Battle of Diersheim (1797)

The Battle of Diersheim (20–21 April 1797) saw a First French Republic army led by Jean Victor Marie Moreau clash with a Habsburg army commanded by Anton Count Sztáray de Nagy-Mihaly. Though both sides suffered about 3,000 killed or wounded in the bitter fighting, the Austrians finally retreated with the loss of 2,000 prisooners and 13 artillery pieces. Austrian General Wilhelm von Immens was killed and Sztáray badly wounded. The combat at Diersheim was a waste of lives because Napoleon Bonaparte signed the Preliminaries of Leoben with Austria a few days earlier, calling for a truce. However, Moreau's reputation was enhanced by his hard-won victory which occurred during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. Diersheim is one of a number of villages that make up the municipality of Rheinau. Diersheim lies one kilometer southwest of the Rhine River and about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) northeast of Kehl.

Battle of Diersheim (1797)
Part of War of the First Coalition

General Duhesme at the Battle of Diersheim, by Charles Thévenin
Date20 to 21 April 1797 (2 floréal an V)
Location
Rheinau, present-day Germany
Result French victory
Belligerents
France French First Republic Holy Roman Empire Habsburg monarchy
Commanders and leaders
France Jean Moreau Holy Roman Empire Count Anton Sztáray
Units involved
Army of the Rhine and Moselle Army of the Upper Rhine
Strength
48,500-52,000[1] 24,000-34,000[1]
Casualties and losses
3,000[1] 2,700 killed or wounded
2,000 captured
13 guns[1]

References
  • Rickard, J. (2009). "Battle of Diersheim, 20-21 April 1797". historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  • Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.
  • Smith, Digby; Kudrna, Leopold (2008). "A Biographical Dictionary of all Austrian Generals during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815: Sztáray de Nagy-Mihály et Sztára, Anton Graf". The Napoleon Series. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  • Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Wien und Leipzig, C. W. Stern.

48°39′N 7°53′E

Diersheim

  1. Bodart 1908, p. 322.
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