Schöngrabern, Battle of 1805

Schöngrabern, Battle of (1805) 

a battle fought between Russian and French troops on November 4 (16), near the village of Schöngrabern, Austria, near Hollabrunn, during the Russo-Austro-French War of 1805 (War of the Third Coalition).

With Vienna occupied by the French, the Russian Army, commanded by M. I. Kutuzov, found itself in a difficult position as it retreated to Znaim (Znojmo) after crossing the Danube at Krems. Kutuzov sent General P. I. Bagration’s detachment of 6,000 men to Schöngrabern to delay the advance of the French marshal J. Murat’s vanguard of 30,000 men, which was moving toward Znaim to cut off the Russian Army’s line of retreat. Owing to skillful leadership and the tenacity of his troops, Bagration, in stubborn fighting in which the Russians lost more than 2,000 men, succeeded in delaying the enemy and protecting the withdrawal of the main forces. Bagration’s detachment then retreated and on November 6 (18) joined the main forces at Pohřlitz (Pohofelice).