All aspects of history are subject to the telling and re- telling of myths, until sadly they eventually become accepted as fact. Military history is no exception to this rule. And within that area the Napoleonic Wars have suffered more than their fair share of such misinformation.

In a recent issue of this magazine (No 27) a reference was made by Dave Brown in his article on the role of cavalry in wargames to one of those oft-perpetrated myths, concerning a cavalry action in 1809 at the Battle of Deutsch-Wagram. Mr Brown had been looking for examples of light cavalry defeating heavy cavalry in combat and used as an example an incident from this battle where a Saxon chevauxleger regiment is often quoted as having defeated an Austrian cuirassier regiment. Mr Brown however, did raise a question as to the true facts of this incident. In fact the truth behind the cavalry clash is not so damning for the Austrians as some historians would have us believe.

In his excellent work, With Eagles to Glory - Napoleon and his German Allies in the 1809 Campaign, J. H. Gill explores this incident in some detail and provides a far more realistic view of what actually happened during this famous cavalry clash. It is mainly from this source that I have extracted the information to enable me to confirm Mr Brown's suspicions concerning this incident.

In the build up to the battle of Deutsch-Wagram the Saxon IX corps had not been part of the first wave of Napoleon's army to cross the final stretch of the Danube during the night of 4/5 July 1809. However, orders were eventually issued and the Saxons began to cross mid- morning on 5 July. By early afternoon they were all safely across, minus a number of detachments that had been ordered to other duties. At about 2.00pm Marshall Bernadotte directed his corps north-westward towards the village of Raasdorf. Having assisted in clearing this village the Saxon advanced guard continued their march north-west in the direction of Aderklaa.

However, Generalmajor Roussel d'Hurbel's brigade of Austrian cuirassier now opposed them. The two heavy cavalry regiments, 2. Erzherzog Franz and 3. Herzog Albrecht, both six squadrons strong, stood side by side and presented a flank threat to any further Saxon advance. To remove this threat GM von Feilitzsch was ordered to move with his cavalry brigade to support the advance guard cavalry of GM von Gutschmid for a combined attack against the Austrian horsemen. Gutschmid had drawn up his two light regiments to oppose the Austrian cuirassier at 900 paces distance; on the right three squadrons of hussars, on the left and slightly to the rear, the Prinz Clemens chevauxlegers.

However instead of waiting for Feilitzsch's heavy cavalry to arrive, the chevauxlegers recklessly charged forward unsupported. The result was predictable. Only about 250 strong, the chevauxlegers were no match for the two solid regiments of Austrian cuirassier, who confidently stood their ground. Contrary to normal practice, they received the charge with a volley from their carbines and blew the chevauxlegers attack away. The defeated Saxons fled back towards Raasdorf, passing Feilitzsch's advancing troopers on the way. However, the Saxon hussars, who must have been dismayed by their comrades foolish actions, stood firm and were soon joined by Feilitzsch's men.

Gutschmid and Feilitzsch now formed their men in echelon with the right forward, formed by three hussar squadrons. In order then came the LeibKurassier-Garde, Garde du Corps, Karabinier regiment, and finally, forming the refused wing, a weakened single light squadron of the Herzog Albrecht Chevauxlegers only about 60 strong. As the Saxon cavalry received the order to begin their advance they numbered approximately 1400 men formed in twelve squadrons, ahead of them stood the twelve Austrian squadrons, with an approximate strength of 1000 men.

As the Saxon advance gathered pace a body of Austrian infantry opened fire against the extreme right hussar squadron. Without any hesitation this squadron wheeled to the right and rode down their assailants. Meanwhile the main body of Saxon cavalry continued towards the Austrian line which was still standing firm. Normal practice would have been for the Austrians to advance to contact but it would seem that the successful repulse of the first Saxon charge had convinced their commander that it could be effective again.

The front ranks of the two cuirassier regiments drew their swords and waited for their chance to attack the Saxons once they had been thrown into confusion by the expected volley of carbine fire. The second rank took aim with their carbines, holding fire until the Saxons were only 30 meters away. The volley crashed out, but as the smoke cleared the Austrians must have been horrified to see that the fusillade had had no effect and the Saxons were about to crash into them. With the full impetus of a charge behind them the Saxons smashed into the Austrian line. The 3. Herzog Albrecht were hit by the Leib-Kurassier-Garde and half of the Garde du Corps while also being flanked by the two remaining hussar squadrons. Moments later the rest of the Garde du Corps, along with the Karabinier regiment and the lone squadron of Herzog Albrecht chevauxlegers crashed into 2. Erzherzog Franz.

A fierce, desperate melee erupted as the ordered lines dissolved into a struggling, seething mass. Outnumbered and caught at a disadvantage it was only a matter of time before the Austrian cavalry broke and fled to safety, their flight protected by the intervention of the heavy cavalry brigade of GM Lederer.

So let us de-bunk this myth once and for all. A Saxon light cavalry regiment did not charge and defeat an Austrian heavy cavalry regiment at Deutsch-Wagram. The Saxon chevauxlegers, only 60 strong, were part of a mixed cavalry force of 1400, of which the great majority were heavy cavalry. Being the rearmost unit of the echelon formation they were the last to hit the Austrian line, which would have already been broken into by the leading squadrons, and were also furthest from the Austrian volley. The two hussar squadrons on the right of the Saxon attack did not charge head on into the Austrian heavies but overlapped them and hit the flank. It is clear that in the circumstances the Austrian cavalry commander was wrong to accept the second charge at the halt but it cannot be said that his command was defeated by Saxon light cavalry. Here we have the true story behind one of the oft-repeated myths of the Napoleonic Wars. Does anyone out there have any other they would like to expose?

Sources

John H. Gill, 'With Eagles to Glory - Napoleon and his German Allies in the 1809 Campaign.'
Ian Castle, 'Aspern & Wagram 1809 - Mighty Clash of Empires.'

Debunking Myths Part 1