Second Battle of Zürich

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River Limmat Zürich

Date	25 September 1799 – 26 September 1799
Location	Zürich, Switzerland
Result	French victory

Combatants

France

Austria, Russia

Commanders

André Masséna

Alexander Suvorov, Alexander Korsakov, Friedrich von Hotze

Strength

75,000

60,000

Casualties

22,000

War of the Second Coalition
Cassano – 1st Zürich – Montebello – Trebia – Novi – 2nd Zürich – Genoa – 2nd Stockach – Marengo – Hochstadt – Hohenlinden – Copenhagen – Algeciras

The Second Battle of Zürich took place on 25-26 September 1799, breaking the stalemate that had resulted from First Battle of Zürich three months earlier to the advantage of the French.

After he had been forced out of the city in June, general André Masséna had fortified his position on the Zürichberg. General Korsakhov's Russians took control of the city. General Alexander Suvorov was also supposed to join forces, marching across the Gotthard pass, but Suvorov's army did not reach Zürich in time, being harassed by a small force sent by Masséna, and the Russians and the Austrians were beaten back. The French victory led to the withdrawal of Russia from the Second Coalition.

1 Battle
2 Aftermath
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Battle

The coalition forces greatly outnumbered the French, so Kosakov sent more than half his force of around 60,000 men to cut off the French line of retreat. Masséna turned on the coalition army under General Korsakov, which he defeated, capturing their cannons and other supplies and inflicting about 8,000 casualties.

Most of the fighting took place on both banks of the river Limmat up to the gates of Zürich, and within the city itself. General Oudinot commanded the French forces on the right bank and general Mortier those on the left. At the same time General Soult attacked and defeated the Austrians on the river Linth under Field Marshal Baron Hotze, who was killed early in the day.

Masséna then rounded on the Austrian commanders with a brilliant offensive operation and drove their army away; killing, wounding and capturing almost 14,000 Austrians and Russians.

[edit] Aftermath

France was saved from an imminent invasion because Russia withdrew from the Second Coalition. The Helvetic Republic was weakened, losing its support among the population, leading to the Act of Mediation of 1803, partly restoring pre-revolutionary conditions.