tants it was confidently hoped that Vienna might for a few days serve as a tete de pont to cover the passage of the river; whence all preparations amounted to no more than to secure the place against a coup de main; and for this reason the Archduke had some time before directed Field-Marshal Hiller to send part of his corps along the right bank towards the capital, m the event of his (the Archduke's) passage to the left shore.

Field-Marshal Hiller now received orders to burn the bridge near Stain in his rear, to leave a small corps of observation near Krems, to hasten by forced marches with the bulk of his army to the environs of Vienna, and, as circumstances would permit, by occupying the small islands, to keep up the communication with the city and the debouche across the bridges. The army of the Archduke now advanced without interruption, by Neupolla, Horn, and Weikendorf upon Stockerau; and, in order to overawe such enterprizes as the enemy might project from the environs of Linz, part of the corps of the general of artillery Count Kollowrath, which till then had remained near Pilsen with a view to secure the North and West frontier of Bohemia, was or dered to march to Budweis.

Napoleon had used so much expedition on his march to Vienna, that on the 9th of May his advanced troops appeared on the glacis of the fortress, whence they were driven by some cannon-shot. From three to four thousand regular troops, as many armed citizens, and some battalions of country militia, defended the city; ordnance of various calibre was placed upon the ramparts; the suburbs were abandoned on account of their great extent; and the numerous islands and low bushy ground behind the town were occupied by some light troops of the corps of Hiller as well as by militia. The corps itself was posted on what is termed "the point" on the left shore of the river, waiting the arrival of the army, which was advancing in haste.

The occupation of Vienna formed too essential a part in the extensive plans of the French Emperor; its conquest had been announced by hin with too much confidence, and was of too great importance towards confirming the prejudice of his irresistable power, for him not, to employ every method of

I

taking it before the assistance which was so near could arrive.

For the space of twenty-four hours the howitzers played upon the town; and though several houses were set on fire, the courage of the inhabitants re mained unshaken. But a general devastation threatened their valuable property, and when at length the enemy, availing himself of the numerous craft which he found there, crossed the smaller branches of the Danube, dislodged the troops from the nearest islands, and menaced their communication with the left bank, the city was justified in capitulating, while the troops retreated by the great bridge of Tabor, which they afterwards set on fire.

The Archduke received this intelligence in his head-quarters, between Horn and Meissau, and though it was scarcely to be expected that the city, surrounded as it was, should continue its resistance, the Archduke proceeded on his march without interruption, flattering himself that he might be able to execute his favourite project by a bold attempt to pass the Danube near Vienna. The city capitulated on the 13th of May, so that there was no further occasion to expose the army to hazard by crossing the Danube, for which no sufficient preparation had been made, and which must have been effected in the face of the enemy, and under local circumstances of the greatest disadvantage. By the surrender of Vienna the army had also lost a point of support on which to rest its military operations.

In this situation of affairs, the Archduke resolved to collect his army at the foot of the hill Besamberg, and allow it a few days of rest, which, after so many forced marches, it urgently wanted.The cavalry, for the convenience of water, was posted along the Russ, a small rivulet, which is concealed by ground covered with bushes, and the advanced guards pushed forward to the Danube, in order to observe the movements of the enemy, and prevent his passing the river, which he had already attempted to do from Nussdorf, to what is called the Black Lake, but with so little success, that a battalion of his advanced guard was taken. The chain of the outposts extended on the left side as far as the March, and on the right to Krems; this place and Presburg were occupied by some battalions; and the head-quarters of the Archduke were, on the 16th

VOLA VI

of May, at Ebersdorf, near the high road leading to Brunn.

On the 19th, the outposts reported, that the enemy had taken possession of the great island of Lobau, within about six English miles of Vienna; that his numbers increased there every hour, and that he seemed to be employed in throwing a bridge across the great arm of the Danube behind the island. From the top of the Bisamberg, the whole of the opposite country appeared enveloped in a cloud of dust, and the glitter of arms evinced a general movement of troops beyond Summering, towards KaiserEbersdorf, whither, according to later accounts, the Emperor Napoleon had removed his head-quarters, and was by his presence hastening and, promoting the preparations for passing the river. On the following morning, at day-break, the Archduke resolved to reconnoitre the island, and employ for this purpose part of the advanced guard, under the command of Field-Marshal Lieutenant Count Klenau, supported by some regiments of cavalry.

The isle of Lobau forms a convenient place of arms, which is about six English miles long, and four and a half broad, and being separated by the large arm of the Danube from the right bank, nothing prevents the building of a bridge, which is concealed by ground covered with bushes; and the great extent of the island affords the advantage of sending troops and ordnance from so many points of it, that the passage across the smaller arm to the large plain of Marchfield, may be made good by force of arms. It was soon perceived by the strength of the enemy's columns which advanced upon the island, and placed their cannon so as to support the second passage, that he meditated a serious attack. The advanced guard sustained a tolerably warm engagement, and the cavalry routed the first division of the enemy, which debouched from the low grounds on the edge of the river, late in the evening; upon which the Archduke, whose intention was not to prevent the passage of the enemy, but to attack him the following day, retreated with his cavalry to Anderklaa, and ordered the advanced troops to fall back to Maass, according as the enemy should extend himself.

On the 21st at day-break the Archduke ordered his army under arms, and formed it in two lines on the rising ground

behind Gerasdorf, and between the Bisam hill and the rivulet Russ. The corps of Lieut.-Gen. Hiller formed the right wing near Stammersdorf; on its left was the corps of the General of cavalry Count Bellegarde, and next to that the corps of Lieut.-Gen. Prince Hohenzollern, in the alignement of DeutschWagram. The corps of Prince Rosenberg posted by battalions in column on the Russbach on the rivulet Russ, kept Deutsch-Wagram strongly occupied, having, for the security of the left wing, placed on the heights beyond that place a division in reserve. The whole cavalry, which the day before had advanced under the command of Prince Lichtenstein by Anderklaa, was called back into the line, filling, in two lines, the space intervening between the left wing of Prince Hohenzollern' and the right of Prince Rosenberg. The vast plain of the Marchfield spread like a carpet before the front of the line, appeared by the absence of every obstruction, to be destined to form the theatre of some great event. The grenadiers remained in reserve near Seiering, and the corps of the general of artillery Prince of Reuss kept the Bisam hill, and the low bushy ground along the Danube strongly occupied. Part of it was still left near Krems, the corps being almost broke up by having so many of its divisions detached to so considerable a distance.

At nine o'clock, the Archduke ordered the arms to be piled, and the troops to dine. The piquet of observation on the Bisam hill reported that the bridge across the Danube behind the isle of Lobau, being now quite finished, was plainly perceivable, and that troops were without intermission seen filing off over it, as well as passing in boats, to the Isle. The outposts, likewise, gave information, of the gradual augmentation of the enemy in the town of Enzersdorf, and in the villages of Essling and Aspern, and of his advancing towards Hirschstetten. The Archduke Charles now thought that the moment for giving battle had arrived, and hastened to Gerasdorf, where the chief of his quarter master-general's staff, General Baron Wimpfen, sketched out the following plan.

Plan of attack upon the hostile its march between Essling avd Aspern, and towards Hirschstetten.

The attack to be made in five columns. The first column, or the colum

mostly composed of brick houses, and encircled all round by heaps of earth, resembled two bastions between which a double line of natural trenches, intended to draw off the water, served as the curtain, and afforded every possible security to the columns passing from the Isle of Lobau. Essling had a granary furnished with loop-holes, and whose three stories afforded room for several hundred men, while Aspern was provided with a strong church-yard. The left side of the latter village borders on an arm of the Danube. Both villages had a safe communication with the bushy ground near the Danube, from which the enemy had it constantly in his power to dispatch, unseen, fresh reinforcements. The Isle of Lobau served at once as a place of arms and as a tête de pont, a bridge-head for the bridge, in the rear across the main arm of the river.

The enemy with the divisions of Generals Molitor, Boudet, Nansouty, Legrand, Espagne, Lasalle, and Ferrand, under the Marshals Massena and Lasnes, as well as Marshal Bessieres, together with the guards of the Wirtemburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, and Baaden auxiliaries, had already left this position, and was directing his march towards Hirschstetten, when the first Austrian guards advanced to meet him.

If it be at all permitted in war to indulge favourable presentiments, it was certainly excusable so to do at that great moment, when, on the 21st of May, exactly at twelve o'clock, the columns began to put themselves in motion for the attack.-A general enthusiasm had taken possession of the troops: joyful war-songs, accompanied by Turkish music, resounded through the air, and were interrupted by shouts of "Long live our Emperor, long live the Archduke Charles!" whenever the imperial general appeared, who had placed himself at the head of the second column. Every breast panted with anxious desire and high confidence after the decisive moment; and the finest weather favoured the awful scene

BATTLE OF THE 21ST OF MAY.

First Column. The advanced guard under General Nordman, consisting of two battalions of Gyulay and Lichtenstein hussars, had formed near the destroyed bridge of Tabor, and leaving the villages of Kagran and Hirschstettin to the left, and Stad

lau to the right, marched in the plain towards Aspern.

Its

It was followed by the column which, having left the high road before the post-office at Stammersdorf, had marched from the right by half divisions. right flank along the Danube was covered by a battalion of St. Georgians, by the first battalion of Vienna volunteers, and by a battalion of militia, under the command of Major Count Colloredo, Within a cannon shot of Stadeleu the outposts met the enemy's piquets, which gradually retreated to their original divisions. At this time Gen. Nordman ordered two battalions of Gyulay to draw up en echellon, in order to favour the advance of the column. The enemy, drawn up in large divisions, stood immediately before Aspern, having to cover his front, occupied all the ditches of the fields, which afforded excellent breast-works. His right was covered by a battery, and his left by a broad and deep ditch (one of those that carry off the waters of the Danube when it overflows), as well as by a bushy ground, which was likewise occupied by several bodies in close order.

Though the enemy had the advantage of position all to himself, inasmuch as the freshes of the Danube were only passable by means of a small bridge, at which he kept up a vigorous fire from behind the ditches both with cannon and small arms, it did not prevent the second battalion of Gyulay, immediately after the first had penetrated as far as the bushy meadows, to pass the bridge in a column, to form without delay, and with charged bayonets to attack the enemy, who precipitately retreated to Aspern, on which occasion that village, after a vigorous but not very obstinate resistance, was taken for the first time. It was, however, not long before the enemy had it in his power, by the arrival of a fresh reinforcement, to expel again the battalions of Gyulay. By this time some battalions of the column had ar rived, the chasseurs of Major Schneider, of the second column, joined the advanced guard of the first; Gyulay formed again, and the enemy was a second time pushed to the lower end of the village, though he succeeded again in regaining what he had lost.

Both parties were aware of the necessity of maintaining themselves in Aspern at any rate, which produced successively

the most obstinate efforts both of attack and defence; the parties engaged each other in every street, in every house, and in every barn; carts, ploughs and harrows were obliged to be removed during an uninterrupted fire, in order to get at the enemy; every individual wall was an impediment of the assailants, and a rampart of the attacked; the steeple, lofty trees, the garrets and the cellars were to be conquered before either of the parties could style itself master of the place, and yet the possession was ever of short duration; for no sooner had we taken a street or a house, than the enemy gained another, forcing us to abandon the former. So this murderous conflict lasted for seven hours; the German battalions were supported by Hungarians, who were again assisted by the Vienna volunteers, each rivalling the other in courage and perseverance. At the same time the second column combined its attacks with those of the first, having to overcome the same resistance, by reason of the enemy's constantly leading fresh reinforcements in to fire. At length General Vacquant of the second column succeeded in becoming master of the upper part of the village, and maintaining himself there during the whole of the night. By the shells of both parties many houses had been set on fire, and illuminated the whole country around. At the extremity of the right wing on the bushy meadow the combats were not less severe. The left flank of the enemy was secured by an arm of the Danube; impenetrable underwood, intersected only by footpaths, covered his front; and a broad ditch and pallisadoes afforded him the advantage of a natural rampart.

Here fought at the beginning of the battle the first battalion of Gyulay under Col. Mariassy; then the battalion of chasseurs under Major Schneider; next the St. Georgians under Major Mihailovich, and finally, the two battalions of Vienna volunteers, under Lieut.-Colonel Steigentesch, and St. Quentin. Here, also, the enemy was defeated; and the first day of this sanguinary engagement terminated by the occupation of Aspern by General Vacquant, at the head of eight battalions of the second column, while Lieut.-Field-Marshal Hiller drew the troops of his corps from the village, placed them again in order of battle, and passed the night under arms.

Second Columa.

The advanced guard, commanded by Lieut.-General Fresnel, advanced by Leopoldau and Kagrant towards Hirschstetten, and consisted of one battalion of chasseurs, and two battalions of Anton Mitsovsky, under General Winzingerode, as well as the brigades of cavalry, Klenau, and Vincent, under General Veesey. It was followed in the same direction by the column from its position near Gerasdorf. The enemy having been discovered from the em nences near Hirschstetten, to be near Aspern and Eslingen, the brigade Veesey was detached against the latter place, and the brigade Winzingerode to dislodge the enemy from Aspern.-The column deployed before Hirschstetten in two lines, in order to support the advanced guard, and leaving Aspern, to the right, followed upon the plain at a proper distance.

The brigade of Winzingerode, however, met with so spirited a resistance in its attempt upon Aspern, that an at tack upon the front alone was not likely to be attended with success; the cavalry. therefore, of the advanced guard, was pushed forward from Aspern on the left, in order to support the attack on the flank with the two batteries of cavalry, as well as to facilitate the junction with the third column which was advancing by Breitenlee. At the same time the regiment of Reuss Plauen was ordered to the right side of Aspern, with a view to an attack on that place; the rest of the corps was formed into close columns of battalions.

Meanwhile the enemy formed his left wing, which he refused, towards Aspern, and his right upon Esslingen. Thus he advanced with columns of in fantry and cavalry upon the main army, while an extremely brisk cannonade supported him. A line of 12 regiments of cuirassiers formed the centre of the second line of the enemy, giving to the whole an imposing aspect. Meanwhile the attack of a battalion of Reuss-Plauen on Aspern was repulsed, and it gave way, being thrown into consternation by the loss of its commander, but it rallied immediately after. Count Bellegarde ordered General Bacquant to renew the attack with the regiment of Vogelsang, and to carry the village at all hazards. The latter obeyed the order with the most brilliant success, and