians in Feldmarschall-Leutnant Franz Maria Philipp Fenner's command mounted a successful raid at Mühlbach in the South Tyrol, capturing 100 soldiers and provoking a deep withdrawal by General of Division Filippo Bonfanti who was then replaced. On the same day, 130 Austrians and one
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
captured the port of Pula (Pola). On the 13th at Šmarje–Sap (St. Marein-Sap), Eugène personally led 3,300 men and six guns of the Italian Guard against Oberst Eugen Milutinovich's 1,000 Austrians and two artillery pieces. Attacking a strong position, the Italian Guard suffered a repulse, losing 300 killed and wounded plus 97 captured. Austrian losses numbered only 47 killed and wounded plus 28 captured. General of Division
Domenico Pino Domenico ("Dominique") Pino (Milan, 8 September 1760 – Cernobbio, 29 March 1826) was an Italian soldier. He served as General of Division in the Kingdom of Italy and in Napoleon's Grande Armée. Biography Pino was born in Milan, to Francesco ...
concentrated 9,000 troops against Nugent's 2,000 men at
Jelšane Jelšane (; it, Elsane) is a village in the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia, right on the border with Croatia. The Jelšane Border checkpoint, international border crossing between Slovenia and Croatia is ...
on 14 September. The Austrians held on until dark before retreating and inflicted 420 casualties on their attackers while only losing 24 killed, 88 wounded, and three artillery pieces damaged. This was followed by another minor disaster at Višnja Gora (Weichselburg) when General-major Matthias Rebrovich attacked General of Brigade
Teodoro Lechi Teodoro Lechi (Brescia, 16 January 1778 – Milan, 2 May 1866) was an Italian general, a Jacobin and a military advisor to King Carlo Alberto of Sardinia. He was the brother of Giuseppe Lechi, a brilliant and famous Napoleonic general, and Angel ...
on 16 September. The ''Radetzsky'' Hussars Nr. 5 rode down a battalion of the Italian Guard, capturing 910 men out of the 2,900 present and seizing two out of five cannons. Austrian losses were only 16 killed, 68 wounded, and 27 captured out of 3,200 men. Two other events compelled Eugène to relinquish his hold on Illyria. Fenner's column thrust to the west into the Tyrol, menacing the viceroy's strategic left flank. More consequential, in the opinion of historian Frederick C. Schneid, was the possibility of the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
abandoning its alliance with Napoleon. Eugène's wife was
Princess Augusta of Bavaria french: Auguste Amélie Louise Georgie , spouse = , issue = Joséphine, Queen of Sweden and Norway Eugénie, Princess of Hohenzollern-Hechingen Auguste, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg Amélie, Empress of Brazil Théodoline, Countess Wilhelm of Wü ...
and King
Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria Maximilian I Joseph (german: Maximilian I. Joseph; 27 May 1756 – 13 October 1825) was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1795 to 1799, prince-elector of Bavaria (as Maximilian IV Joseph) from 1799 to 1806, then King of Bavaria (as Maximilian I Joseph) ...
was his father-in-law. The king desired to remain a French ally, but the viceroy became aware that the king was under pressure to defect to the Coalition. At the end of September, Eugene complained to his step-father Napoleon that desertion in Italian and French units was becoming a serious problem. By 5 October 1813, the Franco-Italian army withdrew to the Isonzo River on the border of Italy.


Notes


References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Feistritz, Battle of Battles of the War of the Sixth Coalition Battles of the Napoleonic Wars Battles involving Austria Battles involving France Battles involving Italy Conflicts in 1813 September 1813 events 1813 in the Austrian Empire Austrian Empire–France relations