The Battle of Hohenlinden near Munich was fought on December 3, 1800, during the Second Italian Campaign. It resulted in a decisive French victory under General Moreau against the Austrians under Archduke John.
Maneuvering through southern Germany, the French Army of the Rhine, led by General Jean Moreau, had its rearguard attacked on December 1 at Ampfing by Austrian forces under Archduke John. Assembling his army on open ground near Hohenlinden, Moreau prepared for battle on December 3. Designed by the archduke’s chief of staff, Franz von Weyrother, the Austrian plan called for four columns to move through the snowy hills and heavily wooded forests east of the town and attack the French lines. After ascertaining the Austrian’s intentions, Moreau dispatched two divisions south to attempt to attack the Austrian left. In the battle that resulted, the Austrian columns attacked piecemeal due to the difficulty of the terrain and were beaten back. To the south, Moreau’s flanking divisions succeeded in creating havoc and tying down one of the Austrian columns. Sensing victory, Moreau attacked all along his line, and drove the Austrians from the field.
French casualties at the Battle of Hohenlinden numbered around 3,000 dead and wounded, while the Austrians suffered 4,600, as well as 9,000 captured and 76 guns lost. Slowly pursuing for five days, Moreau increased his pace on December 8 and covered 189 miles while capturing an additional 20,000 Austrians. On December 17, Archduke John was relieved by his brother Charles. With the army reduced to tatters, Charles was unable to stop Moreau’s advance on Vienna. With the French 50 miles from the city, he requested an armistice on December 24. The Battle of Hohenlinden, along with Napoleon’s victory at Marengo (June 14, 1800) effectively ended the War of the Second Coalition and led to the Treaty of Luneville and the Treaty of Amiens.
