Battles & Campaigns · 1800
Battle of Messkirch
Meßkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
What happened
After losing at Stockach and Engen, Kray fell back to Meßkirch. The French attacked on 4 and 5 May, and their first attempts failed. Then French troops took the village of Krumbach and the heights above Meßkirch, and Kray withdrew again.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a French victory in Moreau's 1800 campaign in southern Germany. It was one of a run of defeats that drove Kray back to Ulm.
What came next
The Austrians fell back to Sigmaringen, and the armies met again at Biberach on 9 May 1800.
Did you know?
At the start of the campaign Moreau had 108,000 men and Kray 120,000, but only about half fought at Meßkirch.
Timeline
- 3 May 1800Battles of Stockach and Engen.
- 5 May 1800Battle of Messkirch.
- 9 May 1800Battle of Biberach.
- 19 June 1800Battle of Höchstädt.