Understanding the Battle of Karansebes

The Curious Case of the Battle of Karansebes

One might safely assume that a battle usually involves two opposing armies, right? Well, apparently not everyone got that memo; enter the Battle of Karansebes. This 1788 spectacle, rather sneakily named ‘battle’, unfolded in the backdrop of the Austro-Turkish war and, hold your breath, primarily involved one army — the Austrian army — which ended up fighting itself. Yes, you read that right. Let’s dive in.

So, What on Earth Happened?

The Austrian army, over 100,000 soldiers strong and camped near the town of Karansebes, decided to divide into two teams. This division wasn’t for any strategic war-game, and there were certainly no Turks in sight. Instead, it was for the possession of a stash of schnapps discovered by some Hussars, a fierce sort of scout cavalry.

When the infantry wanted a share, the scouts refused, a fight broke out, and before anyone could say ‘Cheers!’, the liquor-laced brawl had escalated into a deadly confusion.

Oh, It Gets Weirder

As one might expect, a rowdy clash of drunken soldiers sounds a lot like an actual battle, especially in the dark. So when the rest of the camp awoke to the ruckus, ‘Turks!’ was the cry of alarm. Everyone, including officers and sober soldiers, rushed into the fight against their ‘enemy’- who were, in fact, just their comrades in a drunken stupor.

Once artillery got involved, they inflicted heavy losses on their own side, causing a retreat. When the real Ottoman army arrived two days later, they found 10,000 dead or wounded Austrian soldiers — and no opposition.

What does this say about the era?

In truth, the Battle of Karansebes highlights the much-overlooked confusion and chaos that characterized warfare in the 18th century — and the dangers of drinking on the job, or more precisely, on the battlefield.

You can’t really make a sound tactical decision with a schnapps-soaked brain, can you? Then again, a battle where the only enemy is your own hangover does accord a certain, albeit dubious, distinction in the annals of military history.

Sources

Military History Now
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2013/06/28/the-battle-of-karansebes-1788-the-strangest-military-disaster-ever/

BBC History Extra
https://www.historyextra.com/period/weird-and-wonderful-historical-facts/