"Need info on battle of Ampfing December 1, 1800" Topic

Does anyone have any info (links to websites or just general knowledge)about the battle of Ampfing. I believe it was right before Hohenliden. Rear guard action involving two French divisions. What about Austrians strength? Any maps of the battle??

Any help will do!

Thanks.

From the Napoleonic Wars Data Book:

Ampfing, 1 December 1800
A village in the southeastern part of the southern German state of Bavaria, on the River Isen, just north of Route B12, 8km west of Muhldorf, ca 60km east of Munich

An Austrian victory over the French

French Forces: GdD Moreau commanding. Part of the divisions of Delmas, Leclerc, Richepanse and d'Hautpoul. Exact details of participation not known.

GdD Delmas
GdB Jacopin, Grandjean, Lorcet, Quetard, Boyer: 14e DBdeLe; 46e, 50e, 57e, 108e DBdeLi, 6e CavR, 11e ChaCh, 4e HusR
GdD Leclerc
GdB Bastoul, Walter, Desperrieres: 14e DBdeLe, 53e, 89e DBdeLi, 10e, 23e ChaCh
GdD Richepanse
4 combined gren bns, 4e, 59e, 100e DBdeLi
GdD d'Hautpoul
GdB Espagne: 1er, 2e Carabiniers. GdB Devrigny: 8e, 9e CavR

French Totals: 35,000 men

Austrian Forces: FML Erzherzog Johann commanding: IRs EH Carl Nr 3, Clerfayt Nr 9, vacant Nr 60 (3 bns each); DragRs Waldeck Nr 7, Latour Nr 11 (6 sqns each); HusR Vecsey Nr 4 (6 sqns)

Austrian total: 12,000 men

Combat at Ampfing, 1.xii.1800:

link

link

link

link

James Arnold details the battle of Ampfing in his book Marengo and Hohenlinden pp. 217 to 220

Two French divisions of Grenier's Corps, Ney and Hardy, plus one brigade of Legrand's divisions were caught on the morning of December 1, 1800 by a much larger Austrian force of FZM Maimilien de Baillet and FZM Johann Riesch's columns. An OOB is provided in Arnold's book.

Hardy had 4,060 infantry, 2,044 cavalry and 16 guns
Ney had 8,245 infantry, 1,105 cavalry, and 14 guns. One brigade was detached so it was more like 6,000 infantry.

From French returns across Nov to December 1st, 1800

FZM Baillet's column contained 8,346 infantry, 2,520 cavalry 20 guns

FAM Riesch's column contained 10,186 infantry, 3,132 cavalry and 20 guns.

The Austrian returns are from December 2, 1800

The French lost 193 killed, 817 wounded, and 697 prisoners
The Austrians lost 303 killed, 1,690 wounded and 1,077 prisoners.

Best Regards,

Bill H.

Thanks for the help. This should give me a foundation to start. Steven,unfortunately I can not read French very well, is there any way these links can be translated into English?

French wouldn't help you much on those links :)

Oops, didn't notice the last two were in French. My bad

An Austrian victory over the French

A gross over simplification if ever there was one.

While the French were cautiously advancing across a broad theatre they did not have the intelligence about a likewise advance by the Austrians, who believed the French to be retreating with tails between legs.

The combat here quickly assumed an ordered (by Moreau- to yield ground) and orderly fighting retreat, as cited through the difficult broken terrain of hills and woods, superb for defence and concealment.

The French inflicted about twice as many casualties upon the Austrians, so by several measures certainly weren't 'the losers'.

Given the only other threads about this combat all revolve around the issue of "during the attack on Ney's division at Ampfing, he mentions that Ney retreats when Austrian light infantry threatens his rear, only there are no light [troops present]".

Yes well, although the mistake is probably obvious, it doesn't take a genius to recognise that indeed Austrian line corps could and did utilise dispersed order tirailleurs, just as the French had been doing. Ney wasn't the originator of this comment, but one of his Gens de brigade.

Those 'troops' in the rear were effectively chased away by a single squadron of dragoons and the retirement of the infantry continued unabated.

Bringing this single thread up from the dungeon of history… cheers
dave

CrossRef: TMP link (2021)

Dave:

I was the one who brought up that Austrian line troops in 1800 were used in significant numbers as skirmishers, if only because the Austrians had no light troops with them. That fact does fly in the face of some declarations from other geniuses.

Yes well, although the mistake is probably obvious, it doesn't take a genius to recognise that indeed Austrian line corps could and did utilise dispersed order tirailleurs, just as the French had been doing. Ney wasn't the originator of this comment, but one of his Gens de brigade.

"Those 'troops' in the rear were effectively chased away by a single squadron of dragoons and the retirement of the infantry continued unabated."

Cavalry has always been the terror for skirmishers, particularly those with less light infantry training/experience… not surprising they could 'chase' them away.

Agreed.
Just continuing the myth-busting crusade…
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