On 25 March 1799, French and Habsburg armies fought for control of the geographically strategic Hegau in present-day Baden-Württemberg. The battle has been called by various names: First Battle of Stockach, the Battle by Stockach, and, in French chronicles, the Battle of Liptingen (or Leibtengen). In the broader military context, this battle comprises a keystone in the first campaign in southwestern Germany during the Wars of the Second Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. For an explanation of the types of forces, please see Types of military forces in the Napoleonic Wars.
Background
Stockach lies at the junction of east–west and north–south roads on the eastern side of the Black Forest. Strategically, control of the location offered access between the Swiss and Italian theaters and those in southern, central and northern Germany. French control would protect access to the Black forest and the Rhine, of strategic importance in the Directory's plans to force the Habsburg army back to Vienna.
The day-long battle at Stockach and Engen pitted the two armies against each other for the second time in seven days. The Austrians still had the numerical superiority, but this time it was closer to two-to-one, instead of almost three-to-one. Jourdan had consolidated his force over a shorter line, and had the full Army of the Danube under his direct command. Charles, likewise, had shortened his line; although Hotze had not yet caught up with the archduke, he and his 10,000 men were approaching from the Austrians' left rear.
Army of the Danube
General of Division Jean-Baptiste Jourdan commanding.
Advanced Guard
- Generals of Brigade Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Adolphe Édouard Casimir Joseph Mortier, Anne Gilbert de Laval
- 25th Demi-brigade Light Infantry (3 battalions)
- 53rd Demi Brigade Line Infantry (3 battalions)
- 67th Demi Brigade Line Infantry (3 battalions)
- General of Brigade Dominique Louis Antoine Klein
- 17th Dragoon Regiment
- 1st Chasseurs à Cheval
- 4th Hussars (4 squadrons)
- 5th Hussars (4 squadrons)
- 2 Foot Artillery Batteries
- 1 Horse Artillery Battery
- 3rd Battalion Sappers (7th Company)
First Division
Pierre Garnier de Laboissière
- Left Brigade: Jean-Baptiste Jacopin
- 102nd Demi Brigade Line Infantry (3 battalions)
- 6th Chasseurs à Cheval (4 squadrons)
- Right Brigade: Jean Victor Tharreau
- 10th Demi Brigade Light Infantry (3 battalions)
- 46th Demi Brigade Line Infantry(3 battalions)
- 11th Dragoon Regiment (4 squadrons)
- 3 Foot Artillery Batteries
- 1 Horse Artillery Battery
- 3rd Battalion Sappers
Second Division
- Left Brigade General of Brigade François Goullus
- 83rd Demi Brigade, Line Infantry (3 battalions)
- 7th Demi Brigade, Line Infantry (2 battalions)
- 6th Dragoons (4 squadrons)
- Right Brigade General of Brigade Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen
- 2nd Demi Brigade, Light Infantry (3 battalions)
- 1st Dragoons (4 squadrons)
- 2nd Foot Artillery (15th Company)
- 7th Horse Artillery Unit (13th Company)
Third Division
- General of Brigade Frédéric Henri Walther
- 108th Demi Brigade, Line Infantry (3 battalions)
- 2nd Dragoon Regiment
- General of Brigade Claude Juste Alexandre Legrand
- 11th Demi Brigade, Light Infantry (2 battalions)
- 1st Demi Brigade, Line Infantry (2 battalions)
- 8th Chasseurs à Cheval (4 squadrons)
- 10th Chasseurs à Cheval (4 squadrons)
- 2 Foot Artillery Units
- 1 Horse Artillery Units
Cavalry Reserves
- 1st Carabiniers Regiment
- 2nd Carabiniers Regiment
- 4th Cavalry Regiment
- 6th Cavalry Regiment
- 7th Cavalry Regiment
- 8th Cavalry Regiment
- 23rd Cavalry Regiment
- 25th Cavalry Regiment
- 6th Horse Artillery (5th company)
- 7th Horse Artillery (2nd company)
- 3rd Foot Artillery (2nd and 3rd company)
- 3rd Battalion Sappers
Detached Flank Corps
- 1st Light Infantry (2 battalions)
- 8th Demi Brigade, light infantry (3 battalions)
- 50th Demi Brigade, light infantry (3 battalions each)
- 1 Squadron Dragoons
- 1 Foot Artillery Unit
- 8th or 10th Chasseurs a Cheval (1 squadron)
Habsburg Army
Advanced Guard
- Lt. Field Marshal Friedrich Joseph, Count of Nauendorf
- Freikorps (independent corps) Wurmser (12 companies)
- 1st Hussars Kaiser (8 squadrons)
- 1st Lancers Merveldt (8 squadrons)
- 13th Border Infantry Regiment Wallachian Illyrian (1st Battalion)
- Major General Joseph Kempf (commanded a portion of Petrasch's division, included in the advanced guard)
- 1st Infantry Regiment Kaiser (3 battalions)
- 31st Infantry Regiment Benjowsky (2 battalions)
Right Wing
- Lt. Field Marshal Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg
- 35th Infantry Regiment Wenkheim (3 battalions)
- Major General Ludwig von Vogelsang
- 21st Infantry Regiment Gemmingen (3 battalions)
- 42nd Infantry Regiment Erbach (2 battalions)
- Lt. Field Marshal Franz, Baron von Petrasch
- Two regiments detached to advance guard
- 49th Infantry Regiment Kerpen (2 battalions)
- Lt. Field Marshal Augustus Christian Frederick, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
- Major General Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough
- 6th Light Dragoons Coburg (6 squadrons)
- Major General Franz Roë (or Anton?)
- 2nd Light Dragoons, Archduke Ferdinand (6 squadrons)
- Lt. Field Marshal Johann Sigismund Riesch
- Major General Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen
- 9th Cuirassier Regiment Nassau-Usingen (6 squadrons)
- 10th Cuirassier Regiment Mack (6 squadrons)
Center
Reinforced Forward Line
- 12th Infantry Regiment Manfredini (3 battalions)
- Major General Ignaz Gyulai
- 6th Border Infantry Regiment Warasdin St. George (1st Battalion)
- 8th Border Infantry Regiment Gradiska (3rd Battalion)
- 16th Border Infantry Regiment Siebenburg-Wallachian (1st Battalion)
- Major General Michael von Kienmayer
- 3rd Hussars Erzherzog Karl d'Este (8 squadrons)
- 10th Hussars Meszaros (8 squadrons)
- Major General Christoph Karl von Piacsek
- Tirolean Jägers (3 companies)
- 5th Light Battalion Radivojevich (6 companies)
- 12th Border Hussars Croatian Slavic (6 squadrons)
- Lt. Field Marshal Siegfried von Kospoth (of the Reserve)
- Major General Joseph Spiegelberg
- 12th Light Dragoons Kinsky (6 squadrons)
- Major General Friedrich Joseph Ludwig of Hessen-Homburg
- 11th Light Dragoons Latour (6 squadrons)
- Major General Franz Ludwig Sebottendorf
- 2nd Infantry Regiment Archduke Ferdinand (3 battalions)
Reserve
- Lt. Field Marshal Vinzenz Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky
- Grenadier Battalion Tegethoff (20th, 22nd, and 29th)
- Grenadier Battalion Bojaowsky (1st 7th and 12th)
- Grenadier Battalion Teschner (3rd, 35th and 50th)
- Grenadier Battalion Lippe (2nd, 31st and 60th)
- Grenadier Battalion Sebottendorf (41st, 49th and 56th)
- Grenadier Battalion Juch (21st, 42, and 54th)
Left Wing
Advanced Guard
- Major General Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg
- Border Sharpshooters (4 companies)
- 12th Light battalion Rubinitz (6 companies)
- 2nd Lancers (6 squadrons)
- 4th Hussar Regiment Vecsey (6 squadrons)
Main Force (Left)
- Lt. Field Marshal Ludwig Anton, Count Baillet de Latour
- Major General Anton Ulrich Mylius
- 12th Border Infantry Regiment Banat (1st Battalion)
- 22nd Infantry Regiment Lacy (3 battalions)
- 7th Infantry Regiment Carl Schroeder (3 battalions)
- Lt. Field Marshal Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
- Major General Karl Friedrich von Lindenau
- 3rd Infantry Regiment Erzherzog Karl (3 battalions)
- 29th Infantry Regiment Oliver Wallis (3 battalions)
- Lt. Field Marshal Nikolaus Colloredo-Mels
- Major General Prince Franz Seraph of Rosenberg-Orsini
- 7th Cuirassiers Lothringen (6 squadrons)
- 8th Cuirassiers Hohenzollern (6 squadrons)
- Lt. Field Marshal Alexander of Württemberg
- Major General Johann Jacob Klinglin
- 2nd Cuirassiers Archduke Franz d'Este (6 squadrons)
- 11th Cuirassiers Ansbach (4 squadrons)
Detached (flanking) force
- Tirolean Jägers (1 company)
- 1st Border Hussars Croatian Slavic (4 squadrons)
- 7th Light Dragoons Waldeck (2 squadrons)