A failed French river crossing near Vienna that redirected Napoleon's strategy toward the later battle of Aspern-Essling.
Key Facts
- Date
- 13 May 1809
- French force committed
- ~1000 men
- French casualties
- ~700 men
- Austrian casualties
- ~450 men (300 regular + ~150 Landwehr)
- French artillery support
- 26 guns on southern Danube shore
- Isle dimensions
- ~3 km long, 100–500 m wide
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the fall of Vienna in May 1809, Napoleon sought a crossing point over the Danube to engage Archduke Charles's Austrian Hauptarmee. The isle of Schwarze Lackenau, connected to the northern shore by a small weir, appeared to offer a viable base for further operations across the river.
On 13 May 1809, General de division Saint-Hilaire sent roughly 1,000 troops—initially voltigeurs of the 72nd Ligne—by boat to the isle. Austrian forces, first Landwehr then regulars of Infantry Regiment Kerpen Nr. 49, contested the crossing. By 7:30 PM, Major O'Brien's flanking maneuver collapsed the French line, forcing the remaining French troops on the isle to surrender.
The French suffered approximately 700 casualties from the roughly 1,000 men committed, while Austrian losses totaled around 450. The action alerted the Austrians to the site's vulnerability, prompting defensive improvements. Napoleon abandoned this crossing point and, one week later, attempted a different location, resulting in the battle of Aspern-Essling.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General de division Saint-Hilaire.
Side B
1 belligerent
Colonel von Csollich, Major O'Brien.