Battles & Campaigns · 1799
Battle of Ostrach
Ostrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
What happened
The French first took Ostrach and a nearby hamlet, but the much larger Austrian army overwhelmed their defences. By evening the French had fallen back to the heights near Pfullendorf. The next morning, when the fog lifted and Jourdan saw the size of the Austrian army, he withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the first battle of the War of the Second Coalition outside Italy. Jourdan's plan to cut the Austrians off from the Rhine and Lake Constance failed.
What came next
Five days later the armies fought again at Stockach, and the Austrians won again.
Did you know?
A flood trapped about 300 villagers between the armies, but none of them were killed.
Timeline
- 20–21 March 1799Battle of Ostrach.
- 25 March 1799Battle of Stockach.
- April 1799Jourdan hands over command and resigns.