During the 1809 campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, the Austrian Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 6 was commanded by Oberstleutnant Zaborsky de Zabora. As was the custom, the unit was often referred to by the commander’s name, so they were known as the “Zaborsky Jägers.”

The Jäger battalions were an elite corps of light infantry within the Austrian army, prized for their skirmishing skills, marksmanship, and ability to operate independently on the battlefield.

The Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 6 drew its recruits from the region of Moravia, located in what is now the eastern Czech Republic. Their regimental depot was established in Mährisch-Neustadt.

As part of their duties, they acted as the army’s eyes and ears, conducting reconnaissance and screening the main force from enemy skirmishers. Their deployment in 1809 saw them involved in several key moments of the War of the Fifth Coalition, though specific records of their actions are not as detailed as those of larger infantry regiments.

Oberstleutnant Zaborsky de Zabora’s unit fought in several key battles, including Aspern-Essling and Wagram, demonstrating the crucial role of Jägers in the Austrian army’s tactical doctrine.

Their ability to hold ground in the face of larger forces or to harass and delay the enemy was essential to the Austrian strategy during the 1809 campaign. The unit’s service under Zaborsky de Zabora highlights the professionalism and resilience of the Austrian Jäger corps during a period of significant military reform and conflict.

There are three more battalions to complete. The 7th and 8th in “skirmish order” and the 9th in “open order”.