Nagy-L István szerk.: Pápai Múzeumi Értesítő 11. (Pápa, 2006)
Történelmi személyiségek 1809-ben - VLADIMIR BRNARDIC: A híresebb fiú híres apja
by Wüllen and Meissenheim, and in the last years by Sankt Wendel, Würzburg and Ashaffenburg. Because of his many deeds in this battles Franz Jellachich became general over the order in 1797. After dissolution of the Scharfschutzer Corps he was for short period on the battlefield in Italy and than again with the Grenzers on the field of honour on the triple border of Austria, Switzerland and Germany, by the small Alpines town of Feldkirch. Here Franz Jellachich had achieved the greatest success in his military career. During the Second coalition war in 1799 general Jellachich with his brigade arrived just on 12 lh March to Feldkirch. After three Austrian brigades had left the area around river Rein only brigade of general Jellachich was left to oppose the French troops. On 22 nd and 23 rd of March 1799 when French troops marched through the valley of the river Rein from the direction of Liechtenstein Jellacich opposed them bravely with his brigade and local militia troops. The aim of French army was to break through from Switzerland over Liechtenstein and the Rein valley to Feldkirch and from there further to Tyrol so that Austrian army in Germany would get into trouble. French army of 18.000 troops was commanded by well known marshal Masséna and general Oudinot. Against them Jellachich could deploy 4.000 regular soldiers, Grenzers and Vorarlberg militia. The battle began on 23 rd March when French in three columns came to Feldkirch. Massena himself commanded the first column that went on foot over the Alps. The second one came over Schallenberg. It wanted to advance further over river 111, but Voralrberg militia stopped it so it had to continue in direction of Margaretenkapf and Veitskapf. The third column went straight through Toster rid to Margaretenkapf. The fight started at 9 a.m. and lasted till 9 p.m. French troops tried twice to break to Feldkirch, in the morning and in late afternoon. Jellachich with his forces stopped this attempts and Austrian forces achieved victory and forced overwhelming enemy to pull back over river Rein. The bloodshed was big. On Austrian side there was around 800 casualties. French lost between 1500 and 3000 troops. Most of them were buried here. Later they were exhumed and then buried in the graveyard in Tosters. General Jellachich have honourable place in great conference city hall in Feldkirch. After the war of 1799 the cities of Bregenz, Bludenz and Feldkirch made him their honourable citizen. Beside that, they ordered his portrait and they hang it here in the city hall. The portrait of general Jellachich stay here in company of many other important persons, among members of Habsburg dynasty and deserving mayors of Feldkirch. While the portraits of the Habsburgs were painted serial, for the purpose of ruler presentation, for his portrait Franz Jellachich posed himself as it stays on the back and "the shown person really look like him". When you would ask today in Feldkirch, who was general-major Franz Jellachich I am convinced that only 10% of population would remember this name. Only young people and schoolchildren remember him because they learned something from this room dedicated to fight for freedom. That is something positive.
