1809 – 10th April

Here begins the Austrian attempt to take Bavaria

The Austrian assault opens across the border into Bavaria at the border crossings near the hamlet of Schaerding over the River Inn. Catching the French Allies by surprise, the Bavarian 7th Corps fought a series of delaying actions, but inevitably, the Austrian Army crossed into enemy territory, and punched a hole into the Bavarian borderlands. The Austrians marched onto Landshut, where the 3rd Division under G.L. Deroy held the bridges. He refused permission for Austrian Sappers to repair the river crossings, and after a few hours, the Austrian reinforcements commenced the attack.

Deroy held his ground until news reached him of a flanking force approaching from Moosburg, at which point he carried out a successful tactical withdrawal to Altdorf, and sent a request for reinforcements to his Corps commander, Marshall Lefebvre.

The Austrian advance continued, led by Radetzky and approached the Bavarian forces across a marshy valley. The ground conditions forced the artillery to move on the road, and caused difficulties for both Infantry and Cavalry over the wide front that lay before the village of Altdorf.

The following After Action Report (AAR) gives an insight into what was to happen during this action.