During the War of the Third Coalition in 1805–1806, as one Austria's most capable chiefs of staff, Schmitt was called out of retirement for this specific task of organizing the challenging Austro-Russian retreat. Equipped with a glowing letter of endorsement from Emperor Francis II to the Russian Infantry General Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745–1813), Schmitt arrived at the Russian headquarters and was appointed Chief of the Quartermaster General Staff of the Allied Army. Schmitt met with the Russian forces at the great abbey of Melk, on the Danube, and he and the commanders developed a plan to encircle Édouard Mortier's French force near Dürenstein. To do so, they drew not only on their own military experience, but also called upon a captain from the region, to use his geographic and local knowledge.