Battle of Lamač

The Battle of Lamač was the last battle fought in the Austro-Prussian War, on July 22, 1866 (on the day of the conclusion of peace), with the Austrians defending against the Prussian army.

Overview

Prussian scout patrols were in Malacky on 19 July 1866, and in two days the Prussian army occupied Stupava. At that time it was evident, that a cease fire would soon be negotiated, and so the Prussian General Edward von Franseczky received the command to occupy Bratislava. The road from Stupava to Bratislava ran through a valley in the Little Carpathians, Malé Karpaty. High mountains rise alongside the road at this point, making it an easily defensible point.

The commander of the Austrian troops in Bratislava Archduke Albrecht of Thun had located one brigade there under the command of Colonel Mondela on the 18th of July. Colonel Mondela placed the right wing of the brigade between Hrubý Pleš and Leskara and to the railway embankment, which protected the greater part of Mondela's brigade. The left wing was on the eastern and northeastern hillsides of Devínska Kobyla. The Austrian artillery was located near Lamač and Dúbravka, from which point it was able to control the road from Stupava to Bratislava.

The brigade was reinforced on 19-21 July by the arrival of the 9th Austrian mountain regiment. On Sunday, the morning of July 22nd, the Prussian army began to attack on Lamač. The second part, under the command of Major-General Bose, moved ahead through over Kamzík hill to surround the Austrian defence and occupy Bratislava.

About half past six, the first shot was fired from the Austrian cannon. Prussian forces were warded off and around 8 o'clock they got General Edward von Franseczky's message: a cease fire was in effect and would take effect at 12 o'clock, only than five hours later. The Prussian General had mounted a large number of artillery pieces, so an artillery duel had already begun. The result was large fires in Lamač and Dubravka. The Prussian forces were warded off, despite their superior numbers. The battle's success depended on a flanking manoeuvre of Major-General Bose. The brigade moved slowly over the difficult terrain and the ceasefire was already in effect when they arrived at Kamsik. By the setting of a line of demarcation, which overshot by Záhorská Bystrica, the Austro-Prussian war terminated the fights for domination over Germany and central Europe.

ee also

*Battles of the Austro-Prussian War

References

*cite web|url=http://www.lamac.sk/historia/1866.asp|title=Bitka pri Lamači 22.júla 1866|accessdate=2008-09-23 sk icon