Even though outnumbered in the theater, the Austrian army under Archduke John and Franz von Lauer launched an offensive. The Austrian military system soon proved unable to meet expectations, yet the generals managed to bring superior forces to bear. On the morning of 1 December 1800, the Austrians surprised the divisions of Ney and Hardy in their camps to start the Battle of Ampfing. Despite stubborn fighting, Ney's division was pushed back by the Austrian corps of Louis-Willibrod-Antoine Baillet de Latour. Hardy's badly outnumbered division was set upon by Johann Sigismund Riesch's corps. Though some troops from Legrand's division blocked one of Riesch's units, his left flank was slowly forced back. During the fighting, a shellburst killed one of his staff officers and sent a splinter into Hardy's hand. He handed over command of the division to Louis Bastoul. Grenier issued orders to withdraw during which the 2nd Dragoons distinguished themselves. At Ampfing, the French sustained losses of 193 killed, 817 wounded and 697 captured. Hardy wrote his wife that his troops had fought like lions. The archduke and his chief of staff Franz von Weyrother were excited at forcing their opponents to retreat. The Austrian losses of 303 killed, 1,690 wounded and 1,077 prisoners should have sobered them. Instead they became overconfident which led to disaster at the Battle of Hohenlinden two days later.