Victorious battle of the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-1849 (02 July 1849)
A Hungarian victory during the 1848–49 War of Independence that temporarily halted the Austrian advance toward Buda and Pest.
Key Facts
- Date
- 2 July 1849
- Austrian-Russian force ratio
- Two to one over Hungarian troops
- Russian contingent size
- Almost 12,000 troops
- Hungarian commander
- General Artúr Görgei
- Austrian commander
- Field Marshal Julius von Haynau
- Conflict
- Hungarian War of Independence 1848–1849
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Austrian Supreme Commander Haynau planned to force Hungarian troops back into the Komárom fortress, besiege it from the south, and open the road to Buda and Pest before Russian allied forces under Ivan Paskevich could arrive. Internal Hungarian political conflict also weakened their position, as the Kossuth government ordered withdrawal without consulting war minister Görgei, creating confusion and low morale among Hungarian officers and troops.
On the morning of 2 July 1849, the Austrian I Corps under General Schlick launched an attack from the direction of Ács, pushing Hungarian forces back and seizing key fortifications. Görgei rallied the retreating VIII Corps using grapeshot and volley fire, then launched a counter-attack supported by II and VII Corps. A flanking move by General Poeltenberg threatened Schlick's left flank, but was stopped by Russian forces under Panyutyin. Haynau then mistakenly ordered his IV Corps to withdraw, exposing the Austrian center.
The Hungarian counter-attack exploited Haynau's erroneous withdrawal order, resulting in a Hungarian victory that temporarily checked the Austrian advance toward the Hungarian capitals. However, the broader strategic situation remained dire, as Russian and Austrian armies continued to close in. Görgei's political troubles persisted, and the overall Hungarian campaign would eventually end in defeat later that summer.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General Artúr Görgei, General Ernő Poeltenberg, General György Klapka.
Side B
2 belligerents
Field Marshal Julius von Haynau, General Franz Schlick, Lieutenant General Fyodor Panyutyin.