Battle of Handschuhsheim

Battle of Handschuhsheim

Part of: First Coalition War

The Battle of Handschuhsheim . Painting by Anton Rottmann, 1815

date	September 24, 1795
place	Glove home
output	Austrian victory

Parties to the conflict
France	Austria
Commander
Jean-Charles Pichegru	Peter Vitus by Quosdanovich
Troop strength
Unknown	10 battalions and 18 squadrons
losses
1 general, 19 officers, 1,500 men and 8 cannons	6 officers and 181 men

The Battle of Handschuhsheim was a military conflict in the context of the First Revolutionary War . On September 24, 1795, the Austrians, led by Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich , fought against the French, led by Jean-Charles Pichegru . The battle ended with a victory for the Austrians.

prehistory

The prehistory to the battle are the warlike events on the Rhine in 1795. In the days before, the French General Jourdan had Mainz besieged by General Klèber and set up his main army on the Main . His plan provided that Pichegru and two of his divisions should march on Mannheim on both sides of the Neckar in order to break the connection between the Austrian armies of Wurmser and Clerfayt . To prevent this, Quosdanovich marched at the same time in a hurry to Mannheim. However, since the city had already been handed over to the French, he took up a position near Heidelberg . After fighting on September 23, the French approached each other and on September 24 advanced with both divisions from Ladenburg and Schwetzingen . In preparation for the coming battle, Quosdanovich had set up his troops (10 battalions and 18 squadrons ) as follows: General Bajalich stood on the right of the Neckar with 4 battalions, 2 companies and 6 squadrons. One of the battalions was at Neuenheim , two companies at Handschuhsheim as the vanguard and the rest at Heidelberg as a reserve . On the left bank, in front of Heidelberg and between Kirchheim and the Neckar, stood General von Fröhlich , with 4 battalions, 4 companies and 6 squadrons. Finally General Karaicsay stood in front of Wiesloch with 2 battalions and 8 squadrons.

The battle

On September 24th, the French opened the battle with the Vidalot Brigade of Dufour's division , covered by heavy gunfire, advancing in two columns towards Handschuhsheim. Before the French could take the access to the place, General Bajalich had positioned two cannons and attacked with five companies and forced the French to retreat. With the help of the Cavoris Brigade , 6 squadrons and 5 battalions, the second French attack began. But this attack also failed and the Austrian cavalry forced them to retreat. At the same time the Austrians advanced with a battalion and 9 companies, supported by 4 cannons, on the Bergstrasse towards the towns of Dossenheim and Schriesheim . Here they managed to break up the French column and take both villages. The French General Dufour was taken prisoner and his brigade fled.

consequences

Even in the pursuit of the Austrian cavalry succeeded in rubbing out the French, many of which were killed or taken prisoner. As a result of the battle, Pichegru withdrew to Mannheim, which was then besieged by the Austrians. The defenders capitulated on November 23rd. Due to the defeat at Handschuhsheim, General Jourdan also had to remain inactive. But until mid-December there were several offensives on both sides. Jourdan did not begin negotiations until December 18, which led to an armistice on January 1, 1796.

literature

• H. Bourdeau: Pichegru at-il trahi à Mannheim? Ed .: La Section Historique de L'État-Major de L'Armée, Paris 1909, pp. 42–49.
• Gustav Ritter Amon von Treuenfest: History of the Imperial and Royal Infantry Regiment No. 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Crown Prince of the German Empire and Crown Prince of Prussia, Verlag des Regiments, Vienna 1878, pp. 256–261.
• Austria's wars since 1495. Chronological compilation of the battles, skirmishes, sieges, etc. in which imperial troops participated alone or with their allies in the various theaters of war. From the time of Maximimilian I in 1495 to the most recent times. Compiled from the communications of the KK Kriegs-Archiv from 1876, 1877 and 1878. Vienna 1878, p. 75.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Battle of Handschuhsheim in landeskunde-online.de
2. ↑ Gustav Ritter Amon von Treuenfest: History of the Imperial and Royal Infantry Regiment No. 20 Friedrich Wilhelm, Crown Prince of the German Empire and Crown Prince of Prussia . Verlag des Regiment, Vienna 1878, p. 256-261 .
3. ^ H. Bourdeau: Pichegru at-il trahi à Mannheim? Ed .: La Section Historique de L'État-Major de L'Armée. Paris 1909, p. 42-49 .