Eagles to Glory: Battle of Raszyn – 21st August 1808

In the spring of 1809, Austria launched a three-pronged offensive against Napoleon’s empire, including an invasion of the Duchy of Warsaw led by Archduke Ferdinand Karl. Advancing toward Warsaw with more than 30,000 troops, Ferdinand sought not only military victory but also to weaken French influence in Poland and possibly draw Prussia back into the war. Opposing him was Prince Józef Poniatowski, who assembled a much smaller Polish and Saxon force near the village of Raszyn, south of Warsaw. Using the marshy terrain and narrow causeways to his advantage, Poniatowski prepared to resist the Austrian advance in what would become a fierce and pivotal struggle on the muddy fields of Raszyn. —description from the publisher