Original Query 24: Swiss Campaign [AoN 10]

Could anyone supply or suggest a source for French and Austrian Orders of Battle at the start of the Swiss campaign, March-April 1799. In particular the actions of Feldkirch, Luziensteig and Ponte.

I have tried many sources. The Nafziger lists don't cover the beginning of the campaign and Shadwell's MOUNTAIN WARFARE doesn't include O.B's.

There is not much recent information available on this campaign, but for general background I would suggest: Phipps 'The Armies of the First French Republic' Vol.5 (1939) available through Library Interloan; A.B. Rodger 'The War of the Second Coalition, 1798 to 1801 (1964); G. Rothenberg 'Napoleon's Great Adversaries' (1982).

At the start of the Second Coalition war, the French had an army of about 50,000 men in Switzerland, which they planned to use against Austrian forces in the Vorarlberg, (inc. Feldkirch) and Tyrol, (modern western Austria), and the Graubunden, (eastern Switzerland) before the Russians could arrive. Other than Archduke Charles and his staff, the Austrians had overlooked the possibilities for the French then to attack either of the Imperial armies in Germany or Italy from this central bastion! A large army under Bellegarde was assembled in the Tyrol, but the brunt of the fighting was borne by the troops of F.M.L. Hotze, whose command protected the left flank of Charles' army in Germany.

The following information is drawn from Booklet No.52 in the Militaer-historische Schriftenreihe series by E. Hillbrand (1985) produced by the Army Museum in Vienna. For information on the flotilla at Lake Constance, there is MHS 59 by Warmer (1985). These booklets are very handy as they draw on source material which is almost impossible to get hold of elsewhere.

On the outbreak of war, Hotze, based at Feldkirch, disposed of 22 battalions, 8 seperate infantry companies plus nine squadrons of cavalry, a total of about 25,000 troops, which were divided into four brigades. In addition, the approx. 6,000 strong Vorarlberg Sharpshooter Militia (in 35 companies) were called out.

Hotze commanded the main force in Vorarlberg; Auffenberg with about 10,000 men held Graubunden. As Massena struck on 6th March, the Austrians were evicted from their positions in the Lichtenstein Rhine valley, (including Luziensteig), but the following day, Hotze counter-attacked. His forces were as follows:

1st Column:
2 companies IR50 (Stain) & 2 companies of Vorarlberg Sharpshooters

2nd Column
Half of 1st Light Infantry (Stozzi)

3rd Column:
Other half of 1st Light Infantry
(These three columns had 2 x 3pdr and 2 x 6pdr guns).

4th Column:
100 men of 5th (Modena) Light Dragoons, supported by half a company of IR37 (DeVins)

Reserve:
9 companies IR50 (Stain), 1 squadron of cavalry and the artillery.

In the defensive entrenchments:

At Rankweil: 1 company 7th (Brod) Grenzers
At Altenstaldt: 2 companies 7th Grenzer, plus another 3 companies in the local area.

Around these fortifications:
1 squadron 5th Light Dragoons and a Cavalry Artillery Battery.
On the Ardetzenberg: 1 company of Sharpshooters.
At Margarethenkapf: Half company IR50, plus some men from IR37.

In entrenchments 13 & 14: Half company IR37

In entrenchments 15 & 16 on the road towards Nendeln: 1 company IR50 and two artillery pieces.

Around Fellengatter: 3 companies (Montafon) Sharpshoters.

Following the first battle of Feldkirch, 2 battalions of IR60 (Gemmingen) arrived on 8th March and were positioned in the entrenchments at Rankwell. In response to a request for reinforcement, Archduke Charles sent 3 battalions IR20 (Kaunitz) and 1 battalion of 9th (Peterwardein) Grenzer, 2 squadrons of Uhlans and a Cavalry Artillery battery under Jellacic on 11th March, who took up position at Feldkirch.

Hotze knew he could not hold his positions north of Feldkirch and on 19th March fell back with his men on Lindau on Lake Constance, where he planned to join up with G.M. Hiller's brigade around Bregenz.

For the second battle of Feldkirch over 22nd/23rd March, Jellacic had:

1 Bat. 7th (Brod) Grenzer
1 Bat. IR20 (Kaunitz)
3rd Bat. IR37 (De Vins)
1 Bat. 6th (Warasdin St. Georger) Grenzer
2 Squadrons 7th (Waldeck) Light Dragoons
7 companies of Sharpshooters

Between Feldkirch and Bregenz, the line of outposts was manned by 1st Light Infantry Bat. Stozzi and 1 Sqd. 5th (Modena) Dragoons.

On the second day of the battle, Jellacic also called out the Vorarlberg Landsturm, (General levy), by means of ringing the local church bells which supported the last spare reserve of 4 companies of Grenzer and some Sharpshooters in their counter attack at Baerenloch, which drove the French back to their start positions. For his successful defence of Feldkirch, Jellacic received the Knight's Cross of the Maria Theresa Order.