Napoleon won at Abensberg on 20 April 1809. He defeated the Austrian army of Archduke Louis and Johann von Hiller in Bavaria, forcing the Austrians back and capturing large numbers of prisoners. The French then pushed the Archduke Charles's army back.
A French trap
Napoleon's French, Bavarian and Württemberg troops attacked the Austrian left wing under Hiller, whose corps stood east of the river Abens. Marshal Jean Lannes broke through the Austrian lines farther east, and the Austrian right flank was crushed.1
Hiller withdrew toward Landshut, separating his wing from Archduke Charles's main army, so the two forces had to fight separately.
The cost
Franco-German losses are given as about 1,000 killed or wounded. The Austrians lost 492 killed, 2,219 wounded and about 4,000 captured, plus 12 guns, though other historians give different totals.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Abensberg?
It was fought on 20 April 1809 at Abensberg, south-east of the town in Bavaria, during the War of the Fifth Coalition.
Who won the Battle of Abensberg?
Napoleon and his Franco-German army defeated the Austrians of Archduke Louis and Johann von Hiller.
Why did it matter?
It split the Austrian forces and opened the way to the Danube and Vienna in the campaign that followed.
Notes
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