RaszynApril 19, 1809
EditionsNBI
Time Record
1400 - 2000
(13 turns)
Austria's strategic design for the 1809 war versus France included an operation against the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. The goal of this offensive was to knock Poland out of the war. The Austrians would then turn west into Saxony and the Confederation of the Rhine to threaten Napoleon's communications with France. This task was entrusted to General der Kavallerie Archduke Ferdinand Karl d'Este, commanding VII Corps (30,200 men). Ferdinand ran into General de Division Prince Joseph Poniatowski and his 14,000 man Polish-Saxon army ten kilometers south of Warsaw along the Utrata stream at Raszyn.
Map
Historical Order of Battle
Historic Results
As the Austrians slowly advanced on Warsaw, General Major Johann Frieherr von Mohr's advance guard found several squadrons of Polish lancers near the Zur Bequemlichkeit Inn. Quickly penning a note to the Archduke, Mohr awaited further instructions. Archduke Ferdinand immediately set out for the Inn with all of the Austrian cavalry that was at hand.
Arriving south of the Inn, Ferdinand launched a coordinated attack with the Cavalry Reserve and Mohr's infantry. The attack compelled the Poles to retire behind the Utrata, thus revealing the entire Polish army.
The Archduke decided to attack the scattered Polish forces without delay. Civillart's and Pflacher's brigades would lead the advance down the Jawarow-Warsaw road. Mohr's command would conduct the supporting attacks with Vukassovich moving on Falenty while Siebenbtirger's Grenzers took Dawidy to protect the right flank.
The Grenzers occupied Dawidy unopposed and remained there for the rest of the day.. Vukassovich, on the other hand, .became hopelessly entangled in the vicious street fighting of Falenty.
Poniatowski had not expected such an energetic attack from the normally uninspired Austrians. He had allowed his subordinates to be left unsupported and now had to scramble to bring them aid.
The Austrians of Civillart's brigade struggled to reach the Utrata. After reaching the flooded stream around four o'clock, Civillart found that the bridge to Jawarow and all bridging material had been removed by the Poles.
By this time, Vukassovich's veterans had taken the small wood near Falenty and repelled a counter-attack led by Poniatowski himself. Renewing the assault the Austrians finally threw the Poles out of Falenty in some disorder, capturing two polish guns in the process. The Austrians then pursued the Poles across the bridge and gained a toe-hold in Raszyn. A counter-attack by von Dyherrn's Saxons stopped the Austrian advance and dislodged Vukassovich from Raszyn. Ferdinand, unaware of Vukassovich's position, ordered a pursuit of the Poles which he presumed to have been evicted from the town. Hauptman Renner of Ferdinand's staff recognized his commander's error and, on his own initiative, ordered part of Pflacher's brigade to support Vukassovich.
The attack on Raszyn was again renewed around seven o'clock. After two hours of house-to-house fighting, the Austrians were completely in possession of the burning Raszyn. Poniatowski started his withdrawal to Warsaw around 10 pm. Von Dyherrn's force left for Saxony the next day, following previous orders from the Emperor. Poniatowski was forced to abandon Warsaw to the Austrians on the 21st. The Polish army eventually recovered and forced the Archduke out of Poland, seizing part of Galicia in return. Polish losses at Raszyn amounted to approximately 2,000 dead, wounded, and missing. The Austrian losses came to only 600 (over 250 from Vukassovich).
Links
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Kossak_Battle_of_Raszyn.jpgAfter Action Report
- https://blundersonthedanube.blogspot.com/2011/02/battle-of-raszyn-april-191809.htmlAfter Action Report
- https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65212889/f127.itemHistoric Background
- https://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Raszyn_battle.htmHistoric Background
- https://web.archive.org/web/20151209024445/http://mapswar2.x10host.com/Raszyn_battle_War_Campaign_1809.htmHistoric Background
- https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65212889/f133.itemHistoric Background
- https://www.centotredicesimo.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/B.Raszyn-1809-Firs.pdfHistoric Background
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Cyprian_Godebski_at_RaszynHistoric Background