The Austrian defensive victory at Feldkirch halted French offensive momentum in the southern German theater during the War of the Second Coalition.
Key Facts
- Date
- 23 March 1799
- Location
- Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, Austria
- Distance from Innsbruck
- 158 km (98 mi) west
- French commander
- André Masséna
- Austrian commander
- Franz Jellacic
- Outcome
- Austrian defensive victory; all French columns repulsed
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
France invaded Switzerland in January 1798, forcing it into an uneasy alliance. By early 1799, Masséna commanded the Army of Helvetia and, holding numerical superiority, went on the offensive against Austria. Following initial French successes at Maienfeld, Chur, and Feldkirch in early March, General Jourdan ordered Masséna to attack Feldkirch again in late March.
On 23 March 1799, French forces under Masséna, employing troops led by Nicolas Oudinot, attacked Austrian positions at Feldkirch held by the weaker force of Franz Jellacic. The Austrians, defending fortified positions, repulsed every French attacking column throughout a struggle that lasted until nightfall, inflicting a clear defensive victory.
The defeat at Feldkirch, combined with other French reverses in southern Germany and Jourdan's crushing defeats at Ostrach and Stockach, compelled Masséna to abandon his offensive strategy and go on the defensive, significantly curtailing French operational ambitions in the region during the War of the Second Coalition.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
André Masséna, Nicolas Oudinot, Jean-Baptiste Jourdan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Franz Jellacic.