Second Battle of Zurich

The Second Battle of Zurich (25–26 September 1799) was a French victory over an Austrian and Russian force near Zurich. It broke the stalemate that had resulted from the First Battle of Zurich three months earlier and led to the withdrawal of Russia from the Second Coalition.

After he had been forced out of the city in June, French general André Masséna had fortified his position on the Zürichberg. General Korsakov's Russians took control of the city. The Russian general Alexander Suvorov was also supposed to join forces with Korsakov, marching across the Gotthard pass, but Suvorov's army was harassed by a small force sent by Masséna and did not reach Zurich in time. The coalition forces greatly outnumbered the French, so Korsakov sent more than half his force of around 50,000 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 Zurich, and within the city itself. General Oudinot commanded the French forces on the right bank and general Mortier commanded 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.

France was saved from an imminent invasion when 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 and partly restoring pre-revolutionary conditions.