The main fighting at Eckmühl, in Bavaria, took place on 22 April 1809, after an engagement at Schierling the day before. Napoleon regained the strategic initiative from Archduke Charles, though the Austrians escaped over the Danube.
Davout holds the line
According to World History Encyclopedia, Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout and Marshal François Lefebvre, with 36,000 men, were defending against 75,000 Austrians near Eckmühl when Napoleon raced north with the rest of the army and defeated Archduke Charles.1
Casualty figures differ widely between accounts, so none are given here.
Not quite decisive
Eckmühl turned the 1809 campaign but did not destroy the Austrian army. The Austrians fell back behind the medieval walls of Ratisbon, and although Marshal Jean Lannes stormed the town, Charles escaped beyond the Danube.2
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Eckmühl?
The main battle was fought on 22 April 1809 near Eckmühl, in Bavaria, after the fighting at Schierling on 21 April.
Who won the Battle of Eckmühl?
Napoleon's French army defeated the Austrians under Archduke Charles.
Did the battle end the Austrian army?
No. The Austrians fell back to Ratisbon and escaped beyond the Danube, so the battle was not decisive.
Notes
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