Battle of Raszyn (1809)

Battle of Raszyn
Part of the Polish–Austrian War, War of the Fifth Coalition
Death of Cyprian Godebski in the Battle of Raszyn 1855 painting by January Suchodolski oil on canvas, National Museum in Warsaw
Date 19 April 1809 Location Raszyn, present-day Poland Result Austrian tactical victory Polish strategic victory
Belligerents
Austrian Empire	Duchy of Warsaw Kingdom of Saxony
Commanders and leaders
Archduke Ferdinand	Józef Poniatowski
Strength
24,500 infantry 4,500 cavalry 94 cannons	18,000 infantry 3,500 cavalry 44 cannons
Casualties and losses
2,300 total: 800 killed 1,500 wounded	1,390 total: 450 killed 900 wounded 40 captured
Raszyn Location of the battle in present day Poland

2,300 total:

1,390 total:

The first Battle of Raszyn was fought on 19 April 1809 between armies of the Austrian Empire under Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este and the Duchy of Warsaw under Józef Antoni Poniatowski, as part of the War of the Fifth Coalition in the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was not decisive, but it did result in the Austrians obtaining their goal by capturing the Polish capital Warsaw.

The battlefield's terrain is dominated by several villages and by the river Utrata, which during April is unfordable. The only way to cross the river is at the ponds of Raszyn, Dawidy or Michalowice, which were all under Polish control.

After a preparatory cannonade started at 14.00, the Austrian infantry attacked around 15.00 the Polish screening forces. The Poles gradually yielded terrain to the attacker. Austrian attempts to outflank the Polish position near Jaworowo were without success. After the village of Falenty was captured at 16.00 Poniatowski launched a counterattack which evicted the Austrians from the town and re-establishing the Polish line. Around 17.00 a combined attack was launched against Raszyn. Repulsed by the Saxon units, the Austrians called up reinforcements and took the town around 19.00 but were unable to progress beyond the last houses of the village. The Poles again counterattacked at 21.00 and drove the Austrians from Raszyn but were unable to recapture the causeway. Fighting progressed until 22.00 when the Poles evacuated the battlefield.

After the Austrian army withdrew to the other side of the swamps, prince Józef Poniatowski ordered his forces to withdraw towards Warsaw. However, since the city fortifications were in a very bad shape and the Saxon expeditionary force withdrew towards their homeland, Poniatowski decided to leave Warsaw undefended and withdraw to several fortresses located nearby (most notably to Modlin Fortress and Serock). The capital was seized with little opposition, but it was a Pyrrhic victory since the Austrian commander diverted most of his forces there at the expense of other fronts. In the following weeks Greater Poland was defended by the Corps of General Henryk Dąbrowski and the Polish cavalry seized Lwów. Finally, Poniatowski left only a small force near Warsaw to prevent the Austrians from leaving it and moved the rest of his forces southwards, which led to capturing the city of Kraków.