Third battle near Komorn
Pákozd - Schwechat - Košice - Mór - Piski - Mediasch - Kápolna - Hatvan - Tápió Bicske - Isaszeg - Waitzen I - Nagy-Salló - Komorn I - Mocsa - Kács - Pered - Raab - Ács (Komorn II) - Komorn III - Hegyes - Waitzen II - Tura - Sighișoara - Debreczin - Szöreg - Temesvár
Arad - Deva - Esseg - Karlsburg - Komorn - Leopoldov - Oven - Peterwardein - Temesvár
The Third Battle of Komorn was part of the Hungarian War of Independence and took place on July 11, 1849 a few days after the Second Battle of Komorn . Because General Görgey was unusable because of wound fever , the leadership of the Hungarian main army was in the hands of General Klapka . This led his attack against the Austrians under FZM Haynau without reserves and wasted his forces on the whole line. Baron Haynau had his Herzinger division, which was advancing from Puszta Csém against Puszta Harkály, and the Russian division Panjutin , advancing from Igmánd , to the right of Puszta Csém, intervened in the battle. By around 5 p.m. the Hungarians were thrown at all points and had to retreat to the Komorn Fortress .
prehistory
The imperial administrator Lajos Kossuth wanted to achieve a rapid concentration of the Hungarian armed forces in Szegedin . The Minister of War, General Lázár Mészáros , therefore urged Klapka to withdraw the main Hungarian army from Komorn . Generals Klapka and Nagy-Sandor arrived in Pest early on July 5th and held a conference with Kossuth, Mészáros and Dembinski at 9 a.m. After Klapka had expressed the wishes of the Danube Army, the Cabinet of Ministers agreed that Mészáros should initially keep the command of all armies, but at the same time Görgey should remain as commander of the Upper Danube Army. At the conference Dembinski also presented a military plan for future operations, according to which all forces between Maros and Tisza should be gathered and then the enemy forces would be attacked individually. Klapka and Nagy-Sandor returned to Komorn at noon with the new written instructions, where they arrived on the night of July 5th.
The war council of the Austrian main army under FZM Haynau, after reaching an agreement with the Russians, pushed for the decision to be enforced before Komorn. The headquarters of the imperial family was moved from Bán to Bábolna on July 3 , from where the young emperor who was present returned to Vienna on July 5. The Sartori brigade of I. Corps ( Schlick ) had occupied the Acser forest, on the right wing the cavalry brigade Ludwig was securing at Puszta Harkály. The Schneider brigade camped on the hill in front of Ács, next to it the Bianchi brigade in Ács and finally the Reischach brigade behind the Czoncza brook, with its left wing leaning against the Danube. From the IV. Corps ( Wohlgemuth ) the cavalry division Bechtold secured in Mócsa, the III. Corps (from July 7th under FML Ramberg ) camped with the Russians at Nagy-Igmand.
On July 6th, Haynau's headquarters was moved to Nagy-Igmand, the allied army then occupied the following positions: the 1st Corps remained in the positions occupied before Ács, the IV. Reserve (Corps) moved from Mócsa to Csém Puszta, where some entrenchments were built. The troops of III. Corps were concentrated at Tata. Panjutin's division advanced from Bábolna to Nagy- and Kis-Igmánd and occupied the village of Kocs with cavalry. The reserves were stored behind the Czoncza brook and at Uj-Özony.
General Klapka initially wanted Kossuth's orders to be fulfilled at the war council on July 6, but could not ignore the will of Görgey and his loyal officer corps. General Görgey, who was wounded in the battle of Ács (July 2nd) and designated army commander, wanted to defeat the Austrian armed forces in Transdanubia first and then march off to the Tisza. Instead of starting a tactical retreat, Görgey wanted to attack the enemy army and achieve a breakthrough on the right bank of the Danube. Klapka rejected Görgey's plan and made arguments for the immediate implementation of the government decree, since the homeland could only be saved by bundling all forces.
On July 8th, Major Armin Görgey, as his brother's representative, proposed that the 1st Corps, under József Nagy-Sándor, arriving from the Slovak mining towns near Bátorkeszi, for a breakthrough planned for July 9th. According to instructions from the Central Operations Office, this plan was set for July 9th, but the arrival of the necessary ammunition and the troops under Colonel Horváth was delayed by two days, so the battle was postponed.
Before the battle, the Austro-Russian army was in the following positions: The Schneider Brigade, reinforced by parts of the Reischach Brigade of the 2nd Corps, stayed at Acser Wald. The Brigade secured Bianchi between the town of Ács and the Ácser forest north of the road . The Brigade Reischach was located from the Danube to the north-western edge of Acs, not far from the Czoncó brook, the Brigade Benedek. On the western bank of the Czoncza brook, the cavalry brigade secured Ludwig. The Herzinger division was set up at Puszta Csém. From the departed III. Corps there was only the Wolf Brigade in Mócsa, to which the Bechtold cavalry division was advanced via Almás-Naszály. The Russian Panjutin division camped in Kis- and Nagy-Igmánd, the reserves were between Nagy-Igmánd and Ács. The II. Corps (FML Csorich ) on the left bank of the Danube, as well as the bulk of the III. Corps detached to Pesth .
On the evening before the battle, a Hungarian division under Colonel János Horváth from the Neutra region arrived in Komorn to reinforce it. On the following July 11th, a battle was fought in which the Hungarian army had no real chance of success. Klapka's contradicting intentions meant that during the battle neither a clear target nor a focus could be identified.
The battle
The Hungarian troops were assembled to attack south of Komorn: the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 8th Corps were under the command of Colonels Nagy Sándor, Kaszonyi, Leiningen-Westerburg, Pöltenberg, Aschermann and the cavalry division of General Pikéthy , a total of 58 battalions, 68 squadrons and 176 artillery pieces with around 43,350 men (including 10,500 riders). After the 2nd Corps was left behind in Komorn as an occupation force, only 47 battalions and around 50 squadrons with around 36,000 men were deployable for the battle.
In opposition to these forces, the imperial under Haynau could manage the I. and IV. Corps, the Wolf Brigade from III. Corps, the Russian Panjutin Division and the Bechtold Cavalry Division . A total of 53 battalions, 49 squadrons and 224 cannons, allegedly only 33,700 men out of a total of 54,000 men, because 14,200 men were unfit for service in the Austrians and around 1,800 in the Russian division due to a cholera epidemic.
On the morning of July 11th, after nightly rain, a thick fog covered the landscape of Komorn. The requested reserve ammunition from the Hungarians arrived late and the columns could only start their attack from 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in front of Ó-Szőny and Duna-Almás. The Wolf Brigade sent reinforcements to Almás, but the bulk of their battalions remained in positions north of Mócsa. Troops of the Hungarian 8th Corps under Colonel Aschermann advanced from the vineyards near Uj-Szöy, covered with the Butler and Berseny divisions, in front of the Acser forest and immediately deployed their artillery. After the preparatory fire, the Hungarian troops broke through the lines of the Austrian I. Corps, the Schneider Brigade was thrown back through the Acser Forest after stubborn resistance, the Reischach Brigade was able to lean against the Danube and hold its positions. While Schneider's troops were newly formed behind the Acser forest, the other brigades of the 1st Corps under Bianchi and Sartori were pushed against the village of Acs by the Hungarian 7th Corps (Pöltenberg). The forest area east of the main road was occupied by a battalion of the Jablonowski Brigade, while the other three battalions of this brigade maintained the defense at Puszta Harkály in the middle. The hussar cavalry under General Pikéthy initially brought the Ludwig Brigade back on track. Although Pikéthy's first attack was successful, that success was not immediately exploited. Instead of forcing the planned breakthrough, Pikéthy began sustained cannon fire against the enemy. The opposite infantry of the Jablonowski Brigade suffered heavy losses and had to withdraw into the reserve. As a replacement, the Benedek Brigade , supported by 8 squadrons, was pulled forward. A fierce artillery duel also began near Puszta Csém. First attacks by the troops of the 1st Corps (Nagy-Sándor) against the lines of the Austrian Herzinger division were repulsed.
The reconnaissance by the Bechtold cavalry division was given to FZM Haynau at 12 noon, a first report on the Hungarian attacks. The Feldzeugmeister then ordered that the IV Corps in the highlands of Csém and the Russian Panjutin division at Puszta Csém should join the fighting as reinforcements. The Herzinger division advanced from Puszta Csém against the left flank of Pikéthy. After the Hungarian cavalry developed in the area north of Puszta Csém, Herzinger's columns on their right flank were threatened. The Hungarian 3rd Corps under Leiningen had advanced almost unnoticed against Herzinger's division. Leiningen-Westerburg used artillery and directed its cavalry against the right flank of the Austrian division, so Herzinger's troops had to go back to Csém. The troops of the IV Corps (FML Wohlgemuth) also suffered heavy losses on both wings from artillery fire. This was the moment at which the Pikéthy cavalry should have set out for a new breakthrough, because the infantry of the 3rd Corps (Leiningen) had also entered the fighting at the level of the 1st Corps. The Hungarian 1st Corps received reinforcements from the 3rd Corps, but this remained threatened even to the south between Ó-Szőny and Duna-Almás by the Wolf Brigade, which had remained in Mócsa. Leiningen's attacks were paralyzed by the fact that the Streifcorps advancing behind them under Ármin Görgey could not provide sufficient support because of the enemy cavalry in the rear.
At 3 p.m. Haynau had ordered General Bechtold, who was advancing via Mocsa, to support Herzinger's division at Csém with his cavalry . When Herzinger's troops threatened to falter, Haynau called Panjutin for help, the Russians should intervene on the road to Bábolna. Colonel Leiningen-Westerburg was at the forefront of his battalions and tried to use the 3rd Corps to counterattack. This wanted to take action against the front and against the back of the Herzinger column, but instead they faced the Lederer Brigade and the Simbschen Cavalry Brigade . Herzinger was already supported by Simbschen's brigade before Panjutin's division, which had previously occupied two battalions of Nagy-Igmand, advanced. Since neither the Pikéthys hussars nor the Nagy-Sandor infantry achieved success, Herzinger was able to regroup his troops between Harkaly and Csém. Wohlgemuth developed all the available artillery in his corps against the Hungarian battalions that were attacking. A real battle for Csém developed. Zimbschen's cavalry covered the Russians' advance with its right wing. Leiningen-Westerburg withdrew its infantry a little to rearrange its lines for another attack. The next onslaught of the Hungarians met with imperial formations under Bechtold, who in the meantime had returned with his cavalry from Duna-Almás. To support the infantry, Nagy-Sandor first united his cavalry columns against the Simbschen Brigade. Between Ó-Szőny and Almás, Bechtold's entire cavalry soon collided. Not far away the riders of the 1st and 8th Hussar Regiments of the 1st Corps were waiting to take action against the enemy's guns.
Klapka, moved parts of the 3rd Corps to the right wing and then hurried himself to the troops under Pöltenberg and Aschermann to see the state of affairs there. Although the Hungarian troops fought successfully on this wing, the Austrian brigades were soon able to slowly advance through the Acser forest. The Reischach Brigade reached the Danube between the Megyfa and Acser forests and carried out a decisive attack on the last forest. On the right of the I. Corps (Schlick) the Brigades Bianchi and Schneider covered, soon the Liechtenstein Division and the Reserve Sartori Brigade of the Wallmoden Division advanced and connected their right wing with the Ludwig Cavalry Brigade . The most violent fight on this section took place in the southeastern part of the Acser forest along the main road, where the battalions of the Hungarian 7th Corps (Pöltenberg) advanced three times, but were repeatedly forced to withdraw. After the arrival of Klapka, a fourth and final attack was carried out. After there was no sign of success here either, Klapka ordered his troops to withdraw from the forest. The Austrians started counter-attacks from the Acser forest with the 1st Battalion of Kaiserjäger and a battalion of the Nassau Regiment, which occupied the right side of the road.
The Hungarian 3rd Corps had been in heavy artillery fire from the batteries of the 4th Corps for an hour at Csém . Leiningen withdrew his infantry a little and held out for a while. It was only when the right wing of the Russians and the Simbschen Brigade were pulled further forward that he began his retreat, which began in good order, but then degenerated into a veritable flight, harassed from three sides. The defeated Hungarians were pursued, at 5 p.m. the shootings and further fighting ended when the Hungarians had withdrawn at all points of the extended battle line behind the fortress line. The Austrian troops then formed a semicircle in front of the southern forts, but remained at a reasonable distance from the fortress artillery.
Losses and consequences
The Austrians lost 7 officers and 116 dead, 24 officers and 559 men wounded, plus 81 missing; altogether 31 officers, 755 men and 271 horses. The Russian Panjutin division had 1 dead and 25 injured. The total loss of the allies was 32 officers, 781 men and 271 horses. According to Klapka, the Hungarians lost about 1,500 men, 300 of them prisoners.
On the day of the battle, the Austrian Major Wussin and his detachment moved into Ofen as the vanguard , while the Russian Cossacks under Colonel Count Adlerberg had arrived in Pest at the same time and were establishing contact with the Austrians. FML Ramberg followed on July 12th with the III. Corps and took formal possession of Buda-Pest . The Hungarian main army (I., III. And VII. Corps) had orders to break away from the fortress Komorn and to retreat on the Tisza in the direction of Szegedin , where the Hungarian government, which had fled from Pesth, had its seat. Görgey initially withdrew to Waitzen with the main force (24,000 men and 4,000 horsemen with 137 guns) . In Komorn, which was enclosed by the imperial army, General Klapka remained with 18,200 men (II and VIII Corps), 48 field and 350 fortress cannons.
literature
- Rudolph Kiszling: The Revolution in the Austrian Empire 1848 to 1849 , Volume 2, Vienna 1949.
- Anatole Wacquant: The Hungarian Danube Army 1848–49 Silesian Book Printing, Art and Art. Publishing house v. S. Schottlaender, Breslau 1900
- Artur Görgei: My life and work in Hungary in the years 1848 and 1849 , FA Brockhaus Verlag, Leipzig 1852
- Wilhelm Rüstow : History of the Hungarian War of Insurrection 1848 and 1849 , Friedrich Schultheß Verlag, Zurich 1861
- József Bánlaky : A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme , 3 volumes, (Budapest 1928–1942), Book XXI. Magyarország 1848/49.