Portrait of
Marshal Jean Lannes,
10 April 1769-1809
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The combat of Gunzburg (9 October 1805) saw a French corps under Marshal Ney capture the bridge over the Danube at Gunzburg, tightening the French noose around Mack's Austrian army at Ulm and also delaying a planned Austrian offensive north of the river.
After moving most of his troops across the Danube close to its junction with the Lech, Napoleon sent three corps west towards Ulm – Murat and Lannes on the south bank of the Danube and Ney on the north bank. Murat's men fought the first battle of the campaign, defeating an Austrian force at Wertingen on 8 October.
Ney was next to enter combat, clashing with an Austrian force guarding the bridge over the Danube at Gunzburg. The Austrians were defeated and suffered 1,300 casualties during the clash. This victory delayed a planned Austrian operation on the north bank of the Danube, but when Mack did eventually make his move he was held up at Albeck (11 October 1805) and retreated back into Ulm.
