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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fde6fc9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #66641 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66641) diff --git a/old/66641-0.txt b/old/66641-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cc6f065..0000000 --- a/old/66641-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2676 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Detailed Account of the Battle of -Austerlitz, by Karl von Stutterheim - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A Detailed Account of the Battle of Austerlitz - -Author: Karl von Stutterheim - -Translator: John Pine Coffin - -Release Date: November 1, 2021 [eBook #66641] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Graeme Mackreth and The Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE -BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ *** - - - - - - - A - - DETAILED ACCOUNT - - OF THE - - BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ - - BY THE - - AUSTRIAN MAJOR-GENERAL, - - STUTTERHEIM. - - TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH - - BY - - MAJOR PINE COFFIN, - - ASSISTANT QUARTER-MASTER-GENERAL TO THE BRITISH ARMY, - - Tout cela, prouve, qu'il y a beaucoup d'hommes, capables de faire - manœuvrer, quinze a vingt mille hommes, et qu'il en est peu, qui - puissent tirer tout le parti possible, d'une armée de quatre-vingt - mille hommes. - - Note par un officier François. - - - LONDON: - - PRINTED FOR T. GODDARD, MILITARY BOOKSELLER, - NO. 1, PALL-MALL, CORNER OF THE HAYMARKET. - - 1807. - - - - - W. Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-street, Holborn. - - - - -TO THE PUBLIC. - - -The fatal consequences that resulted from the battle of Austerlitz, -to the cause of Europe, and of humanity, render it an object of too -deep an interest with the statesman and the soldier to make an apology -requisite for introducing to the public, what may be considered as the -Austrian official account of that action. It is hardly probable, that, -under a government so constituted as that of Austria, a general officer -would have ventured to publish the particulars of an action, in which -he himself bore a conspicuous part, (at least with his name attached to -it,) unless he felt himself sanctioned by the _highest authority_ in so -doing. - -However that may be, the work bears evident internal marks of -authenticity, while the events daily passing under our eyes, with such -dazzling, and unprecedented rapidity, give an additional interest to -the _cause_ which has been productive of such direful _effects_. - -Scarcely have twelve months elapsed since this disastrous battle -was fought, and already have we seen new dynasties created, and the -proudest empires levelled in the dust. - -We have seen one of the most powerful monarchies of Europe, whether it -be considered as to its military resources, or its well replenished -treasury; as to its well disciplined army, or the glorious recollection -of its past achievements: we have seen the armies of Prussia, which -were wont to be considered as the patterns of military excellence, -dissipated and annihilated, like chaff before the wind, by the -well-trained legions of the modern Alexander. - -The present state of Europe affords ample scope to the reflections of -the statesman. For, though the soldier may account for the loss of a -battle, by reasoning on what was done, and what was left undone, the -subjugation of states is to be looked for in causes far remote from the -scene of action. These are times which not only require superiority -of intellect in those who govern, but the conviction on the part of -the _governed_, that they are not mere spectators of the fray; that -it is not a mere squabble for power; but that the happiness of each -individual, that the preservation of all he holds most dear, in short, -that the _liberties of his country_ are at stake, and depend upon the -issue of the contest. - -Has this been, or _could it be_, the feeling of those nations of the -Continent we have seen overrun? - -In the answer to this simple question, we may perhaps find the _real_ -cause of all the disasters of the coalition, and subject of much -contemplation for ourselves. The cloud which has been long gathering -over Europe has begun to burst; we have seen the storm fall where least -expected, and bury whole empires, and their people, in one common ruin. -When the demon of destruction is abroad, let us not be unmindful of -ourselves. Are we better prepared than our neighbours? Have we more -skilful generals, or less intriguing politicians? I fear not. It is -then only to the people we can look in the day of trial; and I trust -there is yet enough left of the genuine spirit of the constitution, and -of the native valour of Britons, to make every man feel his country -is worth contending for. _The moment that ceases to be the case, our -independence as a nation is virtually gone_; and, though our empire -may drag on a precarious existence for a few years, it will fall, -inevitably fall, at no distant period. - -I have been inadvertently led into a train of reflection, which some -persons may think not quite compatible with the character of a soldier. -Against this opinion, I beg leave to enter my protest. I have always -considered the superiority of the French troops over those of the -continent, as the result of their individual intelligence; arising in -a great degree from the habit of every Frenchman, to discuss whatever -topic comes under his notice; and it is quite unnecessary for me -to remark, that the powers of the mind only develope themselves in -proportion as they are called into action. Let us hear no more then -of soldiers being mere machines. The absurdity of the doctrine is too -palpable to need refutation. - -I ought perhaps to assign some reason for having undertaken a labour, -to which I may appear so very unequal. It was to relieve my mind -from constantly dwelling on a subject of disappointment, which still -weighs but too heavily on my spirits; and which I hoped to alleviate, -though it cannot be removed by occupation. Personal vanity had no -share whatever in it, and if I have not concealed my name, it has been -because I hoped to disarm the severity of criticism by avowing it. Much -will not be expected from one, who embraced the profession of arms at a -very early period, and whose ambition, from a child, has been military -and not literary reputation. All that I can flatter myself with having -succeeded in, is, the rendering the sense of the author, in terms -plain and intelligible. For elegance of style, and flowing periods, the -public may look to a Hutchinson, but not to soldiers in general. - - JOHN PINE COFFIN. - -P.S. It was my original intention to have annexed a good map to this -work, on which the reader might be enabled satisfactorily to follow -the operations with his eye;--but having in vain ransacked the shops -of London, without being able to procure a map of Moravia on a scale -sufficiently large to make it of any use; and, in fact, without finding -any that was better than Chauchards, which is woefully deficient, both -in the names of villages, and in geographical accuracy; I have been -induced to publish the Battle of Austerlitz without this advantage. My -principal motive for so doing has been the persuasion, that a bad map -could be of very little use; and that it would enhance the expense to -such a degree, as to place the work beyond the reach of many military -men; while others may be already in possession of as good, or better -information than I could furnish them with. To those, however, who do -not already possess a map of Moravia, I would recommend that published -by Covens and Mortier, at Amsterdam; not as the best possible map, but -as the least defective I have seen. But, I have great doubts whether -this is to be procured in England. - - - - - TO THE - AUSTRIAN ARMY. - - -_This account of what passed under my own observation at the Battle of -Austerlitz, and of the result of my researches on that memorable event, -I here dedicate to my brethren in arms. The desire of being read by -all the military men in Europe has induced me to write in a language -more generally known than that of Germany, and which there are few -among you who do not understand. Those who, like myself, have borne -a part in this disastrous day of the 2d December, will be enabled to -bear testimony to the truth of this narration. I have prided myself on -using the greatest impartiality; on having stifled all prepossession, -all passion, and every feeling, that could tend to lead my judgment -astray. It is to your approbation, my brother soldiers, that I look -forward, as the most delightful recompense of all my labours._ - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -The imperfect accounts which have reached the public, as to the details -of the Battle of Austerlitz, are so contradictory to each other, and so -little satisfactory to military men, that it has been thought proper to -lay the following relation before them, in order to fix their ideas as -to this memorable epoch. - -In all ages, as in all countries, nations and armies have been the -slaves of opinion. Hence it has ever been the policy of governments to -heighten, by those means best calculated to excite national enthusiasm, -the splendour of even the greatest victories; as well as to give a -specious colouring to those reverses of fortune, which are too public -to be passed over in silence. - -The soldier, who here gives the relation of what he himself saw, -neither wishes to flatter a government, nor to gain the good opinion of -an army. His object will be, to detail, with truth, what he has either -seen or been able to discover from others; and, forgetting the part -he himself acted, he will speak with candour and impartiality of the -events that passed under his own observation, without the slightest -tincture of prejudice, or passion. Of these events, posterity must be -the judge. - -Nothing will be found here, but the simple recital, without commentary, -naked, and devoid of art, of one of the most famous epochs of history. -To attempt to reason on the operations of wars that have passed in our -times would be giving too much scope to self-love, which always adopts -or rejects, as suits our own opinions. - -It is not the strength of the respective armies opposed to each other -at the battle of Austerlitz, or the losses they sustained, which -particularly distinguishes it, from many of those which took place in -the first campaigns of the French Revolution, and the seven years war. - -We have heretofore often seen 150,000 men in the field, and 30,000 -slain. But it is the consequences of the action of the 2d of December, -1805; it is the epoch when it decided the fate of war; it is the -_moment_ in which it was fought, which makes it worthy of attention, -and which will assign it a marked place in history. - -It was the wish to gain personal information that induced the author -to collect materials, which may become useful to a better pen: and he -avails himself of a leisure moment to offer them to such as have the -talent to make use of them. - -In order that the past may serve to elucidate the future, it becomes -requisite to recur to the circumstances that led to this decisive day; -which proved how scrupulously accurate it is necessary to be, in making -the calculations and combinations, to which the existing circumstances -and the knowledge of human nature give rise. - -The battles of Crems, and of Hollabrunn, are already well known. -This is not intended as a history of the late campaign, but merely -of a part of it, into which the account of those two affairs does -not enter. It was after they had taken place, that M. de Koutousoff -directed his retreat upon Brunn, and effected it from that moment, -without much annoyance from the enemy. This first Russian army had -orders carefully to avoid a serious engagement, and to hasten its -retreat, for the purpose of forming a junction with that under M. de -Buxhoevden, who was advancing rapidly to its support. M. de Koutousoff -executed a difficult retreat from the river Inn, upon Moravia, which -commenced on the 14th October, and lasted till the 18th November; and, -although very inferior to the enemy in point of numbers, this Russian -army effected its junction without much loss. The farther the grand -French army advanced, the more its combinations became multiplied, -and the more it was obliged to detach its force. The Russian general -had the advantage of being enabled to concentrate during his retreat, -which he also effected in good order: for this he was principally -indebted to Prince Bagration, who conducted the rear-guard with much -courage. The two Russian armies formed their junction at Wischau, -on the 18th of November; from which time they became one, under the -command of the General in Chief, Koutousoff. Its strength consisted of -104 Battalions, 20 of which were Austrians; and 159 squadrons, 54 of -which were Austrians, and 40 Cosacks. The Austrian corps was commanded -by Lieutenant General Prince John de Liechtenstein: his infantry was -composed of the 6th Battalion, recruited, armed, and organized about -a month before; M. de Kienmayer, with the remains of his corps, (very -much weakened by the movement of M. de Merveldt on Styria,) formed a -part of the corps under Prince John de Liechtenstein. The Archduke -Ferdinand, with the wreck of the army from Ulm, and some Battalions, -also newly raised, was in Bohemia, and thereby covered the right of the -combined army; which might at this time be computed at about 72,000 -men. The corps under the Archduke Ferdinand was composed of from 18 to -20,000 men. - -The grand French army, after passing the Danube, had advanced into -Moravia, being composed of the corps under Prince Murat, Marshals -Soult, Lannes, and Bernadotte. The last of these was then opposed to -the Archduke Ferdinand, and was advancing upon Iglau. Marshal Davoust, -after having followed M. de Merveldt into Styria, moved from Vienna -upon Presbourgh. The corps of Marmont marched upon Carinthia, and -then upon Styria; in the first instance, to open the communication -between the grand army and that of Italy; and afterwards, to oppose the -junction of the Archduke Charles with the army under M. de Koutousoff; -but the movements of this prince were so well calculated, and his force -so well concentrated, that he did not allow time for the French to -establish themselves at Gratz. Marshal Ney, after the passage of the -Inn, took his direction on the Tyrol, by Scharnitz. - -At the time of the junction of the two Russian armies near Wischau, -they had only opposed to them, the corps of Prince Murat, part of which -formed the advanced guard, those of Marshals Soult and Lannes, the -imperial guards, under Marshal Bessiéres, and a corps of grenadiers, -drawn from these different troops, forming a reserve of 15,000 men, -under General Duroc. This army, when near Brunn, was composed of eight -divisions, each of which was about 7000 strong. The Russian army was so -much fatigued with the continual marches it had been making, whether to -fall back on the support, or the support to get forward in time, that -it was decided at Wischau to take up the position of Olmutz, to give -some days rest to the troops. - -Opinions were at that time much divided. The Russian advanced posts had -no sort of information as to the position and force of the enemy; at -one time, even Prince Bagration was ignorant of the situation occupied -by the French advanced guard. The Austrians also, notwithstanding the -facility they ought to have possessed of procuring intelligence in the -country, had only _very vague data_ to act upon. - -By _this_ information, however, it appeared, that the French forces -were collected only in small numbers near Brunn; and _some_ generals -of the combined army gave their opinion at Wischau, for _immediately_ -resuming the offensive. It is possible, _this moment_ might have been -more fortunate than that which was afterwards chosen. The strength of -the coalesced army was, from the 19th of November, superior to that of -the enemy, who was yet uninformed that the junction of the two Russian -armies was effected, and therefore could not expect an offensive -movement,[1] such as a manœuvre on either of his flanks would have -been. The army was then too near him to admit of his receiving -reinforcements near Brunn. But this very diversity of opinion, perhaps -rendered the movement on Olmutz necessary, because those in command -did not possess that decision, which can only be the result of a -military eye. - -The Austrian general Weyrother, had been sent into Galicia, for the -purpose of conducting the army of Buxhoevden through the hereditary -states. He was an officer of reputation, who did not want for talent, -and who had inspired the Russians with confidence. As soon as the -two armies became united, he filled the situation of Quarter-master -general. The court of Vienna had previously selected General Schmidt -for this important trust; but that officer, a man of superior merit, -and who, with a talent for the profoundest calculation, possessed that -tranquil wisdom, which gives reason and deliberation in counsel; after -having shewn himself, at Crems, to be worthy of the confidence that -was placed in him, lost his life there, and was thus snatched from the -hopes of his sovereign, and of his brother soldiers. His loss was the -more sensibly felt, and the more regretted, because his successor, -neither possessed his calmness, his prudence, or his firmness. The army -marched, the 21st of November, from Wischau, and arrived the next day -but one, in the position in front of Olmutz, whither we will follow it, -for the purpose of detailing the operations. - - -_March of the Combined Army into the Position of Olmutz._ - -It was on the 23d of November, the army arrived in this position, and -was posted in rear of the village of Ollschan. Its left rested on the -river March; its right extended to the heights in rear of Tobolau. In -this manner it lay upon its arms, in three lines; while the Austrian -corps, under Prince John de Liechtenstein, formed the reserve of -the army, on the heights in rear of Schnabelin, and was principally -intended to secure, in case of a check, the passage across the March. -With this view, several bridges were constructed across that river, -between Nimlau and Olmutz, to facilitate the operation. The ground -occupied by the army in this position, offered great advantages. It -was so commanding, throughout its whole extent, from the heights near -Nimlau, to the right of the position, as to discover nearly a league -in its front, all the enemy's movements in case of attack; while -the slope of the hills in its immediate front was so gentle, as to -resemble a glacis. In its rear, spacious ravines, only of sufficient -depth to conceal large columns of troops from the enemy, which might -unexpectedly be brought into action, facilitated the means, in this -_defensive_ position, of manœuvring _offensively_, under cover of -the heights. Along their summit, there were commanding points, which -mutually defended each other; and on which, the numerous artillery, -with which this army was provided, might be employed with great -success. A morass covered the right, and a part of the centre; the -Blata ran at the foot of these heights, on which heavy batteries might -have been constructed: this little stream, although insignificant in -itself, became an additional obstacle, under the fire of grape. To -sum up all, the ground offered the means of delaying the enemy, in -his attempt to overcome these obstacles, and to open out. The General -Bagration, with his advanced guard, was at Prosnitz. General Kienmayer, -with his, upon the left, at Kralitz, pushed on detachments upon -Klenowitz. The out-posts were at Predlitz. An Austrian partisan was -sent along the March, on Tobitschau, Kogetein, and Kremsir, to observe -that country. The French army had also sent a partisan, from Goeding on -Hradisch, and Kremsir; but the latter was repulsed, and the Austrian -detachments remained masters of the March. It will not escape the -observation of intelligent military men, that this was an advantage -which gave the allies the means of manœuvring by their left, while -their right (which would then have rested on the March) was secured; -and would have masked this movement, so as to give them, at least two -days march in advance. The good understanding, at that time subsisting -with Prussia, appears to have been such, as to have made it expedient -for the allied army, to think of establishing a communication with the -Archduke Charles. But, in determining on offensive movements, nothing -appears to have been thought of, but going straight forward. - -M. de Koutousoff had also sent some Austrian partisans, on his right -flank, who marched upon Tribau and Zwittau, whither the Archduke -Ferdinand, who was at Czaslau, had sent some parties of light troops, -to keep up the chain of communication. - -Prince Murat arrived, on the 18th of November, at Brunn. His advanced -guard, under general Sebastiani, pushed forward in the first instance, -to Rausnitz, and afterwards entered Wischau, after Prince Bagration had -evacuated it. The Emperor Napoleon, established himself, on the 20th -November, at Brunn, and placed his army in concentrated cantonments, in -the following manner: - -The corps of guards, the grenadiers of the reserve, and the troops -under Marshal Lannes, in Brunn and its vicinity. The cavalry under -Prince Murat, on the right and left of the great road, between Brunn -and Posorsitz. Marshal Soult, at Austerlitz; and the three divisions, -of which his army was composed, were divided, between that place, -Butschowitz, Neuwieslitz, Stanitz, and the road to Hungary. At Gaja, -was a strong detachment, which kept open the communication with that -which observed the river March, in order to secure the right of the -army.[2] - -The 25th November, the Grand Duke Constantine arrived at Olmutz, with -the corps of guards, of which he had the command. After a long and -forced march from St. Petersburgh, this fine body of men was in the -best order. - -This corps was composed of ten battalions, and eighteen squadrons, the -whole amounting to 10,000 men; of whom, however, there were only 8,500 -under arms. At this moment, the army, under M. de Koutousoff may be -computed to have amounted, in all, to above 80,000 men, as will be seen -hereafter, in detail. - -A reinforcement of 10,000 men was still expected, under General Essen; -which, accordingly, arrived near Olmutz, at the moment when the allied -army commenced its offensive operations. The corps of Essen was at -Kremsir, the day of the battle of Austerlitz, and was of no kind of -use. The army under M. de Koutousoff, was certainly stronger than the -one opposed to it; but while the _latter_ was concentrated towards a -single point, and formed into masses, the _former_ diffused its force -as it advanced. It is not in numbers that the only, and, indeed, the -_principal_ strength of an army consists; but there are emergencies, -and occasions, in which it is absolutely necessary to profit by that -advantage; and the present was an instance of the kind. The allied army -was under the necessity of advancing, for the reasons hereafter to be -detailed. Had it commenced its movement from the day when the Grand -Duke Constantine arrived with his reinforcement, forming the reserve -of the centre. If, at this epoch, it had manœuvred with rapidity, and -calculation; if the reserve, under the Grand Duke, had been augmented -by the corps under General Essen; if less importance had been attached -to the resting an army, which, after some days inactivity, could no -longer be fatigued; there might, perhaps, have been found means, -without risking a battle, to oblige the French to abandon their -position, by turning one of its flanks; which, by giving this army some -uneasiness, as to its communications, would have induced it to move -upon Vienna, or Bohemia. The former step would have been attended with -danger. The corps of Bernadotte, which came from Iglau to reinforce the -army in front of Brunn, the evening before the battle of Austerlitz, -would not then have had time to make this movement, which was followed -by such fatal consequences to the allies.[3] It was only by means -such as these, had the allies acted with prudence and vigour, that -they could have hoped to make the French fall into their combinations: -combinations which should have been calmly conceived, and vigorously -executed. But the Quarter-master general, it has before been mentioned, -though an officer of great personal courage, had not that confidence -in himself which could enable him to give advice at the head-quarters, -where the greatest degree of wisdom was requisite. Without regarding -the difficulties thrown in his way, this officer, too easily, abandoned -his own opinions, to adopt those of other people. - -The astonishing rapidity with which the unfortunate events, of this -disastrous war, succeeded each other; the excessive folly of Mack, -which was only to be surpassed by his disgrace; and in which originated -that succession of guilty errors, which astonished Europe, and -calumniated a brave army; that folly of never anticipating a check, -and of not establishing magazines in the rear, as a consequence of -that presumption. To these circumstances it was owing, that the army, -while in the position of Olmutz, was almost destitute of provisions. -It had only been there one day, before it was obliged to have recourse -to forced requisitions; a violent expedient, which, by the disorderly -manner in which it was executed, had much influence on the discipline -of the army, into which a spirit of licentiousness began to insinuate -itself from that day forwards. In the then state of politics, the -gaining time was, at that moment, nearly of equal importance with the -gaining a battle: and, the instant it was decided, not to manœuvre, -it became of the highest importance to be enabled to subsist in the -position of Olmutz, for the purpose of maintaining it. There still -remained countries, from whence it would have been possible to draw -provisions; but they were at a distance, and the convoys were obliged -to make a long circuit. To this it was necessary to apply a speedy -remedy. The officers of the commissariat received orders, incessantly -repeated, but never sufficiently urgent, to establish convoys of -provisions, with all possible dispatch, upon the different roads; but -_some_ of this department wanted both activity and inclination; their -systematic conception of things not allowing them to feel the extent of -the emergency; while _others_ experienced great embarrassment, from the -detention, by the Russians, of a great part of the horses belonging to -the country, which were employed in the transport of provisions, and -were, in consequence, at a loss for the means of conveyance. The bread -was plundered on the road, both by the detachments appointed for its -escort, and by a number of marauders who followed the army. The strict -discipline, that ought to have existed, was not vigourously maintained, -under the pretext, that the army was starving. Relaxation of discipline -is always succeeded by excesses; and the licentiousness, attendant upon -it, gives full latitude to the disaffected, and to all those who have -not courage to support the numerous privations attendant upon modern -warfare. It was thought impossible to subsist the army in the position -in front of Olmutz, and it was resolved to abandon it, for the purpose -of attacking the enemy. - - -_Offensive Movements of the Allied Army._ - -We have already seen the uncertainty in which M. de Koutousoff found -himself, as to the movements and force of the enemy, at the moment when -it was decided to resume the offensive. The accounts derived from the -people of the country were contradictory; and the out-posts gave no -information whatever. The first disposition made for the advance, was -not then founded upon an exact knowledge both of the position of the -enemy and the numbers to be contended with, but was solely adapted to -the nature of the ground, between Olmutz and Wischau. This disposition -was given to the generals, the 24th November. The 25th was the day on -which it was fixed to march; but it was necessary to take two days -provisions; and these provisions could not arrive till the day after. -When _that_ day came, some of the generals had not sufficiently -studied their dispositions; and thus, another day was lost. The enemy -profited by this time. The evening before the battle, as has been -already mentioned, Marshal Bernadotte, as well as part of the corps -of Marshal Davoust, reinforced the Emperor Napoleon. It was necessary -to recall the attention to these facts, on which we shall yet have -occasion still further to remark. - -The 27th November, at eight o'clock in the morning, the army was put -in motion, in five columns, to approach nearer the advanced guard, -under Prince Bagration, who, on that day, made no movement whatever, -in order that the manœuvre might be concealed from the enemy. This was -done with a view to concentrating the troops, which, however, in the -end, were diffused afresh. The five roads, by which the army advanced, -were parallel to each other. The two right columns marched along the -foot of the mountains, to the right of the causeway, and were composed -of infantry only. That of the centre was on the great road to Prosnitz; -the fourth to the left of this, and very little distant from it; the -fifth, composed entirely of cavalry, was in sight of the fourth. In -front of this last, the country was entirely open. - -Here follows the detail of the march. - - -RIGHT WING. - - The General of Infantry, Buxhoevden. - - -FIRST COLUMN. - - Lieutenant General Wimpfen. - Major Generals Muller, Sclichow, and Strick. - 18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers. - 2-1/2 squadrons of Cosacks. - 8,320 men. 250 horses. - - -SECOND COLUMN. - - Lieutenant General Langeron. - Major Generals Kaminsky, Alsufieu. - 18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers. - 2-1/2 squadrons of Cosacks. - 11,420 men. 250 horses. - - -CENTRE. - - The General in Chief, Koutousoff. - - -THIRD COLUMN. - - Lieutenant General Przybyszewsky. - Major Generals Orosow, Lieders, Lewis. - 24 battalions of Russians. - 2 companies of reserve artillery. - 13,800 men. - - -LEFT WING. - - The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince John de Liechtenstein. - - -FOURTH COLUMN. - - The Austrian Lieutenant General Kollowrath. - The Russian Lieutenant Generals Essen and Miloradowich. - The Russian Major Generals Szepelow and Repninsky. - The Austrian Major Generals Carneville, Rottermund, and Jurezeck. - 32 battalions, of which 20 were Austrians. - 1 company of reserve artillery. - 5 companies of pioneers. - 30 squadrons of Russians, of which 8 were Cosacks. - 22,400 men. 3000 horses. - - -FIFTH COLUMN. - - The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince Hohenlohe. - The Russian Lieutenant General Ouwarow. - The Austrian Major Generals Stutterheim, Weber, and Caramelli. - The Russian Major General Piritzky. - 70 squadrons, of which 40 were Austrian, but very weak. - 2 companies of light artillery. - 4600 horses. - - -THE RESERVE. - - The Grand Duke Constantine. - Lieutenant Generals Kollagriwoff and Malutin. - Major Generals Jankewitz and Depleradowich. - 10 battalions of guards, 4 companies. - 18 squadrons. - 8,500 men. - - -RECAPITULATION. - - 1st and 2nd columns, 36 bat. 2 comp. 5 squad. 19,740 - 3d do. 24 ---- 2 ----- -------- 13,800 - 4th and 5th do. 32 ---- 8 ----- 100 ------ 27,000 - Reserve 10 ---- 4 ----- 18 ------ 8,500 - Advanced corps under - Prince Bagration 12 ---- ----- 40[4] --- 12,000 - General Kienmayer ------- ----- 14 ------ 1,000 - -------------------------------------- - 114 ---- 16 ----- 177 ---[5] 82,040 - -The first column assembled at Nebotin, and marched upon Trzebschein, -Blumenau, and Kobelnizeck, where it formed in two lines. - -The second column assembled at Ollschan, and marched upon Studnitz, -Czechowitz, and Ottaslowitz, where it formed, with its right supported -by the left of the first column. - -The third column assembled on the high road to Prosnitz, on which it -marched, and formed in line with the two right columns. - -The fourth column[6] assembled at Nedwriss, and marched upon -Wrahowitz, and Dobrochow, where it formed, and established its -communication with the centre column. - -The fifth column assembled at Schabelin, and marched upon Kralitz, and -Brzesowitz, where it formed in two lines. - -This last column, not being covered by the out-posts on the left, had -an advanced guard of its own, commanded by General Stutterheim, which -communicated with the detachments observing the river March. - -The army advanced with much precaution, because it was ignorant of -the enemy's movements. It had orders to refuse the left, and to allow -the right, which moved along the mountains, to gain ground, in order -to turn the enemy's left, in case of meeting with it. The corps under -the Grand Duke marched upon Prosnitz, (where the two emperors and the -head-quarters were established) and formed the reserve. After four -hours march, the army arrived on its different points of formation -without any obstacle. - -Information was received that the enemy had made no movement whatever, -and that his advanced guard at Wischau had neither been reinforced -or diminished. Preparations were in consequence made for its attack -the next morning, and Prince Bagration received orders to put it in -execution. The army was to follow, in the same order as before, the -route that should be opened for it by this general. On the 28th, at -day-break, Prince Bagration put his corps in motion, in three columns; -that of the centre remained on the causeway; the two others, on the -right and left, turned the town of Wischau; in which the enemy had -a regiment of hussars, and one of chasseurs. Two other regiments of -cavalry were posted in reserve, in rear of the town; while General -Sebastiani was at Huluboschan with a regiment of dragoons. As soon as -the Russians, with the cavalry under General Kienmayer (composed of the -hussars of Szechler and Hesse Hombourg) on their left, appeared before -Wischau, and on the heights of Brindlitz, the French cavalry, with the -exception of about 100 men, precipitately abandoned the town. - -The Adjutant General Dolgorucky, took possession of the town with two -Battalions of Infantry, and made four officers and 100 men prisoners. -The Enemy's Cavalry received considerable reinforcements in retiring -upon Rausnitz, where was a strong Reserve. In the first instance, they -were pursued by four squadrons of Russian Hussars, and two of Cosacks; -but afterwards all the cavalry under Prince Bagration, reinforced by -that of the fourth column, under the command of Lieutenant General -Essen, (under whose orders were placed ten squadrons of Hulans, five -of Cuirassiers, five of Dragoons, and eight of Cosacks) passed through -Wischau, to support the attack of the advanced guard. To cover his -right during this movement, Prince Bagration had received orders -to send a regiment of chasseurs, and one of cavalry, to the right -of Drissitz by Bustomirz and Dietitz, upon Habrowan. This general -prosecuted his march as far as the heights of Rausnitz, where he took -up his position. The enemy was still master of this little town, and -began to cannonade; but the Russian artillery, which was more numerous, -soon silenced the fire. In the evening, two Russian Battalions took -possession of Rausnitz, in front of which were placed the out-posts. - -M. de Kienmayer, who, with his cavalry, had supported the Russian -advanced guard on the left, took his direction upon Drasowitz, and -there established his communication with Prince Bagration. - -The army, on the 28th, moved, as before, in five columns, and followed -up the movement of the advanced guard, in the following manner: - -The first column, from Kobelnizeck, by Ratzlawitz, upon Lutsch, where -it took up its position, posting six Battalions of Infantry and -Chasseurs, in the wood between Nemajam and Pistomirtz. - -The second column, from Ottaslowitz, by Dietitz, upon Nosalowitz, where -it formed in second line. - -The third column, marched as before, along the causeway, to beyond -Noska: one brigade was posted in the first, and the two others in -second line. - -The fourth column, from Dobrochow, by Krzizanowitz, and Brindlitz, upon -the heights of Noska, where two regiments[7] formed in first line; and -the two others in second line. The Austrian infantry attached to this -column was formed in two lines, on the left of the Russians. - -The fifth column, from Brzesowitz, by Ewanowitz, upon Topolan: its -advanced guard marched upon Kutscherau, and communicated with that at -Drasowitz. - -Upon these movements of the allies, the French quitted their -cantonments. By a signal made from Austerlitz, Marshal Soult collected -his corps there, which evacuated the villages it had before occupied. - -The allies flattered themselves that the enemy would not risk the fate -of a battle in front of Brunn. After the 28th, this _hope_ became the -prevailing _opinion_ at head-quarters. Then, instead of hastening their -movements, they wished to manœuvre, at a period, when too much had been -risked, to enable them to avoid a decisive action; if, contrary to the -opinion of those who thought the French would not fight, they still -persisted in not retiring. - -We have, hitherto, seen M. de Koutousoff advancing his right, and -refusing his left, with the view of turning the enemy's flank by the -mountains; for which purpose he had disposed the greater part of his -infantry on the right wing. At Wischau this disposition was changed. -He wished to manœuvre on the right of the enemy. A march to the left -was undertaken, which both lost time, and the ground that might have -been gained to the front. The 29th November, the combined army moved -from Lultsch, and the heights of Noska, upon those of Huluboschan and -Kutscherau. It was not till the 1st December that Marshals Bernadotte -and Davoust joined the Emperor Napoleon; and, on the 29th, M. de -Koutousoff might have been at Austerlitz. After having passed Wischau, -the allied army could no longer manœuvre with impunity. The time it -then lost, in making movements, which did not lead it directly towards -the enemy, while it discovered its intentions to the French army, gave -it also the means of receiving such reinforcements as were within -reach. A _short_ flank movement could not answer the end proposed; -while one that was _longer_, would have afforded the enemy an -opportunity of attacking on the march. - -While the army was moving on the heights of Kutscherau, Prince -Bagration pushed on his advanced posts towards Posorsitz: General -Kienmayer marched upon Austerlitz, which the enemy had evacuated at -ten o'clock,[8] on the morning of the 29th; and General Stutterheim -arrived at Butschowitz, from whence he kept up the communication by -Stanitz, with a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Scheither, who had -driven the enemy's detachments from Gaja. The French army concentrated -its forces, the same day, between Turas and Brunn: it occupied the -villages of Menitz, Tellnitz, Sokolnitz, Kobelnitz, and Schlapanitz, -which covered its front, and placed its out-posts at Aujest, on the -heights of Girshikowitz, and near Krug. The 30th November, the combined -army, in consequence of its new plan, again marched to its left, in the -following manner: - -The first column, from Kutscherau, by Lettonitz, upon Niemschan, which -was the appuy for the right; its left was at Hodiegitz, and it was -disposed in two lines. - -The second column, by Lettonitz, to Hodiegitz, where it formed on the -left of the first column. - -The third column, upon Malkowitz, by Butschowitz, and Krzizanowitz, -where it was posted in reserve, in rear of the first column. - -The fourth column, by Schardiska, Tschertschein, Krzizanowitz, upon -Herspitz, where it formed in reserve to the second column. - -The fifth column, by Neuwieslitz, followed the march of the third, and -was posted in the valley, in front of Marhoefen. - -The Reserve, under the Archduke Constantine, marched to Butschowitz; -the advanced corps, under Prince Bagration, to Posorsitz; and pushed -on its out-posts upon the causeway, and upon Krug. M. de Kienmayer -remained at Austerlitz, and was reinforced by the brigade under General -Stutterheim. A little affair of out-posts took place that day; the -enemy was employed in reconnoitring, and a few cannon shots were -ineffectually exchanged. The head-quarters of M. de Koutousoff were at -Hodiegitz; those of the two Emperors at Krzizanowitz, near Austerlitz. - -It is here necessary to remark, that during these offensive movements -the Archduke Ferdinand had received orders to advance also, to make -a diversion and occupy the enemy; and that this prince, quitting -Czaslau, after having driven the Bavarians, first from Steinsdorff -and afterwards from Deutschbrod, was advancing upon Iglau, where the -Bavarian general, De Wrede, had the command. - -On the 1st December, there was a good deal of firing, the whole of -the morning, along the entire chain of out-posts. The enemy, from -day-break in the morning, was continually reconnoitring along the -heights in front of Pratzen and Krug. He also, for the like purpose, -pushed parties from his left to beyond the high road. M. de Kienmayer's -out-posts, on the left, were at Satchan: and he had a post near Menitz, -a village which the French abandoned. Five Battalions of frontier -troops, under Major-general Carneville, being a part of the Austrian -infantry, arrived in the evening to reinforce M. de Kienmayer. - -The combined army, the left of which was commanded by General -Buxhoevden, and the centre by the general-in-chief, after having dined, -moved forwards, in five columns, in the following manner: - -The first column, under Lieutenant-General Dochtorow, composed of -twenty-four Battalions of Russians, marched by its left on Herspitz, -Wachan, Klein-Hostieradeck, and took up a position in two lines, on the -heights where this village is situated. A regiment of Chasseurs was -posted at Aujest, a village between the foot of the mountain and the -lakes of Menitz. - -The second column, commanded by Lieutenant-general Langeron, composed -of eighteen Battalions of Russians, marched by Austerlitz, Krzenowitz, -and took up a position on the heights of Pratzen; also in two lines on -the right of the first column. - -The third column, commanded by Lieutenant-General Przybyszewsky, -composed of eighteen Battalions of Russians, marched on the right of -Austerlitz, took its direction upon Pratzen, and its position on the -heights, to the right of this village. - -The fourth column, commanded by the Austrian Lieutenant-general -Kollowrath, was composed of twelve Battalions of Russians, under -Lieutenant-general Miloradowitsch, and of fifteen of Austrians, who -were in the rear of this column. This latter marched by its right, near -Niemschan, intersected the high road from Austerlitz to Brunn, and took -post in two lines, in rear of the third column. - -The fifth column, composed of cavalry, under the orders of -Lieutenant-general Prince John, of Liechtenstein, was composed of -eighty-two squadrons, marched by its left, and followed the direction -of the third column, behind which it took post under the heights. - -The corps of reserve, under the Grand Duke Constantine, composed of -ten Battalions, and eighteen squadrons of guards, passed by Austerlitz, -and posted itself on the heights in front, with its left towards -Krzenowitz, and its right towards the high road from Austerlitz to -Brunn. - -The advanced corps, under Prince Bagration, extended by its left beyond -Holubitz and Blasowitz, in order to facilitate the march of the third -and fourth columns upon their points of formation. - -Lieutenant-general Kienmayer, as soon as the columns arrived on the -heights, in front of Austerlitz and Krzenowitz, where his troops were -posted, marched by Pratzen, in front of Aujest, where he arrived at -nine o'clock at night: his corps was then composed of twenty-two -squadrons of Austrians, ten of Cosacks, and five Battalions of Croats. - -The head-quarters were at Krzenowitz. The enemy did not interrupt -this movement, and even withdrew his out-posts as far as Tellnitz, -Sokolnitz and Schlapanitz. The second column having arrived late on -its point of formation, had no out-posts in its front. _During the -whole night there was no chain of out-posts established in front of the -position occupied by the combined army._ - -At one moment during the night, the enemy evacuated the village of -Tellnitz, in which out-posts were placed by a half squadron of Austrian -light cavalry of the regiment of O'Reilly: but two hours after, the -French returned in force, and posted a regiment of infantry in this -village, from the division of Legrand, forming a part of the right -of Marshal Soult. The out-posts on the left of the allies sent, -continually, patroles during the night, to their right, in order to -establish a communication with the Russian advanced posts, but could -never fall in with them. - -This offensive movement had been made by the army in open day, and in -sight of the enemy, who, from the heights of Schlapanitz, and in front -of Kobelnitz, had been able to remark it at his ease. The position -occupied by the allies, at the moment when they crowned the heights -between Aujest, Pratzen, and Holubitz, was a strong one. The enemy, had -he been well observed, would have found it difficult to advance for -the purpose of attacking these heights;[9] The defiles of Tellnitz, -Sokolnitz, and Schlapanitz, which separated the two armies, offered -the means of delay; and the very elevated points of these heights -afforded strong means of defence. Here, as in the position, in front of -Olmutz, the army was posted on a curtain, behind which massive columns -might be posted, ready to act offensively. Its left was secured by -the lakes of Menitz and Aujest, while the right was refused. But the -taking advantage of this position was never thought of, any more than -the possibility of being _attacked_ on these heights, or of finding -the enemy on this side the defile. The French emperor took advantage, -in a masterly manner, of the faults that were committed. He kept his -troops concentrated in massive columns, ready to act according to -circumstances. Marshal Bernadotte (who had joined the Emperor Napoleon -the day on which the allies shewed themselves on the heights of -Pratzen), had been posted in the first instance to the left of the high -road. In the night the Emperor caused his corps to pass this road, and -posted it in rear of the village of Girschikowitz, which was occupied -in force. This corps, composed of the divisions of Rivaux and Drouet, -formed the centre of the French army. Prince Murat's cavalry was in -rear of Marshal Bernadotte, and on his left. Marshal Lannes formed -the left wing with the divisions of Suchet and Caffarelli; this last -was connected with the left of Prince Murat. The right of the army, -commanded by Marshal Soult, was placed between Kobelnitz and Sokolnitz; -the division of Legrand forming the extreme right, was posted between -Sokolnitz and Tellnitz, and occupied these villages with strong -detachments of Infantry. The division of Vandamme was on the left, and -the division of St. Hilaire in the centre of Marshal Soult's corps. - -The reserve of the army, composed of ten Battalions of the imperial -guard, and of ten Battalions of General Oudinot's corps, the whole -commanded by General Duroc, was near Turas. The division of Friant, -belonging to the corps under Marshal Davoust, which had just arrived -from Presburg, was sent to the convent of Reygern, on the Schwartza, -to observe and keep the enemy in check, should he approach by the -route of Auspitz. The division of General Gudin (also arrived from -Presburg), with some dragoons belonging to Marshal Davoust's corps, -advanced from Nickolsbourg, on the right of the French army, to keep -in check the corps of M. de Merveldt, who had penetrated through -Hungary to Lundenbourg. This general had with him his own regiment of -Hulans, and the Emperor's hussars, much weakened by the losses they had -sustained during a difficult retreat; and six Battalions of infantry, -also very weak; the whole amounting to little more than 4,000 men. A -detachment of O'Reilly's light cavalry, and some Cossacks, were sent to -Gros-Niemschitz to observe that point. - -We have now given the position of both armies, during the night -between the 1st and 2nd December, which immediately preceded this -ever-memorable day. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 1: _Note by a French officer._--A general, whose movements -are not so combined as to enable him to oppose another manœuvre to that -of his enemy, whatever it may be, is a general devoid of talent, and -ignorant of the art of war. - -If the Russians had assumed the offensive at Wischau, it would have -been previous to the arrival of the corps under the Grand Duke -Constantine, which would have weakened their army by 10,000 chosen men. -The French army would not only have had Marshal Bernadotte with them, -who was then at Znaim, but also the corps of Marshal Davoust, whose -divisions were in echelons, on Nicolsburgh. - -In fact, it was natural to suppose the combined army would not abandon -the capital of Moravia without a battle. It was well known that Brunn -was a fortified town, that there was much artillery, large magazines of -powder, and warlike stores of all kinds in it: its possession seemed to -merit an action, and it was expected. Although the arrival of General -Buxhoevden was not positively known, yet spies had reported it, and all -the information received as to the march of that army in Poland, and -the two Galicias, rendered it so probable, that all the calculations of -the French army were founded on the supposition of this junction. - -The 19th November, Prince Charles had not passed Goritz; he therefore -could not enter into the most remote calculation relative to the war in -Moravia. The whole French army was collected, so that, if the Russian -army had wished to maintain the important point of Brunn, and to defend -the magazines in that place, it would two days after have been attacked -by Prince Murat, by the corps of Marshals Soult, Lannes, and Davoust, -and by part of that under Marshal Mortier. The Russians would have had -10,000 chosen men less than at Austerlitz, and the French 30,000 men -more: and if it is asked, why, at Austerlitz, the French had not these -30,000 men more, it is, because the Emperor Napoleon, being informed -that the Russian army was retiring from Wischau, and falling back on -Olmutz, conjectured that the Russians were waiting for the third army -under Michelson, in order to resume the offensive; or meant to take up -a position under the guns of Olmutz, and so wait till Prince Charles -approached nearer to the theatre of operation. - -Obliged to oppose both these armies; the emperor had detached Marshal -Davoust to Presbourgh, and Marshal Ney into Carinthia. The corps under -these two Marshals would have supported General Marmont, and have -had the corps of Marshal Mortier as their reserve; and above 90,000 -men would have attacked Prince Charles, before he could approach the -Danube: and, _vice versa_, if the third Russian army, under Michelson, -and the combined army, under Olmutz, (which were calculated by their -junction to amount to 120,000 men) should resume the offensive; whether -they advanced by Kremsir, or direct upon Brunn, the calculation had -been made so as to be joined in a short time, by Marshal Bernadotte, -who had made two days march upon Iglau; by Marshal Davoust, one of -whose divisions was only two, and the other four marches distant; -and lastly, by Marshal Mortier, who would also have arrived in four -marches, and who, under this supposition, would have been replaced at -Vienna by one of the Generals, Marmont or Ney. - -These were skilful dispositions; the object of which was, to oppose -equal force to the enemy, although in reality superior in numbers to -the French army. - -When the Russians assumed the offensive, it was known that Michelson -had not joined them. The Emperor Napoleon was of course astonished, and -immediately saw how ill combined was the system of the allies. It was -not till after the battle of Austerlitz, and by reports from Galicia, -that it became known that Michelson had no army; that he was only the -Inspector of the two other corps; and that the Russians, after the -arrival of the Grand Duke Constantine, had nothing more to receive. - -As soon as he learnt the offensive movement of the Russians, the -emperor recalled Marshal Bernadotte, the remainder of the corps of -Marshal Davoust and General Marmont. If he gave battle at Austerlitz, -without having been rejoined by the last divisions of Marshal Davoust, -and those of Marshal Mortier, it was because he saw so favourable an -opportunity, that he not only was persuaded he should gain the battle -without these reinforcements, but even had he 30,000 men less. - -The allies then did well to wait the arrival of their reinforcements -before they resumed the offensive. They calculated rightly, in letting -the emperor be the first to make his movements, and must have conceived -the hope of afterwards gaining by it, when they should themselves come -to act upon their own plans.] - -[Footnote 2: _Note by a French officer._--This disposition, of which -the Austrian officer makes mention, and which is accurate, shews that -the emperor had foreseen, that the enemy might manœuvre on the line of -operation from Olmutz, along the March; in this case, the Russian army -must pass at Shadish, whence it was farther distant than Marshal Soult, -who had some infantry at Gaja, and detachments of cavalry, observing -all the route, necessary to this movement. - -Whenever the enemy's movement had been known, they would have been -allowed to advance. The corps of Marshals Mortier and Davoust, would -have been at Goeding, and the enemy would have had 30,000 men to -contend with more than at Austerlitz. - -In all the enemy's manœuvres upon Vienna, he moved upon the wings of -the French army, which, by calling in all its detachments, concentrated -itself, and opposed its whole force to that of the enemy. - -It is more particularly in discussing, what it was possible for the -enemy to have done, that we are convinced of the science, and deep -calculation shewn by the emperor, in a country so new, and so little -known. We see that all his dispositions, even those which appeared to -be the most trivial, and to have had no other object in view than the -subsistence of the troops, were the result of premeditated design, the -chances of which had been already calculated.] - -[Footnote 3: _Note by a French Officer._--There is here the mistake -of a day. Marshal Bernadotte arrived _two_ days before the battle of -Austerlitz.] - -[Footnote 4: 15 of these were Cosacks.] - -[Footnote 5: _Note by a French officer._--It is evident that the author -here diminishes the real strength of the combined army, by one-_fifth_.] - -[Footnote 6: _Note by the Austrian general._--The Austrian battalions, -of which this column was partly composed, were extremely weak, in -consequence of the new formation introduced by M. Mack, who, from three -battalions to each regiment, made five: and, as before stated, they -were new levies, with the exception of the regiment of Salzbourg, and -the frontier troops. This corps of infantry was composed as follows: - - 2 bat. 1st reg. of Szeckler. - 2 do. 2d do. - 1 do. Brooder. - 6 do. Salzbourg. - 1 do. Auersperg. - 1 do. Kaunitz. - 1 bat. reg. of Lindenau. - 1 ------------ Kerpen. - 1 ------------ Beaulieu. - 1 ------------ Wurtembourg. - 1 ------------ Reuss. Graitz. - 1 ------------ Czartorisky. - 1 ------------ Kaiser. - -- - 20 -] - -[Footnote 7: I am inclined to think the word, _regiment_ has here been, -inadvertently, substituted for _brigade_. Translator.] - -[Footnote 8: _Note by a French officer._--The corps under Marshal Soult -had evacuated Austerlitz at three o'clock in the morning; and was -posted at seven o'clock in rear of Puntowitz and Schlapanitz. There -are some inaccuracies in the detail of the movements, and the partial -attacks; but the narrative is generally correct, and well told.] - -[Footnote 9: _Note by a French officer._--There is no foundation for -the remark here made by the Austrian officer; since the Emperor, who -intended to act upon the centre of the enemy, had an interest in -remaining master of these defiles, that no obstacle might be opposed to -the bringing his army into action: it was with this view he occupied -the fine position of the Santon, situated in front of all the small -streams: besides, the Emperor had posts upon these rivulets two days -before; and the left of the French army was between the Santon and the -village of Girshikowitz, which was the rendezvous of almost the whole -cavalry; consequently, from that moment, it was no longer necessary to -pass the defiles in order to attack the heights. - -This observation of the Austrian officer, only serves to mark more -strongly to every French officer, who was a witness of the affair, both -the prudence and military eye of their general. He made the Santon, the -point of appuy, for his left flank; not because it was a fine defensive -position; there were others in the rear equally good; but, _because -it was the key to all offensive operations_. If, on the contrary, the -French general had neglected the Santon, the whole of the left wing of -the French army would have been prevented from resuming the offensive, -unless they passed the defiles. - -Eight days before the battle, the Emperor returning from Wischau, -ascended the Santon, notwithstanding the extreme cold; and said to the -officers about him: "Examine this position well; it will probably play -a conspicuous part before two months are over our heads." - -The Emperor having always had it in view, during the campaign in -Moravia, not to allow his left to be turned, and to abandon his right; -that alone would have been a sufficient reason for resting his left -on a position not defensive, but offensive, such as was that of the -Santon. The fact is, the more we discuss the plan of the campaign, -the more we perceive the judgment and military eye of a master in the -science of war.] - - - - -BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ. - - -The disposition for the attack of the French army was delivered to -the general officers of the Austro-Russian army, soon after midnight, -on the morning of the 2nd December. But the imperfect knowledge that -was possessed of their position, although scarcely out of range of -the enemy's musketry, naturally made the suppositions upon which the -disposition of attack was founded also very indefinite. Some movements -had been remarked, the evening before, on the enemy's left, but it was -not known to be occasioned by the arrival of the corps under Marshal -Bernadotte.[10] It was supposed that the French army was weakening its -centre to reinforce its left. Several lines of smoke, which had also -been perceived the evening before, between Turas and the lakes in rear -of Sokolnitz, and Kobelnitz, and some others near Czernowitz, caused -the belief that the French army had made these lakes the point of -appuy for their right, and had placed a reserve in the rear. The left -of the combined army outflanked the right of the French army. It was -supposed, that by passing the defile of Sokolnitz, and of Kobelnitz, -their right would be turned, and that the attack might afterwards -be continued in the plain, between Schlapanitz and the wood of Turas, -thus avoiding the defiles of Schlapanitz and Bellowitz, which, it was -believed, covered the front of the enemy's position. The French army -was then to be attacked by its right flank, upon which it was intended -to move down large bodies of troops; this movement was to be executed -with celerity and vigour; the valley between Tellnitz and Sokolnitz -was to be passed with rapidity; the right of the allies (on which was -the cavalry of Prince John de Liechtenstein, and the advanced corps -under Prince Bagration) was to cover this movement.--The first of these -generals on the plain between Krug and Schlapanitz, on each side of -the causeway; and the other by protecting the cavalry, and occupying -the heights situated between Dwaroschna and the Inn of Lesch, with his -artillery.[11] For this purpose, the five columns, composed as before, -received orders to advance in the following manner: - - 1st. Column. Lieut.-general Dochtorow, with 24 Battalions of Russians, - from the heights of Hostieradeck, by Aujest, upon Tellnitz. After - having passed the village and defile, the column was to move forward - to the right upon the lakes, till its head became parallel with that - of the 2d column. - - 2nd Column. Lieut.-general Langeron, with 18 Battalions of Russians, - marching like the former column, by his left from the heights of - Pratzen, was to force the valley between Sokolnitz and Tellnitz, and - then dress by the 1st column. - - 3rd Column. Lieut.-general Przybyszewsky, with 18 Battalions of - Russians, was also to move by his left, from the heights to the right - of Pratzen, close by the castle of Sokolnitz; from whence the heads - of the three columns were to move forward, between Sokolnitz and the - lakes situated behind it, as far as the lakes of Kobelnitz. - - 4th Column. Lieut.-general Kollowrath, with 27 Battalions, 15 of - which were Austrian, moving forward by his left, from the heights in - rear of the 3d column, was to pass the same valley, and the lakes of - Kobelnitz, and bring the head of his column parallel with that of the - three former. - - The advanced corps under M. Kienmayer, was to protect, with its - infantry, the movements of the 1st column, so that this last was, in - fact, reinforced by five Austrian Battalions, and composed altogether - of 29 Battalions. The heads of these four columns of infantry were to - present a large front, and four Battalions of the 1st column were to - occupy the wood of Turas. The remainder, and all the other columns, - were then to move forward between this wood and Schlapanitz, and to - attack the right of the enemy with strong bodies of infantry, while - three Battalions of the fourth column should be occupied in carrying - the village of Schlapanitz. - - 5th Column. Lieut.-general Prince John de Liechtenstein, with 82 - squadrons, was first of all to move from the foot of the hill, in rear - of the 3d column, between Blasowitz and Krug, to protect the formation - and march of the columns on the right, and afterwards to advance upon - the plain on the right and left of the causeway, between Krug and the - Inn of Lesch, as was before mentioned. - - The advanced corps, under Lieutenant-general Prince Bagration, - consisting of twelve Battalions and forty squadrons, was to maintain - its position, and gain the heights between Dwaroschna, and the Inn of - Lesch, in order to place strong batteries of cannon upon them. - - The corps of reserve, under the Grand Duke Constantine, consisting of - ten Battalions and eighteen squadrons, was to move from the heights in - front of Austerlitz to the rear of Blasowitz and Krug; he was to serve - as a support to the cavalry of Prince John de Liechtenstein, and to - the corps under Prince Bagration. - -The fortune of this day was made to depend upon the rapidity of the -attack on our left, and on the driving back the enemy's right upon -_his_ left. It was imagined the battle would not be decisive if Prince -Bagration was not enabled to oppose an obstinate resistance to the -attacks the French might make upon him; and orders were given to the -cavalry, under Prince John de Liechtenstein, to attack the enemy in any -movement he might make, with a view to engaging this Russian general. - -The cavalry, under Lieutenant-general Kienmayer, as soon as the first -column should have passed the defile of Tellnitz, was destined to cover -the left of the column, and to march between Turas and the Schwarza; -observing well the convent of Reygern. - -It was settled in the disposition, that in case the four columns were -fortunate enough to advance as far as the causeway between Lattein and -Bellowitz, and to drive the enemy back into the mountains, the Wood of -Turas was _still_ to remain occupied by the four Battalions destined -to this purpose, in order to preserve the facility of manœuvring round -it, and the means of retiring, if necessary, by Kobelnitz and Puntowitz -into the position of Pratzen; which retreat was, in case of the worst, -to be continued as far as the position of Hodiegitz, Niemtschen, and -Herspitz. - -If the attack made by the left proved successful, then Prince Bagration -was to move against the enemy's left, and to establish a communication -with the four columns of infantry; after which it was intended to -unite the army in front of the village of Lattein, between Lesch and -Nennowitz. The defiles of Schalapanitz, Bellowitz and Kritschen, being -thus cleared, the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein was to -pass them with rapidity, in order to support the infantry; and, in -case of success, to pursue the enemy between Brunn and Czernowitz. - -The general-in-chief, Koutousoff, was in the centre with the fourth -column. - -The general of infantry, Buxhoevden, commanded the left of the army, -and marched with the first column. - -Having thus given the plan of attack, concerted by the allies, we -are now about to see the manner in which it was deranged, and how it -happened that the faults in the conception were not compensated for by -the success of the execution. - -At seven o'clock in the morning the combined army was put in motion, -and quitted the heights of Pratzen to advance upon its given points. -Each of the four columns of infantry was perfectly in view of the -enemy, who could not but perceive that the direction of their march -caused considerable intervals between them, in proportion as the -heads of the columns approached the valleys of Tellnitz, Sokolnitz and -Kobelnitz. The action began on the left wing of the allies. The corps -of General Kienmayer, posted in front of Aujest, as before mentioned, -was nearest the enemy, and destined to force the defile of Tellnitz, -to open the route for the first column, which had a great circuit to -make after having passed this defile, in order to arrive at the point -which would bring it in a line with the second column; this made -it necessary to carry the village of Tellnitz as soon as possible. -Between Aujest and Tellnitz is a considerable plain, on which some -squadrons of hussars were advanced, between seven and eight o'clock, to -reconnoitre the enemy. On a hill, in front of the village, were posted -several companies of infantry, who defended its approach, while some -detachments of cavalry were on the right, having the lake of Menitz as -their appuy. - -M. de Kienmayer ordered a detachment of cavalry to advance against -their right, and a Battalion[12] of the first regiment of Szeckler -infantry to attack the hill on which the French infantry was posted. -The latter was reinforced, and a fire of musketry commenced, which -became pretty warm. The French defended themselves with obstinacy; and -the Austrians, who had been supported by another Battalion, attacked -with spirit. The hussars of Hesse Hombourg, on the right, under Major -General Nostitz, and those of Szeckler on the left, under Major General -Prince Maurice Liechtenstein, took post on the flanks of this infantry, -to check the enemy's cavalry, (which was perceived on the farther side -of the defile of Tellnitz) should it attempt to pass for the purpose of -attacking these Austrian Battalions. The Hussars suffered severely from -the enemy's sharp shooters, who took advantage of the ground, which all -round the village was covered with vineyards, and full of ditches; but -they could not succeed in keeping off the cavalry. The second Battalion -of the regiment of Szeckler infantry had arrived to reinforce the -first, which was attacking the hill, and which had lost more than half -its strength. Twice the Austrians were repulsed; and twice they again -advanced to the foot of the hill, which it was necessary to carry, in -order to arrive at the village. At length General Stutterheim succeeded -in getting possession of it with these two Battalions. - -The enemy's third regiment of the line, and two Battalions of sharp -shooters, were in possession of Tellnitz and the vineyards round -the village. These troops defended their post with valour. M. de -Kienmayer ordered General Carneville to advance with the remainder of -his infantry (consisting of three other Battalions) to the support of -the two which were on the hill, and were fighting with great courage. -A destructive fire of musketry ensued. The village was situated in -a natural entrenchment, the vineyards being surrounded by a deep -ditch, of which the French kept possession: however, the Austrians -succeeded at one time in penetrating as far as the village; but were -again repulsed, and had some difficulty in maintaining possession of -the hill they had before carried. The regiment of Szeckler infantry -fought with the greatest obstinacy; above two-thirds of them being -killed or wounded. This action had already lasted above an hour, and -yet the head of the first column, with which was M. de Buxhoevden, had -not yet made its appearance. The French had more troops belonging to -Legrand's division on the farther side of the defile; and the Austrians -engaged in so unequal a contest (since they were without support), -continued to make fresh efforts, which they momentarily expected would -become useless. At length, M. de Buxhoevden, with the first column, -appeared from Aujest, and sent a Battalion of the seventh regiment of -light infantry to support the Austrians, and a brigade of Russians -to form the reserve. Two Austrian Battalions, with this Battalion of -light infantry, which charged the enemy with impetuosity, attacked the -village, gained possession of it, and were followed by the remainder. -The French, on the approach of such superior numbers, evacuated the -defile, and drew up on the farther side in order of battle. M. de -Buxhoevden, before he moved forward, waited to see the head of the -second column (which was not advancing) appear in the plain, between -the foot of the hills and Sokolnitz. - -Towards nine o'clock the enemy received a reinforcement of 4,000 men -from the corps under General Davoust. These troops arrived from the -convent of Reygern; the French then taking advantage of a thick fog -which suddenly darkened the whole valley, again got possession of the -village, and even penetrated as far as the hill beyond it. At this -moment General Nostitz made a rapid charge, with two squadrons of the -hussars of Hesse Hombourg, for the purpose of checking them. - -The Russian light infantry, and an Austrian Battalion, which had been -posted in Tellnitz, had fallen back in disorder: the Russian regiment -of New Ingermannland ought to have supported them; but retreated in -a manner, which, combined with the fog, threw a part of the column -into confusion. The charge made by the hussars had checked the French -infantry, some hundreds of whom were made prisoners. The fog having -dispersed, the troops again moved forwards, and the enemy abandoned -the village. The first column made a deployment in several lines upon -the hill, and Tellnitz was retaken. A cannonade took place; and as -soon as the French entirely withdrew from this point, the defile was -passed, without opposition, by the brigades of cavalry under Prince -Maurice Liechtenstein and General Stutterheim, who drew up in order -of battle on the farther side. Tellnitz and the defile were occupied -by some Battalions provided with artillery. The enemy then entirely -abandoned the plain between Tellnitz and Turas; but he was not followed -up, because the communication with the second column was not yet -established. The Austrian cavalry consequently avoided the snare laid -for it, by the retreat of the right of the French army. During this -action, near Tellnitz, the second and third column had quitted the -heights of Pratzen, and had approached towards Sokolnitz, which was -occupied by two Battalions from the division of Legrand. These two -Battalions opposed some resistance to the Russian light infantry as -they advanced at the head of these columns. The French had placed some -cannon on a hill between Sokolnitz and Kobelnitz; (the latter village -was occupied by the enemy's reserve) a pretty heavy cannonade was -opened upon Sokolnitz, which destroyed the village. These two Russian -columns, without concerning themselves as to the fourth column, -without any direct communication with it, and without being deterred -by the offensive movements of the enemy, thought of nothing but the -first disposition, and continued their movements upon Sokolnitz; which -village they took possession of without much resistance, after a long -and useless cannonade. General Muller, of the Russian light infantry, -was wounded and afterwards taken prisoner beyond Sokolnitz. In passing -this village, the two columns crossed upon each other, and some -confusion ensued. - -We must now, for an instant, leave this point, in order to see what -was passing in the centre, and on the right of the allies, while the -capture of the villages of Tellnitz and Sokolnitz was going forward. -The Emperor of the French, who had not failed to remark the want of -concert and consistency in the movements of the Austro-Russian army, -and who saw that by the circuitous route the left was obliged to take, -it became more distant from the centre, in proportion as it advanced, -immediately put in motion the massive columns which he had kept -together, with a view of marching against the centre, and by that means -cutting off the wing, which still imprudently continued to advance, -for the purpose of turning the French army in a position which it did -not occupy. The Reserve of the French army, composed of ten Battalions -of the Imperial guard, and of ten Battalions of General Oudinot's -grenadiers, (who recovered from his wound, now resumed his command) -remained upon the heights between Schlapanitz and Kobelnitz. This -Reserve did not fire a shot during the whole battle. Marshal Soult, -with the two divisions of St. Hilaire, and Vandamme (posted during the -night, as we have already seen, in the valley of Kobelnitz), traversed -this village and that of Puntowitz, to make an attack upon the heights -and the village of Pratzen. At the same time Marshal Bernadotte, after -having crossed, by means of a bad and narrow bridge, (only a few -musket shots distant from his enemy) the rivulet at the village of -Girschikowitz, with the division of Rivaud on his left, and that of -Drouet on his right, took his direction upon the heights of Blasowitz. -The cavalry under Prince Murat formed in several lines on the left of -Marshal Bernadotte, and marched between Girschikowitz and Krug. Marshal -Lannes having on his right the division of Caffarelli, and on his left -that of General Suchet, moved forward to the left of Prince Murat, on -each side of the causeway. From that time the centre and right of the -allies became engaged in all quarters. The Grand Duke Constantine was -destined with the corps of guards to form the Reserve of the right, and -quitted the heights in front of Austerlitz, at the appointed hour, -to occupy those of Blasowitz and Krug. He was hardly arrived on this -point before he found himself in _first line_, and engaged with the -sharp shooters of Rivaud's division, and Prince Murat's light cavalry, -commanded by General Kellermann. The Grand Duke hastened to occupy the -village of Blasowitz with the light infantry Battalion of the guards. -At the same instant Prince John de Liechtenstein arrived with his -cavalry. According to the original disposition, this Prince was to post -himself on the left of Prince Bagration, to preserve the command of -the plain in front of Schlapanitz. This column of cavalry, which had -been posted in rear of the third column, and which was to move by its -right flank, upon its point of attack, was impeded in its march by the -columns of infantry, which crossed upon it as they were advancing, to -descend from the heights. Prince Liechtenstein had hastened to send, -during the march, 10 squadrons, under Lieut.-general Uwarrow, to the -left of Prince Bagration, to secure that general's left flank, which -was opposed to a part of Prince Murat's cavalry. After the regiment -of Elisabethgrod hussars had formed in order of battle, under General -Uwarrow, the Grand Duke Constantino's regiment of Hulans became the -head of the column of cavalry. Prince John de Liechtenstein, when he -arrived on the Grand Duke's left, found the enemy in presence of the -Russian guards; it was the cavalry under General Kellermann, supported -by the infantry of Marshal Bernadotte's left, and of Marshal Lannes' -right. Prince John de Liechtenstein immediately determined on forming -his cavalry in order of battle, to charge the enemy. The Grand Duke's -regiment was the first that deployed; but, carried away by the ardour -of the brave General[13] Essen, who commanded them; the Hulans did not -await the formation of the rest of the line, and, without support, -rushed forward to attack the enemy's light cavalry, which, retiring -through the intervals of the infantry, was pursued with but too much -impetuosity through the Battalions. The Hulans wanted to attack the -French cavalry that was in second line, but, in consequence of the fire -they had sustained, they reached it in disorder, and were received by -it with determination. The division of Caffarelli formed a line on -their right, and that of Rivaud on their left, and the Hulans, being -thus placed between two fires, lost above 400 men; Lieut.-general -Essen, who led them, was severely wounded, and died in consequence. The -Grand Duke's regiment, which had made this brilliant charge, attacked -too soon, with too much impetuosity, and became the victim of its own -ill-placed courage. It was put completely to the route, and in this -state it reached, by its right, the corps under Prince Bagration, in -rear of which it again formed. This last general had now moved forward -from the post of Posorsitz, to oppose the left of Marshal Lannes, which -rested on Kovalowitz; Prince Bagration had caused the villages of Krug -and Holubitz to be occupied by General Ulanius, with three Battalions -of light infantry. - -We now come to the centre of the allied army, where the fate of this -day was decided. It was too weak to resist the enemy's attacks. -Abandoned by the third column, and all the left of the army, while -the division on the right flank was not sufficiently powerful to -divide the French forces; the centre saw itself attacked, or menaced -with attack, by _four_ divisions, to which it could only oppose 27 -very weak Battalions, without any hope of reinforcement. Those Russian -regiments which had made their retreat from Braunau, formed a part -of this number, and were scarcely composed of 400 men each. Without -exaggeration, we may here calculate, that 12,000 men were attacked by -24,000, and while the French army was not, in fact, so numerous as -that of the allies, by a more happy arrangement of their force, which -was more concentrated and better directed, the enemy's strength was -_doubled_ on that point, which was of the greatest importance. The -centre of the allies was perfectly insulated, which, in consequence of -the distance the several columns (the 2d and 3d excepted) were from -each other, was the case, nearly, on _all_ points. - -The Emperor of Russia, with the Commander in chief, arrived at the head -of the fourth column, at the moment when it was to advance. In order -to give time to the columns on the left to gain ground, Lieut.-general -Kollowrath, who commanded the fourth column, received orders not to -move till towards eight o'clock. The action, therefore, near Tellnitz, -had already begun, and the left was in motion, when the centre formed, -and broke into platoons from the left. The Russian infantry, under -Lieut.-general Miloradowich, was at the head of the column. Two of his -battalions, of the regiments of Novogrod and Apscherousky, commanded by -Lieut.-colonel Monachtin, with some Austrian dragoons of the Archduke -John's regiment, formed the advanced guard of the column, and marched -only a small distance in its front. - -It was now near nine o'clock, and the third column had just quitted the -heights of Pratzen to march, in conformity to the disposition, upon -Sokolnitz: the fourth column had just arrived on the ground occupied, -during the night, by General Przibischewsky, when a massive column of -French infantry was suddenly descried in a bottom, in front of Pratzen. -As soon as the enemy's columns were perceived, they were put in motion, -at the moment when the Russian advanced guard approached the village. -This massive column of the enemy was composed as follows: the right -columns of the division of Vandamme; those on the left, of the division -of St. Hilaire. Nevertheless, the advanced guard of the 4th column lost -no time in occupying the village of Pratzen, and got possession of a -small bridge beyond it before the enemy's sharp shooters. Having passed -this bridge, it posted a Battalion upon a hill to the left, in front of -the village, (which was not yet left by the rear of the third column) -while the other Battalion of the advanced guard occupied the village -itself. - -General Koutousoff, whom this movement of the enemy had taken by -surprize (thinking himself the assailant, and seeing himself attacked -in the midst of his combinations and his movements), felt all the -importance of maintaining the heights of Pratzen, against which the -French were moving; they commanded every thing, and were the only -security to the rear of the third column, which continued to advance -and expose itself with the greatest imprudence, forgetting the enemy -and every thing but the original disposition. It was the summit of the -heights of Pratzen which decided the fate of the day. It had been the -key to the position the allied army had just quitted; and, from the -confused situation of the different columns their fate depended upon -whoever was master of this height. As soon as the Commander-in-chief, -who was at the head of the column, was informed by his advanced guard -that the enemy was so near him, he gave orders for shewing him a front, -and for occupying the height; at the same time he sent for some cavalry -from the column under Prince John de Liechtenstein, who sent him four -Russian regiments. The French directed the march of their two masses -of infantry with great coolness, and at a slow pace. A third column -of the enemy now made its appearance on the right of Pratzen, and -threatened to pass through the interval, between the fourth column, and -the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein. This French column was -a part of the corps under Marshal Bernadotte. Upon this the Russian -infantry, belonging to the fourth column, marched to the right of -Pratzen, and sent a reinforcement to the Battalions of the advanced -guard, which were already posted on the hill to be maintained; but this -advanced guard, being attacked by superior numbers, abandoned it, after -a very short resistance. - -The action then became very warm, and it was attempted to regain the -ground that had been lost by the advanced guard. The Russians made an -attack; opened their fire at too great a distance, and without much -effect, while the French columns continued to advance without firing a -shot; but when at the distance of about a hundred paces, they opened -a fire of musketry which became general, and very destructive. The -enemy opened out his masses by degrees, formed in several lines, and -marched rapidly towards the height, resting his left on the church of -the village, and his right on the most elevated point of the heights. -Having reached them, he formed in an angular direction, for the purpose -of opposing the rear of the third column. This was composed of the -Brigade under General Kamensky, which had separated from the column, -and shewed a front upon the height, menacing the right flank of Marshal -Soult's corps. - -It was still necessary to dislodge the enemy from the heights, of which -he had obtained possession, and to prevent his establishing himself on -them. - -The Emperor of Russia, who, during this sanguinary conflict, had -remained with his infantry of the fourth column, and who, incessantly, -exposed his own person in trying to remedy the confusion, ordered his -Battalions to advance, and try to take the enemy in flank. General -Kollowrath received orders to check the enemy on the left, and, for -that purpose, caused the Austrian Brigades, under the Generals -Jurczeck and Rottermund, to advance against the heights, on which -the French continued to gain ground, and extend themselves, more and -more, while they followed up the Russian Battalions that had been -thrown forward. The first Austrian Battalions made their attack on -the enemy with coolness and intrepidity, although they were entirely -composed of new levies. They fell upon a French regiment which had -been the first to advance on the crest of the hill, and which was -nearly surrounded. The French received the Austrians with firmness, -and defended themselves with valour, notwithstanding which they were -forced to retreat; but, receiving a reinforcement, they quickly -regained the ground which they had lost. Two Russian regiments, -belonging to the second column, the grenadiers of Fanagorisky, and -the musketteers of Rhiasky, who were left in Reserve upon the height -which the column had occupied during the night, were ordered, by the -General-in-chief, to reinforce the Brigade under General Kamensky. The -troops commanded by this General fought very bravely during the whole -of this unfortunate battle. They came to the support of the Austrian -Brigades; and this reinforcement seemed likely to re-establish the -balance of power in the attack of the crest of the hill; upon which the -French generals manœuvred their troops with that ability which is the -result of a military eye, and of experience, taking advantage of the -inequalities of ground to cover their troops from fire, and to conceal -their movements. There was no other chance of turning the fate of the -day but a general and desperate attack at the point of the bayonet. -The Austrian Brigades, with that under General Kamensky, charged the -enemy; the Russians shouting, according to their usual custom; but -the French received them with steadiness, and a well-supported fire, -which made a dreadful carnage in the compact ranks of the Russians. -General Miloradovich, on his side, advanced upon the right; but the -Generals Berg and Repninsky being wounded, their troops had lost that -confidence in themselves, without which nothing is to be done in war. -The ardour of this attack soon evaporated. The superior numbers of -the enemy, and his steadiness, soon changed it to a slow uncertain -pace, accompanied by an ill-directed fire of musketry. Nevertheless, -the example of some of their officers had at one moment the effect -of inducing the left wing again to advance with intrepidity; and, -for an instant, the right wing of the French began to give way. The -regiment of Saltzbourg, and the Battalion of Auersperg, fought with -much courage.[14] Kamensky's Brigade always distinguished itself. -The Austrian General, Jurczeck, was severely wounded. The enemy, well -aware of the importance of this post, now in turn attacked the allies, -who were without any support whatever, and absolutely abandoned by the -left of the army. The fourth column now lost the heights of Pratzen, -beyond the possibility of recovery, together with the greatest part of -its artillery, which was entangled in the deep clay that prevails in -that part of the country. The greatest possible efforts were made to -repair the confusion incident to such a retreat. Meanwhile, the enemy -had advanced his artillery, and vigourously plied it in cannonading -the allies during their retreat, which put the finishing stroke to -the disorder they were in. The Austrian part of this column had one -general, six superior officers, nineteen subalterns, and 1886 soldiers -killed and wounded; five officers and 470 soldiers taken prisoners. -This action, upon the heights of Pratzen, lasted about two hours; after -which the fate of the battle was decided. The fourth column marched -upon Waschan, and repaired (as pointed out in the disposition) to the -position of Hodiegitz and Herspitz, where it collected its Battalions. -The enemy, being once in possession of the heights, did not disturb -this retreat, and remained near Pratzen, waiting, probably, the event -of the movements on the left of the allies. After the unfortunate -attack that was made by the Hulans, Lieutenant-general Prince John de -Liechtenstein, with his cavalry, covered the country between Blasowitz -and Pratzen. The Austrian General, Caramelli, made a charge with the -Cuirassiers of the regiment of Lorraine upon the enemy's infantry, -which coming out of Girschikowitz took advantage of the vineyards -between that village and Pratzen, to take the Russians in flank. This -attack, in which General Caramelli had his horse shot under him, -had the effect of checking the French for a moment. The Major who -commanded the regiment, a Count d'Auersperg, was killed. Prince John de -Liechtenstein also caused an attack to be made on the French infantry, -by the regiment of Nassau, at which time the fourth column had already -lost the heights of Pratzen, and was put to the route. Prince John de -Liechtenstein flew to its assistance to cover the Retreat with the -remains of the cavalry. This general tried to rally some Austrian -Battalions, which, like the Russian infantry, were retreating in -disorder, and was successful in his efforts. His horse was killed under -him by a grape-shot. The cavalry continued to occupy the bottom of the -heights of Pratzen, between that village and Krzenowitz, till it was -night. - -While the action took this turn on the heights of Pratzen, and the -cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein attempted to make head, -both to the right and left, against the enemy's infantry, and a part -of Prince Murat's cavalry, in order to check, or at least retard, the -success of the French. The Grand Duke, Constantine, also found himself -engaged in an obstinate contest. The village of Blasowitz, which he -had caused to be occupied, as we have before seen, was attacked, and -carried by the corps under Marshal Bernadotte. The Grand Duke wishing -to check the enemy's progress, left the commanding heights on which he -was posted, and advanced in line upon the enemy's columns. A sharp fire -of musketry ensued. The French sharp-shooters, who covered the columns, -disputed their ground; but were at length driven in by a charge with -the bayonet, which was ordered by the Grand Duke. A sharp cannonade, -attended with much execution, then took place on this point. The -grape-shot made a dreadful carnage; but, at the moment when the Prince -approached the enemy, (who had by this time deployed into line) the -cavalry of the guards, commanded by Marshal Bessiéres, which had been -posted in the intervals of the infantry, made a charge on the Russian -line, which, being without support, was in consequence driven back, -after a brave resistance. - -The Grand Duke's regiment of horse-guards, in order to disengage the -infantry, made a charge on the enemy's flank, where it checked and -routed their cavalry, and afterwards attacked the French infantry, -which had advanced to support the cavalry. It was on this occasion that -the regiment of horse-guards captured a French eagle belonging to a -Battalion of the fourth regiment. The corps of guards being obliged -to retire, succeeded, after considerable loss, in rallying and forming -its Battalions on the heights which it had originally quitted; from -whence it continued its movement upon Austerlitz, marching towards -Krzenowitz. The enemy's cavalry again returned to the charge, but was -checked by the horse-guards, and some squadrons of hussars belonging -to the guards, who attacked the French with the greatest impetuosity -at the very moment when they were about to charge the infantry during -its retreat. The horse-guards valiantly attacked, and were closely -engaged with the French horse grenadier guards, who, under the command -of General Rapp, had arrived to reinforce the enemy's cavalry. From -that moment the Russian guards effected their retreat upon Austerlitz, -without farther molestation from the French, who remained on the -heights in front of Blasowitz. Prince Repnin, a colonel of the -horse-guards, was wounded and made prisoner, with some officers of the -same corps. The Russian guards suffered severely, but had few taken -prisoners. - -While these things were passing on the left, Prince Bagration, it -has been already stated, had advanced in front of Posorsitz, and had -tried to occupy the heights of Dwaroschna. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, -with the cavalry under his command, was upon that Prince's left, near -Holubitz; which village, as well as that of Krug, had been occupied -in the manner before described; but Marshal Lannes arriving with his -troops in column on Prince Bagration's left, and on the right of the -cavalry under General Uwarrow, put a stop to the march of the right -of the allies. In order to cover the left of the French army, and to -secure its retreat in case of disaster, Marshal Lannes had posted -eighteen pieces of cannon, protected by the twenty-seventh regiment -of infantry, upon the commanding height, situated between Lesch and -Kowalowitz, to the left of the causeway leading to Brunn: it was the -same height that was to have been occupied by Prince Bagration. This -general was under the necessity of reinforcing his left (on which a -heavy cannonade was opened), and of sending almost the whole of his -cavalry to General Uwarrow, who, in consequence, had about thirty -squadrons under his orders. The enemy succeeded, notwithstanding, in -driving back General Ulanius from the villages of Krug and Holubitz, -and continued to advance in column; their march being protected by a -part of the cavalry under Prince Murat. This gave occasion to some -fine charges on the part of both the Russian and French cavalry. -General Ulanius, who commanded the cavalry with the greatest degree of -intelligence and bravery, succeeded by his efforts in checking the -rapid progress which the enemy would otherwise have made on the right -of the allies. Prince Bagration, after having long maintained himself -at Posorsitz, retired upon the heights of Rausnitz, at the moment when -the Russian guards were quitting the heights in rear of Blasowitz; -and, in the evening, received orders to march to Austerlitz. The high -road to Wischau was in consequence left entirely uncovered, on which -the chief part of the baggage of the army was afterwards captured by -the enemy. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, with the cavalry, protected -this retreat; and Prince Bagration took post in rear of Austerlitz, -at six o'clock in the evening, while the cavalry under Prince John de -Liechtenstein still continued to occupy the heights in front of that -place. - -It now becomes necessary to revert to what was passing at Tellnitz -and Sokolnitz. The first, second, and third columns, were left in -the act of marching upon the points of attack fixed in the primary -disposition, without thinking of the enemy's movements, and without -having discrimination enough to give that direction to their columns, -which the nature of the ground and the position of the enemy ought -to have pointed out, at the very first glance. These three columns -were composed of fifty-five Battalions (without including the Brigade -under General Kamensky, which had not followed them), and were only -opposed to the division under Legrand, not above five or six thousand -strong, and to four thousand of the corps under Marshal Davoust.[15] -Had the left of the allied army observed the enemy's movements -during the battle, and reflected upon his intentions; had it taken -advantage of the ground, and seized the means which it presented for -again concentrating itself, in order to execute a bold manœuvre by the -height on which the chapel above Aujest is situated, and which extends -quite to Pratzen. Had this been done, the battle might yet have been -prolonged, and at least have given a chance that the event of this -day would have been less decisive. The offensive movement on the part -of the French disconcerted the attack of the allies; and, from that -moment, all concert ceased. - -The second and third columns were left in Sokolnitz, through which the -head of the latter had passed. It was also stated, that the two columns -had become entangled during a thick fog that took place, and they were -thrown into confusion, in this village, where they mutually embarrassed -each other. At this time that part of the French which had been engaged -in front of Tellnitz retired upon Sokolnitz; General Legrand having -ordered that village to be turned by General Franceschi. When this -took place, the centre of the allies had already been penetrated; and -the French were in possession of the heights of Pratzen. The Russians -who were in Sokolnitz, and those who had passed through it, when they -saw themselves surrounded, immediately surrendered. Lieutenant-general -Przibischewsky, who had the command of the third column, was made -prisoner in the valley of Sokolnitz, together with 6,000 men, being a -part of both columns, which likewise lost the whole of their artillery. - -The relics of the second column retreated in disorder upon Aujest, and -what continued embodied fell back upon the first column. This latter, -informed, when too late, of the attack made by the French upon the -centre, intended to move to its support; but took a wrong direction to -be capable of making a diversion in its favour. The Austrian cavalry, -which had been left beyond Tellnitz, retired through that village, -which was now evacuated, leaving some Battalions of infantry, with a -few cavalry on the hill fronting it, as a corps of observation, and to -secure the march of M. de Buxhoevden, who was retiring upon Aujest, by -the same route he had advanced. To protect the flank of the Russian -infantry, the Szeckler hussars under Prince Maurice Liechtenstein, -and O'Reilly's light cavalry, with two regiments of Cossacks, under -General Stutterheim, were advanced upon the plain, between the foot -of the mountains and the villages of Tellnitz and Sokolnitz; General -Nostitz, with the hussars of Hesse Homburg, marched with the column. -The French, after their success in the centre, had already brought -forward their reserve, consisting of 20 Battalions, and had extended -along the crest of the heights that were occupied in the morning by the -allies, from Pratzen to the chapel above Aujest, but, _as yet_, they -were not in force, and had no cannon above that village.[16] - -If the first column of the allies, reinforced by some Battalions -from the second, and at that time consisting of above 30 Battalions, -had moved in full force upon these heights, and had attacked them; -if, instead of passing through a defile, (the height above which was -occupied by the enemy,) it had made a charge on the flank of the -French, it is possible that a diversion might have been effected -in favour of the centre; and a defeat in Aujest (which was to be -anticipated) would at least have been avoided. In marching upon the -height above Aujest, the left of the allies might, at least, give a -chance in favour of the battle; while the left, being no longer liable -to be put in confusion, would not have lost so many men. Even supposing -it not to have succeeded in maintaining the height, still it had always -a retreat open upon Scharoditz. - -As soon as the column arrived in Aujest, the French rushed like a -torrent down upon the village, in which a sharp fire of musketry at -first took place, but which was of short duration, before they gained -possession of the village. It was the division of Vandamme, which had -formed the extreme right, on the heights of Pratzen, and which, in -proportion as the French crowned that height, had gradually moved upon -the chapel, above Aujest. The general of infantry, Buxhoevden, with a -few Battalions, succeeded in passing through the village, and rejoined -the army near Austerlitz; some confusion took place, and 4,000 men were -taken prisoners in or about Aujest: they also lost their artillery. -Many of the fugitives betook themselves to the lake, which was frozen -over, but not sufficiently so to prevent many from perishing in it. -The enemy, who in the mean time had received his artillery, vigorously -plied the fugitives with it, who afterwards passed through Satschan, -and in the evening succeeded in regaining the rear-guard of the army, -on the heights of Neuhof. After the French had occupied Aujest, the -centre and rear of the first column, which was so very strong, fell -back under the orders of Lieut.-general Dochtorow, upon the plain -between Tellnitz and the lake. This infantry was collected, but not -in good order. Lieut.-general Dochtorow succeeded for a moment in -re-establishing order, after which he considered only how to effect -his retreat. This was very difficult in the execution, and could only -be effected across a very narrow dike between the lakes, on which it -was not possible to march more than two men in front. There was also -reason to apprehend that the French passing by Aujest and Satschan, -round the lake, would thus cut off the dike, the only retreat now left -to the Russians, which would have made it impossible to save this last -wreck of the left wing of the allied army. Lieut.-general Kienmayer, -with the hussars of Hesse Hombourg, was sent over in advance, for -the purpose of securing this retreat, and posted himself upon the -heights between Satschan and Ottnitz, in order to observe this point. -Meanwhile, the Austrian cavalry continued to support General Dochtorow, -and for that purpose advanced into the plain, between Aujest and -Sokolnitz. The generals who commanded O'Reilly's light cavalry and the -Szeckler hussars, advanced to the attack of two French regiments of -dragoons, who approached from Sokolnitz, but seeing that the Russian -infantry was supported, the latter marched by their left, upon the -height near Aujest, and posted themselves at the head of the division -of Vandamme. The conclusion of this battle was very remarkable, since -the French troops of the right wing were turning their backs upon -Austerlitz to attack the remains of the left of the allies; to do -which, the French were now quitting the same heights, whence the allies -had marched in the morning, to attack them. When the first column had -advanced, the lake was the point of appuy to the right of the French; -at _this_ moment it was the appuy to their _left_, while the Russians -had their right upon it. - -It was now about two o'clock in the afternoon; the action was decided -and finished along the rest of the line, when the division of Vandamme -advanced to complete it. In rear of Tellnitz, between that village and -Menitz, was a hill of considerable elevation, the right of which was -on the lake. To this hill the Russian infantry retired, still under -the protection of the Austrian cavalry, which was every instant mowed -down by discharges of grape-shot. The village of Tellnitz, which has -already been described as surrounded by ditches, presented the means of -defence, which were taken advantage of; and to give time to the rest -of the column to file off, a regiment of Russian infantry, under Major -General Lewis, was posted behind these ditches, where it was attacked, -but defended itself with resolution. From that time, General Dochtorow -continued his retreat. The cavalry occupied the hill that has been -mentioned, in order to save a great part of this column, which was -again in the greatest possible confusion. The French got possession -of Tellnitz (in which a great many Russian stragglers were taken -prisoners), and bringing the light artillery of the guards down to the -edge of the lake, for the purpose of driving the Austrian cavalry from -their post on the hill, they opened a fire on the flank of O'Reilly's -light cavalry, and destroyed a great part of it. Yet nothing could -prevent this brave regiment from continuing to cover the retreat of the -Russians with the greatest intrepidity. - -Colonel Degenfeldt posted his light artillery, which commanded that of -the French, with so much judgment as to damp the ardour of their fire. -The Colonel of the Szeckler hussars was desperately wounded in the head -with a grape-shot. - -The Russian infantry, fatigued and exhausted, retired very slowly, -and the cavalry had a long time to support their post; at length, -however, this famous dike, the only remaining retreat to the wreck of -the first column of the allies, and which had justly been the subject -of so much uneasiness, was happily passed; still, however, the French -(who occupied the hill, before in possession of the cavalry, as soon -as they quitted it) continued to fire on them, with their artillery, -till they were completely out of reach. Having passed the dike, the two -Austrian Generals, who protected General Dochtorow's retreat, halted -on the heights in front of Neuhoff, and tried to restore order in the -Russian Battalions, which yet formed a corps of at least 8,000 men. -It was then about four o'clock, and already began to grow dark. The -retreat was then continued by Boschowitz; the troops marched the whole -night, under a heavy fall of rain, which completed the destruction -of the roads; the remaining artillery sunk in the sloughs, and were -abandoned. The Austrian cavalry formed the rear guard, without being -pursued by the French, who halted on the dike. The regiment of O'Reilly -brought off its artillery. - -The French army took up the position occupied by the allied army the -preceding night; the latter, after the greatest exertion on the part -of the two Emperors to remedy the general confusion on the field of -battle, retired in the evening completely behind Austerlitz, into the -position of Hodiegitz. But the very considerable loss it had sustained -in killed and wounded, and the number of those who were prisoners, -or missing; more especially of the first, second, third, and fourth -columns, made this army, on its arrival in rear of Austerlitz, in a -very feeble state; at least, as far as regards its disposeable force. -The Austrian cavalry, commanded by General Prince Hohenlohe, (who was -sent to replace Prince John de Liechtenstein that same night, on the -latter being charged with a mission to the Emperor Napoleon:) this -cavalry, alone, had some detachments in front of Austerlitz, and -formed the rear guard of the army. Thus closed this ever-memorable day. - -Should any errors of detail have crept into the foregoing narrative, -those military men who have been engaged in actual service will know -how to make allowances for them; they will know, from experience, -how difficult it is to procure exact information, as to the minute -particulars of a great battle. Two persons rarely see the same object -in a similar point of view. But, as to the general arrangement, the -plans, and the principal movements, their execution, and their result, -my pen has been strictly guided by the love of truth, an accurate -knowledge of what was done, and the utmost impartiality. - -It will not have escaped the observation of the experienced soldier, -that it is principally to the following causes that the loss of -this battle is to be attributed. To the want of correctness in the -information possessed by the allies, as to the enemy's army; to the -bad plan of attack, supposing the enemy to have been entrenched in -a position which he did not occupy; to the movements executed the -day before the attack, and in sight of the enemy, in order to gain -the right flank of the French; to the great interval between the -columns when they quitted the heights of Pratzen; and to their want -of communication with each other. To these causes may be attributed -the first misfortunes of the Austro-Russian army. But, in spite of -these capital errors, it would still have been possible to restore the -fortune of the day, in favour of the allies, if the second and third -columns had thought less of the primary disposition, and attended -more to the enemy, who, by the boldness of his manœuvre, completely -overthrew the basis on which the plan of attack was founded: or, if -the first column (which possessed the means of doing so), instead of -retiring by Aujest, as before mentioned, had marched to the assistance -of the two former, and, together with them (or at least with what -remained of them) had moved upon the heights, of which the French -had as yet but a precarious possession, so long as the left of the -allies was unbroken, and their extreme right, which made only feeble -demonstrations, continued at Posorsitz. - -No computation has been made in this work, as to the loss of the two -armies, at the battle of Austerlitz. It is impossible for any one, -though actually bearing a part in the action, to calculate with any -degree of accuracy the number of killed and wounded on each side. - -The carnage made on the 2nd December was very great. The few Austrian -troops there yet remained were not collected on one point; but, as -we have seen, conducted themselves every where with constancy and -animation. The sixth Battalions of the regiments of Wurtemberg and -Reuss-Graitz were the only corps that were in confusion at the time -when the fourth column was defeated. The Russians, at the commencement, -fought with intrepidity, and the guards and Hulans distinguished -themselves for their courage. The French infantry manœuvred with -coolness and precision, fought with courage, and executed its bold -movements with admirable concert. After having made some efforts, -without effect, the Russian Battalions began to waver; confusion and, -finally, complete defeat were the consequences of the imprudent conduct -of the second and third columns. - -The fourth column of the allies abandoned a _part_ of its artillery. -The first, second, and third columns, lost the _whole_ of theirs, with -the exception of General Kienmayer's corps, which saved its cannon. -The guns were entangled in the sloughs, as before mentioned, and the -Russian horses, which are more calculated for speed than for draft, -could not drag them out of the deep clay, into which they had sunk. The -number of the Russian prisoners may be computed at 15,000 men; while -their killed and wounded must have been very considerable; in addition -to which, as always happens on such occasions, they had a great number -of soldiers missing. - -The loss of the French army must also, necessarily, have been very -considerable. The fire, at the commencement of the action, was too -warmly kept up, not to have done great execution; still, however, the -French force was by no means diminished in the same proportion as -that of the allies. The Generals who were killed, wounded, and taken -prisoners are already well known. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 10: _Note by a French officer._--Marshal Bernadotte was never -seen till the day of the battle. _Two_ days before he had rested on his -arms behind Brunn, and the following day he took post in the rear of -the army, near Lattein. The French generals object in this disposition -was, not only to avoid fatiguing this corps as much as possible, but -also, not to pass the defile of Bellowitz; for not intending to risk an -action, unless the enemy committed great errors, he had determined on -retiring another day's march to the rear, if the enemy manœuvred with -skill. It was not his wish to engage a general action with a superior -army, if it were well posted. The victory might have been doubtful, and -above all, too destructive. - -It was, therefore, that the divisions repassed the defiles, each day in -proportion as the enemy's plans became apparent, and the faults he was -about to commit became more probable. Besides, if instead of turning -the right of the French army, (which was what the French general rather -wished) the Russians had brought on an affair among the mountains, by -turning the left. The position of the head-quarters, behind Kritchen, -(which was always occupied by the French) was the point, from whence, -by a wheel to the left, it was the most easy to move diagonally in rear -of the Santon, upon the little hills towards the left. - -The movement that may have been seen on our left, was nothing else -than the posting the divisions of Suchet and Caffarelli to support -the Santon, because it was apprehended the enemy might, in the course -of the day, attempt to get possession of that height, which was the -key to the emperor's projects. He would not allow the enemy to occupy -positions too near to Girshikowitz and Puntowitz, which might have -prevented the army from forming. For the attack, which had been planned -by the emperor, particularly depended on the rapidity with which the -centre should march on the heights of Pratzen.] - -[Footnote 11: _Note by a French officer._--This plan was faulty in -every point of view. Supposing the emperor not to have attacked the -heights of Pratzen, merely keeping possession of the Santon, and the -village of Girshikowitz, he would have made an effort in the centre, -when the enemy attacked him, and the left of the enemy, once arrived at -the wood of Turas, was by that divided from his centre. - -All this serves to prove, that many men are capable of manœuvring 15 or -20,000 men, but very few know how to derive all the possible advantage -from an army of 80,000.] - -[Footnote 12: Many misfortunes of the allies appear to have originated -in attacking with small corps where they had the power of attacking -in force. It is obvious, that if _one_ Battalion is inadequate to the -service on which it is sent, it will not only suffer severely in the -attempt, but that very attempt will apprize the enemy of the intention, -and enable him to reinforce. Whereas, by at once attacking with -numbers, all opposition is borne down, and the defence, from not being -protracted, is generally less destructive to the assailants: wherever -the French make an attack, it is in force; and _therefore_ they usually -succeed; with the additional advantage, that they are enabled _by -those very numbers_ to maintain themselves in what they have acquired. -_Translator._] - -[Footnote 13: Either there were two generals of this name in the -Russian army, or there must be some mistake; since, in a former -part of this work, General Stutterheim says, "The corps under Essen -was at Kremsir on the day of the battle, and was of no sort of -use."--_Translator._] - -[Footnote 14: _Note by a French Officer._--It is very true, that the -Austrians fought well, as asserted by the Austrian officer; as also -that the regiment of Salzbourg particularly distinguished itself, and -lost a great number of men by the bayonet.] - -[Footnote 15: _Note by a French officer._--General Legrand had only one -of his brigades with him; the other, commanded by General Levasseur, -was posted in reserve, in front of the rivulet, and of the village -of Hobesnitz, from whence it marched on the flank and rear of the -enemy, when he attempted to retake the heights of Pratzen; it was this -unforeseen movement which greatly contributed to the defeat of that -column. Levasseur's brigade fought during the remainder of the day, in -conjunction with the divisions of St. Hilaire and Vandamme.] - -[Footnote 16: _Note by a French officer._--The first column had no -longer the means of resuming the offensive. The reserve, composed of -20 Battalions of grenadiers, had reached the heights in rear of the -divisions St. Hilaire and Vandamme. (The Emperor, with the cavalry -belonging to the guards, was already descending from the chapel of St. -Anthony.) The rear of the column was exposed to Marshal Davoust and -General Legrand. Marshal Bernadotte, _alone_, had 18 Battalions, not -one half of which had burnt priming, and the remainder had been but -little engaged. - -The French would have gained the victory with 25,000 men less than -they had, which is a subject of reflection for military men, and -sufficiently shows the influence which the being well commanded has -over the operations, of war.] - - - - -The 3d and 4th of December. - - -The Austro-Russian army had experienced so many difficulties in -regard to its subsistence, on the line of operations it had followed -previous to these offensive movements, that it was abandoned, during -the retreat, in order to direct its march upon Hungary. The allies -quitted the position of Hodiegitz at 12 o'clock at night, and marched -upon Czeitsch, where they arrived on the morning of the third of -December. The column under General Dochtorow arrived at Niskowitz, on -the road to[17]Hungary, where it found General Kienmayer then forming -the rear-guard of the allies. This Russian column continued its -march, for the purpose of rejoining the army at Czeitsch; but lost a -considerable number of men during the night, who had straggled and lost -themselves in the woods and villages. The Austrian cavalry, which had -protected the retreat of these wrecks of the left wing of the combined -army, and which was a part of the corps under M. de Kienmayer, halted -at Niskowitz. Lieut.-General Prince Bagration was a league in rear -of this Austrian corps, occupying the heights of Urschutz. Between -Niskowitz and Urschutz is a large wood, under cover of which, the -French had it in their power to surround and cut off the corps under -M. de Kienmayer, which was thus too much pushed forward. He therefore -remained in this position no longer than was necessary to give time -to the stragglers of the army, and to some baggage to fall back upon -Urschutz, and to obtain some knowledge of the enemy's movements. As -soon as the French, who had entered Austerlitz in the morning, began -to advance, General Kienmayer fell back upon General Bagration, and -in front of Saruschitz formed the support of that Prince's corps. A -detachment of O'Reilly's light cavalry, and some Cosacks, were sent -to Stanitz, to watch that road. The corps under M. de Merveldt had -received orders to retire from Lunenbourg, in the direction of Goeding, -to observe the country on the left, and principally the two roads of -Auspitz and Nicolsbourg. - -On the third of December, the French army advanced in the following -manner: The cavalry, under Prince Murat, which had pushed forward -detachments upon Rausnitz and Wischau (on the evening of the same -day on which the battle was fought) pursued that route, and made -immense booty: it advanced beyond Prosnitz, and then sent out strong -detachments upon Kremsir. - -Marshal Lannes at first took the same road, and then moved by his -right, to gain the right of the allies by Butschowitz and Stanitz. -Marshals Soult and Bernadotte, the imperial guards, and the grenadiers -of the reserve, were posted on the route towards Hungary, as soon as -the Emperor Napoleon had received information of the direction taken by -the allied army; they advanced, however, but slowly; probably with a -view to give time to the extreme right of their army to gain ground on -the left of the allies. - -Marshal Davoust marched upon the left flank of the Austro-Russian -army, by the route of Nicolsbourg, (in which was the division of -Gudin,) and by that of Auspitz, in which was the remainder of that -corps; these two roads unite within half a league of Goeding. - -Prince Bagration had placed some out-posts in the wood of Urschutz. -The French, about two o'clock in the afternoon, began to reconnoitre -it, obtained possession of the wood, and established themselves on the -skirts of it. A trifling affair ensued, which lasted about two hours, -and which terminated by General Bagration maintaining his post, which, -however, he evacuated that evening, retiring towards Czeitsch; General -Kienmayer posted himself in his front, upon the heights of Nasedlowitz, -pushing forward his out-posts in the direction of Urschutz. - -The 4th of December the allied army crossed the river March, and -arrived at Hollitsch, much diminished in numbers, and with very few -effectives, compared with the army to which it was opposed. The Emperor -Alexander took up his quarters in the castle of Hollitsch, while the -Emperor of Germany remained at Czeitsch, to be ready for the interview -which was about to take place with the Emperor Napoleon. - -An armistice had been agreed on, to take place at day-break on the -4th December. Prince John de Liechtenstein had returned from the -head-quarters of the French the evening before with this intelligence. -But their advanced guard, probably from not having received timely -orders on this subject, advanced to attack the fore-posts of M. de -Kienmayer's corps, which remained upon the heights of Nasedlowitz. -Prince Bagration then retired quite behind Czeitsch. However, this -misunderstanding, and the firing consequent upon it, were soon put a -stop to. A suspension of arms took place, and the space of about a -league and a half was left between the out-posts of the two armies. -That of the French had advanced, and taken up its position in several -lines, between Damborschutz, and Saruschutz, in front of Urschutz. - -It was then that the famous interview, which gave peace to the two -empires, took place between the Emperor Francis II. and Napoleon; -it passed at a little distance from the village of Nasedlowitz, -near a mill, by the side of the high-road, and in the open air. The -conversation of these two sovereigns lasted some time, when the -Emperor of Germany returned to Czeitsch, which he reached in the -evening, and immediately set about informing his ally of the result -of the interview.--For this purpose, an Austrian general was to be -sent immediately to Hollitsch; and General Savary, aid-de-camp to the -Emperor Napoleon, was named by his sovereign, in the first instance -to attend the Emperor Francis II. and afterwards to accompany the -general that should be sent to Hollitsch. In case his Majesty, the -Emperor of all the Russias, should consent to the conditions of the -armistice, General Savary was empowered to countermand the march of -Marshal Davoust's corps, and was afterwards to accompany the Austrian -general, to acquaint the corps of M. de Merveldt with the suspension of -arms. General Stutterheim, who was with the rear-guard of the corps, -near which the interview took place, was charged by his sovereign -with this commission. It was twelve o'clock at night before these two -generals reached Hollitsch, where they had the happiness of obtaining -immediate access to the presence of the Emperor Alexander, who received -them with kindness, and threw no obstacle in the way of the armistice. -Upon this they again departed immediately to find out the corps under -M. de Merveldt, and to countermand that under Marshal Davoust: the -former they fell in with at two o'clock in the morning, retiring upon -Goeding. M. de Merveldt, we have already seen, was charged with the -protection of the left flank of the Russian army; but the whole force -under his orders did not exceed 4,000 infantry and 500 cavalry, which -made it impossible for him to impede the march of the right of the -French army. The two generals succeeded in falling in with Marshal -Davoust at Josephsdorf, at about four o'clock in the morning. General -Gudin's advanced guard was at Neudorf. According to the agreement -between the Emperor Francis II. and Napoleon, all the troops remained -in the exact situation in which they were found upon the cessation of -hostilities being made known to them. The following day Prince John -de Liechtenstein returned to Austerlitz (which was the head-quarter of -the Emperor Napoleon) for the purpose of negociating the boundary to -be observed by the respective armies during the continuation of the -armistice which preceded the peace concluded between Austria and France. - -On the 4th December, the very day on which the armistice took place, -the Archduke Ferdinand, who could not be made acquainted with it, and -who had received orders to advance and observe the Bavarians that -remained at Iglau, after the departure of Marshal Bernadotte: on this -day, that prince attacked General Wrede (to keep him in check) with -some troops, the remnant of his corps; with which he succeeded in -driving him from Iglau. - -The Archduke Charles, obliged to retreat in consequence of the unheard -of catastrophe that happened to the German army, arrived in Hungary, -with his army quite entire, after having at Caldiero incapacitated the -French army of Italy from doing him any mischief. - -It appears, then, that wherever their generals allowed the Austrian -troops to fight, they fought well; and it would be a very rash, and a -very false opinion, to impute the misfortunes of the war of 1805 to -them. In that, as well as in all former instances, the Austrian army -distinguished itself by its courage, its devotion to the cause, its -constancy in supporting unheard of privations, and by its implicit -obedience. It was at Ulm that these brave troops, victims to the -conduct of M. Mack, were subjected to that heart-breaking fate which -was the destruction of the German army. But, at Ulm, many regiments -that had not fired a single shot were obliged to surrender, in -consequence of the operations pursued, and in pursuance of orders given -by that M. Mack, who talked of _burying himself in the ruins of Ulm; -who always talked of death, yet feared to die_. - - -THE END. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 17: _Note by a French officer._--It is too ridiculous to -suppose that the Russian army, without artillery, without baggage, and -without provisions, would have preferred a retreat by its flank (which -exposed it to the danger of being surrounded by the French army) to -that upon Olmutz: but, in the course of this day, it lost its line of -operation, which was the high road to Olmutz, and nothing remained -for it but to move upon Goeding; and it did not gain much by that; -for, had it not been for the too great clemency of the Emperor, and -the armistice, which was concluded, the remains of the Russian army -would have been entirely destroyed; as may be perceived from what -the Austrian officer lets fall a little farther on.--The loss of a -battle is no proof of want of talent in a general: but the loss of his -artillery and baggage, of his line of operations, and his retreat, are -positive evidence that he is ignorant of the art of war. - -An army, so commanded, never could make head against a French army in -so great and difficult a warfare. The emperor took advantage of the -faults committed by the enemy, who would have committed yet greater -errors had the emperor retired behind Brunn: the latter would have -been in greater force; and had already planned new combinations, in -the course of which, the general who possessed most experience, and -the greatest genius for the art of war, must naturally have taken his -adversary at a disadvantage.] - - - - -TO THE OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH ARMY. - - -T. Goddard takes this opportunity of returning thanks to his numerous -Military Friends for the liberal encouragement he has already -experienced, and begs leave to assure them, that such attention shall -be paid to their future favours as will, he trusts, ensure to him a -continuance of that patronage and preference he has already met with. - -He has also the honour to inform them, they can at any time be -immediately supplied with every Publication connected with the finance, -interior management, economy, and discipline of the army. Printed -Review, Inspection, and Monthly Returns for Cavalry and Infantry; -Returns of Arms, Clothing, and Appointments; Attestations, Furloughs, -Discharges, Regimental and Orderly Books, Paymasters Account Books, -and Stationary of every description, for home or foreign service. -Regulations, Instructions, &c. - -General and Staff Officers supplied with Boxes of Stationary, fitted up -in the most convenient and portable manner, with every article allowed -by the King's Regulations. - - * * * * * - -New and correct forms of Staff Contingent Accounts, with all the -required Certificates printed. - - * * * * * - -The following publications are particularly recommended: - - * * * * * - -The AIDE-DE-CAMP, or STAFF OFFICER'S ASSISTANT, containing correct -statements of the pay, allowances, and contingencies granted to every -officer when employed on the staff in Great Britain. - - * * * * * - -INSTRUCTIONS for OFFICERS EMPLOYED ON, or EMBARKING FOR FOREIGN -SERVICE; containing his Majesty's Regulations, together with forms -and complete directions for stating and certifying claims for losses -of personal baggage, camp equipage, chargers, and bat horses, whether -lost, or shot for the glanders. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: A Detailed Account of the Battle of Austerlitz</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Karl von Stutterheim</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: John Pine Coffin</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 1, 2021 [eBook #66641]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Graeme Mackreth and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ ***</div> - - - - - - -<p class="ph4">A</p> - -<p class="ph3">DETAILED ACCOUNT</p> - -<p class="ph5">OF THE</p> - -<p class="ph1">BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ</p> - -<p class="ph5">BY THE</p> - -<p class="ph3">AUSTRIAN MAJOR-GENERAL,</p> - -<p class="ph2">STUTTERHEIM.</p> - -<p class="ph3">TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH</p> - -<p class="ph5">BY</p> - -<p class="ph3">MAJOR PINE COFFIN,</p> - -<p class="ph5">ASSISTANT QUARTER-MASTER-GENERAL TO THE BRITISH ARMY,</p> - -<p >Tout cela, prouve, qu'il y a beaucoup d'hommes, capables de faire -manœuvrer, quinze a vingt mille hommes, et qu'il en est peu, qui -puissent tirer tout le parti possible, d'une armée de quatre-vingt -mille hommes.</p> - -<p class="ph4">Note par un officier François.</p> - - -<p class="ph3" style="margin-top: 5em;">LONDON:</p> - -<p class="ph4">PRINTED FOR T. GODDARD, MILITARY BOOKSELLER,<br/> -NO. 1, PALL-MALL, CORNER OF THE HAYMARKET.</p> - -<p class="ph4">1807.</p> - - - - - - -<p class="ph5">W. Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-street, Holborn.</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph2">TO THE PUBLIC.</p> - - -<p><span class="uppercase">The</span> fatal consequences that resulted from the battle of Austerlitz, -to the cause of Europe, and of humanity, render it an object of too -deep an interest with the statesman and the soldier to make an apology -requisite for introducing to the public, what may be considered as the -Austrian official account of that action. It is hardly probable, that, -under a government so constituted as that of Austria, a general officer -would have ventured to publish the particulars of an action, in which -he himself bore a conspicuous part, (at least with his name attached to -it,) unless he felt himself sanctioned by the <i>highest authority</i> in so -doing.</p> - -<p>However that may be, the work bears evident internal marks of -authenticity, while the events daily passing under our eyes, with such -dazzling, and unprecedented rapidity, give an additional interest to -the <i>cause</i> which has been productive of such direful <i>effects</i>.</p> - -<p>Scarcely have twelve months elapsed since this disastrous battle -was fought, and already have we seen new dynasties created, and the -proudest empires levelled in the dust.</p> - -<p>We have seen one of the most powerful monarchies of Europe, whether it -be considered as to its military resources, or its well replenished -treasury; as to its well disciplined army, or the glorious recollection -of its past achievements: we have seen the armies of Prussia, which -were wont to be considered as the patterns of military excellence, -dissipated and annihilated, like chaff before the wind, by the -well-trained legions of the modern Alexander.</p> - -<p>The present state of Europe affords ample scope to the reflections of -the statesman. For, though the soldier may account for the loss of a -battle, by reasoning on what was done, and what was left undone, the -subjugation of states is to be looked for in causes far remote from the -scene of action. These are times which not only require superiority -of intellect in those who govern, but the conviction on the part of -the <i>governed</i>, that they are not mere spectators of the fray; that -it is not a mere squabble for power; but that the happiness of each -individual, that the preservation of all he holds most dear, in short, -that the <i>liberties of his country</i> are at stake, and depend upon the -issue of the contest.</p> - -<p>Has this been, or <i>could it be</i>, the feeling of those nations of the -Continent we have seen overrun?</p> - -<p>In the answer to this simple question, we may perhaps find the <i>real</i> -cause of all the disasters of the coalition, and subject of much -contemplation for ourselves. The cloud which has been long gathering -over Europe has begun to burst; we have seen the storm fall where least -expected, and bury whole empires, and their people, in one common ruin. -When the demon of destruction is abroad, let us not be unmindful of -ourselves. Are we better prepared than our neighbours? Have we more -skilful generals, or less intriguing politicians? I fear not. It is -then only to the people we can look in the day of trial; and I trust -there is yet enough left of the genuine spirit of the constitution, and -of the native valour of Britons, to make every man feel his country -is worth contending for. <i>The moment that ceases to be the case, our -independence as a nation is virtually gone</i>; and, though our empire -may drag on a precarious existence for a few years, it will fall, -inevitably fall, at no distant period.</p> - -<p>I have been inadvertently led into a train of reflection, which some -persons may think not quite compatible with the character of a soldier. -Against this opinion, I beg leave to enter my protest. I have always -considered the superiority of the French troops over those of the -continent, as the result of their individual intelligence; arising in -a great degree from the habit of every Frenchman, to discuss whatever -topic comes under his notice; and it is quite unnecessary for me -to remark, that the powers of the mind only develope themselves in -proportion as they are called into action. Let us hear no more then -of soldiers being mere machines. The absurdity of the doctrine is too -palpable to need refutation.</p> - -<p>I ought perhaps to assign some reason for having undertaken a labour, -to which I may appear so very unequal. It was to relieve my mind -from constantly dwelling on a subject of disappointment, which still -weighs but too heavily on my spirits; and which I hoped to alleviate, -though it cannot be removed by occupation. Personal vanity had no -share whatever in it, and if I have not concealed my name, it has been -because I hoped to disarm the severity of criticism by avowing it. Much -will not be expected from one, who embraced the profession of arms at a -very early period, and whose ambition, from a child, has been military -and not literary reputation. All that I can flatter myself with having -succeeded in, is, the rendering the sense of the author, in terms -plain and intelligible. For elegance of style, and flowing periods, the -public may look to a Hutchinson, but not to soldiers in general.</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 35em;">JOHN PINE COFFIN.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>P.S. It was my original intention to have annexed a good map to this -work, on which the reader might be enabled satisfactorily to follow -the operations with his eye;—but having in vain ransacked the shops -of London, without being able to procure a map of Moravia on a scale -sufficiently large to make it of any use; and, in fact, without finding -any that was better than Chauchards, which is woefully deficient, both -in the names of villages, and in geographical accuracy; I have been -induced to publish the Battle of Austerlitz without this advantage. My -principal motive for so doing has been the persuasion, that a bad map -could be of very little use; and that it would enhance the expense to -such a degree, as to place the work beyond the reach of many military -men; while others may be already in possession of as good, or better -information than I could furnish them with. To those, however, who do -not already possess a map of Moravia, I would recommend that published -by Covens and Mortier, at Amsterdam; not as the best possible map, but -as the least defective I have seen. But, I have great doubts whether -this is to be procured in England.</p> - - - - -<p class="ph4" style="margin-top: 5em;"> -TO THE</p> -<p class="ph3">AUSTRIAN ARMY. -</p> - - -<p><i><span class="uppercase">This</span> account of what passed under my own observation at the Battle of -Austerlitz, and of the result of my researches on that memorable event, -I here dedicate to my brethren in arms. The desire of being read by -all the military men in Europe has induced me to write in a language -more generally known than that of Germany, and which there are few -among you who do not understand. Those who, like myself, have borne -a part in this disastrous day of the 2d December, will be enabled to -bear testimony to the truth of this narration. I have prided myself on -using the greatest impartiality; on having stifled all prepossession, -all passion, and every feeling, that could tend to lead my judgment -astray. It is to your approbation, my brother soldiers, that I look -forward, as the most delightful recompense of all my labours.</i></p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph2">INTRODUCTION.</p> - - -<p><span class="uppercase">The</span> imperfect accounts which have reached the public, as to the details -of the Battle of Austerlitz, are so contradictory to each other, and so -little satisfactory to military men, that it has been thought proper to -lay the following relation before them, in order to fix their ideas as -to this memorable epoch.</p> - -<p>In all ages, as in all countries, nations and armies have been the -slaves of opinion. Hence it has ever been the policy of governments to -heighten, by those means best calculated to excite national enthusiasm, -the splendour of even the greatest victories; as well as to give a -specious colouring to those reverses of fortune, which are too public -to be passed over in silence.</p> - -<p>The soldier, who here gives the relation of what he himself saw, -neither wishes to flatter a government, nor to gain the good opinion of -an army. His object will be, to detail, with truth, what he has either -seen or been able to discover from others; and, forgetting the part -he himself acted, he will speak with candour and impartiality of the -events that passed under his own observation, without the slightest -tincture of prejudice, or passion. Of these events, posterity must be -the judge.</p> - -<p>Nothing will be found here, but the simple recital, without commentary, -naked, and devoid of art, of one of the most famous epochs of history. -To attempt to reason on the operations of wars that have passed in our -times would be giving too much scope to self-love, which always adopts -or rejects, as suits our own opinions.</p> - -<p>It is not the strength of the respective armies opposed to each other -at the battle of Austerlitz, or the losses they sustained, which -particularly distinguishes it, from many of those which took place in -the first campaigns of the French Revolution, and the seven years war.</p> - -<p>We have heretofore often seen 150,000 men in the field, and 30,000 -slain. But it is the consequences of the action of the 2d of December, -1805; it is the epoch when it decided the fate of war; it is the -<i>moment</i> in which it was fought, which makes it worthy of attention, -and which will assign it a marked place in history.</p> - -<p>It was the wish to gain personal information that induced the author -to collect materials, which may become useful to a better pen: and he -avails himself of a leisure moment to offer them to such as have the -talent to make use of them.</p> - -<p>In order that the past may serve to elucidate the future, it becomes -requisite to recur to the circumstances that led to this decisive day; -which proved how scrupulously accurate it is necessary to be, in making -the calculations and combinations, to which the existing circumstances -and the knowledge of human nature give rise.</p> - -<p>The battles of Crems, and of Hollabrunn, are already well known. -This is not intended as a history of the late campaign, but merely -of a part of it, into which the account of those two affairs does -not enter. It was after they had taken place, that M. de Koutousoff -directed his retreat upon Brunn, and effected it from that moment, -without much annoyance from the enemy. This first Russian army had -orders carefully to avoid a serious engagement, and to hasten its -retreat, for the purpose of forming a junction with that under M. de -Buxhoevden, who was advancing rapidly to its support. M. de Koutousoff -executed a difficult retreat from the river Inn, upon Moravia, which -commenced on the 14th October, and lasted till the 18th November; and, -although very inferior to the enemy in point of numbers, this Russian -army effected its junction without much loss. The farther the grand -French army advanced, the more its combinations became multiplied, -and the more it was obliged to detach its force. The Russian general -had the advantage of being enabled to concentrate during his retreat, -which he also effected in good order: for this he was principally -indebted to Prince Bagration, who conducted the rear-guard with much -courage. The two Russian armies formed their junction at Wischau, -on the 18th of November; from which time they became one, under the -command of the General in Chief, Koutousoff. Its strength consisted of -104 Battalions, 20 of which were Austrians; and 159 squadrons, 54 of -which were Austrians, and 40 Cosacks. The Austrian corps was commanded -by Lieutenant General Prince John de Liechtenstein: his infantry was -composed of the 6th Battalion, recruited, armed, and organized about -a month before; M. de Kienmayer, with the remains of his corps, (very -much weakened by the movement of M. de Merveldt on Styria,) formed a -part of the corps under Prince John de Liechtenstein. The Archduke -Ferdinand, with the wreck of the army from Ulm, and some Battalions, -also newly raised, was in Bohemia, and thereby covered the right of the -combined army; which might at this time be computed at about 72,000 -men. The corps under the Archduke Ferdinand was composed of from 18 to -20,000 men.</p> - -<p>The grand French army, after passing the Danube, had advanced into -Moravia, being composed of the corps under Prince Murat, Marshals -Soult, Lannes, and Bernadotte. The last of these was then opposed to -the Archduke Ferdinand, and was advancing upon Iglau. Marshal Davoust, -after having followed M. de Merveldt into Styria, moved from Vienna -upon Presbourgh. The corps of Marmont marched upon Carinthia, and -then upon Styria; in the first instance, to open the communication -between the grand army and that of Italy; and afterwards, to oppose the -junction of the Archduke Charles with the army under M. de Koutousoff; -but the movements of this prince were so well calculated, and his force -so well concentrated, that he did not allow time for the French to -establish themselves at Gratz. Marshal Ney, after the passage of the -Inn, took his direction on the Tyrol, by Scharnitz.</p> - -<p>At the time of the junction of the two Russian armies near Wischau, -they had only opposed to them, the corps of Prince Murat, part of which -formed the advanced guard, those of Marshals Soult and Lannes, the -imperial guards, under Marshal Bessiéres, and a corps of grenadiers, -drawn from these different troops, forming a reserve of 15,000 men, -under General Duroc. This army, when near Brunn, was composed of eight -divisions, each of which was about 7000 strong. The Russian army was so -much fatigued with the continual marches it had been making, whether to -fall back on the support, or the support to get forward in time, that -it was decided at Wischau to take up the position of Olmutz, to give -some days rest to the troops.</p> - -<p>Opinions were at that time much divided. The Russian advanced posts had -no sort of information as to the position and force of the enemy; at -one time, even Prince Bagration was ignorant of the situation occupied -by the French advanced guard. The Austrians also, notwithstanding the -facility they ought to have possessed of procuring intelligence in the -country, had only <i>very vague data</i> to act upon.</p> - -<p>By <i>this</i> information, however, it appeared, that the French forces -were collected only in small numbers near Brunn; and <i>some</i> generals -of the combined army gave their opinion at Wischau, for <i>immediately</i> -resuming the offensive. It is possible, <i>this moment</i> might have been -more fortunate than that which was afterwards chosen. The strength of -the coalesced army was, from the 19th of November, superior to that of -the enemy, who was yet uninformed that the junction of the two Russian -armies was effected, and therefore could not expect an offensive -movement,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> such as a manœuvre on either of his flanks would have -been. The army was then too near him to admit of his receiving -reinforcements near Brunn. But this very diversity of opinion, perhaps -rendered the movement on Olmutz necessary, because those in command -did not possess that decision, which can only be the result of a -military eye.</p> - -<p>The Austrian general Weyrother, had been sent into Galicia, for the -purpose of conducting the army of Buxhoevden through the hereditary -states. He was an officer of reputation, who did not want for talent, -and who had inspired the Russians with confidence. As soon as the -two armies became united, he filled the situation of Quarter-master -general. The court of Vienna had previously selected General Schmidt -for this important trust; but that officer, a man of superior merit, -and who, with a talent for the profoundest calculation, possessed that -tranquil wisdom, which gives reason and deliberation in counsel; after -having shewn himself, at Crems, to be worthy of the confidence that -was placed in him, lost his life there, and was thus snatched from the -hopes of his sovereign, and of his brother soldiers. His loss was the -more sensibly felt, and the more regretted, because his successor, -neither possessed his calmness, his prudence, or his firmness. The army -marched, the 21st of November, from Wischau, and arrived the next day -but one, in the position in front of Olmutz, whither we will follow it, -for the purpose of detailing the operations.</p> - - -<p class="center"><i>March of the Combined Army into the Position of Olmutz.</i></p> - -<p><span class="uppercase">It</span> was on the 23d of November, the army arrived in this position, and -was posted in rear of the village of Ollschan. Its left rested on the -river March; its right extended to the heights in rear of Tobolau. In -this manner it lay upon its arms, in three lines; while the Austrian -corps, under Prince John de Liechtenstein, formed the reserve of -the army, on the heights in rear of Schnabelin, and was principally -intended to secure, in case of a check, the passage across the March. -With this view, several bridges were constructed across that river, -between Nimlau and Olmutz, to facilitate the operation. The ground -occupied by the army in this position, offered great advantages. It -was so commanding, throughout its whole extent, from the heights near -Nimlau, to the right of the position, as to discover nearly a league -in its front, all the enemy's movements in case of attack; while -the slope of the hills in its immediate front was so gentle, as to -resemble a glacis. In its rear, spacious ravines, only of sufficient -depth to conceal large columns of troops from the enemy, which might -unexpectedly be brought into action, facilitated the means, in this -<i>defensive</i> position, of manœuvring <i>offensively</i>, under cover of -the heights. Along their summit, there were commanding points, which -mutually defended each other; and on which, the numerous artillery, -with which this army was provided, might be employed with great -success. A morass covered the right, and a part of the centre; the -Blata ran at the foot of these heights, on which heavy batteries might -have been constructed: this little stream, although insignificant in -itself, became an additional obstacle, under the fire of grape. To -sum up all, the ground offered the means of delaying the enemy, in -his attempt to overcome these obstacles, and to open out. The General -Bagration, with his advanced guard, was at Prosnitz. General Kienmayer, -with his, upon the left, at Kralitz, pushed on detachments upon -Klenowitz. The out-posts were at Predlitz. An Austrian partisan was -sent along the March, on Tobitschau, Kogetein, and Kremsir, to observe -that country. The French army had also sent a partisan, from Goeding on -Hradisch, and Kremsir; but the latter was repulsed, and the Austrian -detachments remained masters of the March. It will not escape the -observation of intelligent military men, that this was an advantage -which gave the allies the means of manœuvring by their left, while -their right (which would then have rested on the March) was secured; -and would have masked this movement, so as to give them, at least two -days march in advance. The good understanding, at that time subsisting -with Prussia, appears to have been such, as to have made it expedient -for the allied army, to think of establishing a communication with the -Archduke Charles. But, in determining on offensive movements, nothing -appears to have been thought of, but going straight forward.</p> - -<p>M. de Koutousoff had also sent some Austrian partisans, on his right -flank, who marched upon Tribau and Zwittau, whither the Archduke -Ferdinand, who was at Czaslau, had sent some parties of light troops, -to keep up the chain of communication.</p> - -<p>Prince Murat arrived, on the 18th of November, at Brunn. His advanced -guard, under general Sebastiani, pushed forward in the first instance, -to Rausnitz, and afterwards entered Wischau, after Prince Bagration had -evacuated it. The Emperor Napoleon, established himself, on the 20th -November, at Brunn, and placed his army in concentrated cantonments, in -the following manner:</p> - -<p>The corps of guards, the grenadiers of the reserve, and the troops -under Marshal Lannes, in Brunn and its vicinity. The cavalry under -Prince Murat, on the right and left of the great road, between Brunn -and Posorsitz. Marshal Soult, at Austerlitz; and the three divisions, -of which his army was composed, were divided, between that place, -Butschowitz, Neuwieslitz, Stanitz, and the road to Hungary. At Gaja, -was a strong detachment, which kept open the communication with that -which observed the river March, in order to secure the right of the -army.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> - -<p>The 25th November, the Grand Duke Constantine arrived at Olmutz, with -the corps of guards, of which he had the command. After a long and -forced march from St. Petersburgh, this fine body of men was in the -best order.</p> - -<p>This corps was composed of ten battalions, and eighteen squadrons, the -whole amounting to 10,000 men; of whom, however, there were only 8,500 -under arms. At this moment, the army, under M. de Koutousoff may be -computed to have amounted, in all, to above 80,000 men, as will be seen -hereafter, in detail.</p> - -<p>A reinforcement of 10,000 men was still expected, under General Essen; -which, accordingly, arrived near Olmutz, at the moment when the allied -army commenced its offensive operations. The corps of Essen was at -Kremsir, the day of the battle of Austerlitz, and was of no kind of -use. The army under M. de Koutousoff, was certainly stronger than the -one opposed to it; but while the <i>latter</i> was concentrated towards a -single point, and formed into masses, the <i>former</i> diffused its force -as it advanced. It is not in numbers that the only, and, indeed, the -<i>principal</i> strength of an army consists; but there are emergencies, -and occasions, in which it is absolutely necessary to profit by that -advantage; and the present was an instance of the kind. The allied army -was under the necessity of advancing, for the reasons hereafter to be -detailed. Had it commenced its movement from the day when the Grand -Duke Constantine arrived with his reinforcement, forming the reserve -of the centre. If, at this epoch, it had manœuvred with rapidity, and -calculation; if the reserve, under the Grand Duke, had been augmented -by the corps under General Essen; if less importance had been attached -to the resting an army, which, after some days inactivity, could no -longer be fatigued; there might, perhaps, have been found means, -without risking a battle, to oblige the French to abandon their -position, by turning one of its flanks; which, by giving this army some -uneasiness, as to its communications, would have induced it to move -upon Vienna, or Bohemia. The former step would have been attended with -danger. The corps of Bernadotte, which came from Iglau to reinforce the -army in front of Brunn, the evening before the battle of Austerlitz, -would not then have had time to make this movement, which was followed -by such fatal consequences to the allies.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> It was only by means -such as these, had the allies acted with prudence and vigour, that -they could have hoped to make the French fall into their combinations: -combinations which should have been calmly conceived, and vigorously -executed. But the Quarter-master general, it has before been mentioned, -though an officer of great personal courage, had not that confidence -in himself which could enable him to give advice at the head-quarters, -where the greatest degree of wisdom was requisite. Without regarding -the difficulties thrown in his way, this officer, too easily, abandoned -his own opinions, to adopt those of other people.</p> - -<p>The astonishing rapidity with which the unfortunate events, of this -disastrous war, succeeded each other; the excessive folly of Mack, -which was only to be surpassed by his disgrace; and in which originated -that succession of guilty errors, which astonished Europe, and -calumniated a brave army; that folly of never anticipating a check, -and of not establishing magazines in the rear, as a consequence of -that presumption. To these circumstances it was owing, that the army, -while in the position of Olmutz, was almost destitute of provisions. -It had only been there one day, before it was obliged to have recourse -to forced requisitions; a violent expedient, which, by the disorderly -manner in which it was executed, had much influence on the discipline -of the army, into which a spirit of licentiousness began to insinuate -itself from that day forwards. In the then state of politics, the -gaining time was, at that moment, nearly of equal importance with the -gaining a battle: and, the instant it was decided, not to manœuvre, -it became of the highest importance to be enabled to subsist in the -position of Olmutz, for the purpose of maintaining it. There still -remained countries, from whence it would have been possible to draw -provisions; but they were at a distance, and the convoys were obliged -to make a long circuit. To this it was necessary to apply a speedy -remedy. The officers of the commissariat received orders, incessantly -repeated, but never sufficiently urgent, to establish convoys of -provisions, with all possible dispatch, upon the different roads; but -<i>some</i> of this department wanted both activity and inclination; their -systematic conception of things not allowing them to feel the extent of -the emergency; while <i>others</i> experienced great embarrassment, from the -detention, by the Russians, of a great part of the horses belonging to -the country, which were employed in the transport of provisions, and -were, in consequence, at a loss for the means of conveyance. The bread -was plundered on the road, both by the detachments appointed for its -escort, and by a number of marauders who followed the army. The strict -discipline, that ought to have existed, was not vigourously maintained, -under the pretext, that the army was starving. Relaxation of discipline -is always succeeded by excesses; and the licentiousness, attendant upon -it, gives full latitude to the disaffected, and to all those who have -not courage to support the numerous privations attendant upon modern -warfare. It was thought impossible to subsist the army in the position -in front of Olmutz, and it was resolved to abandon it, for the purpose -of attacking the enemy.</p> - - -<p class="center"><i>Offensive Movements of the Allied Army.</i></p> - -<p><span class="uppercase">We</span> have already seen the uncertainty in which M. de Koutousoff found -himself, as to the movements and force of the enemy, at the moment when -it was decided to resume the offensive. The accounts derived from the -people of the country were contradictory; and the out-posts gave no -information whatever. The first disposition made for the advance, was -not then founded upon an exact knowledge both of the position of the -enemy and the numbers to be contended with, but was solely adapted to -the nature of the ground, between Olmutz and Wischau. This disposition -was given to the generals, the 24th November. The 25th was the day on -which it was fixed to march; but it was necessary to take two days -provisions; and these provisions could not arrive till the day after. -When <i>that</i> day came, some of the generals had not sufficiently -studied their dispositions; and thus, another day was lost. The enemy -profited by this time. The evening before the battle, as has been -already mentioned, Marshal Bernadotte, as well as part of the corps -of Marshal Davoust, reinforced the Emperor Napoleon. It was necessary -to recall the attention to these facts, on which we shall yet have -occasion still further to remark.</p> - -<p>The 27th November, at eight o'clock in the morning, the army was put -in motion, in five columns, to approach nearer the advanced guard, -under Prince Bagration, who, on that day, made no movement whatever, -in order that the manœuvre might be concealed from the enemy. This was -done with a view to concentrating the troops, which, however, in the -end, were diffused afresh. The five roads, by which the army advanced, -were parallel to each other. The two right columns marched along the -foot of the mountains, to the right of the causeway, and were composed -of infantry only. That of the centre was on the great road to Prosnitz; -the fourth to the left of this, and very little distant from it; the -fifth, composed entirely of cavalry, was in sight of the fourth. In -front of this last, the country was entirely open.</p> - -<p>Here follows the detail of the march.</p> - - -<p class="center">RIGHT WING.</p> - -<p class="center"> -The General of Infantry, Buxhoevden. -</p> - - -<p class="center">FIRST COLUMN.</p> - -<p class="center"> -Lieutenant General Wimpfen.<br /> -Major Generals Muller, Sclichow, and Strick.<br /> -18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers.<br /> -2½ squadrons of Cosacks.<br /> -8,320 men. 250 horses.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">SECOND COLUMN.</p> - -<p class="center"> -Lieutenant General Langeron.<br /> -Major Generals Kaminsky, Alsufieu.<br /> -18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers.<br /> -2½ squadrons of Cosacks.<br /> -11,420 men. 250 horses.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">CENTRE.</p> - -<p class="center"> - The General in Chief, Koutousoff. -</p> - - -<p class="center">THIRD COLUMN.</p> - -<p class="center"> -Lieutenant General Przybyszewsky.<br /> -Major Generals Orosow, Lieders, Lewis.<br /> -24 battalions of Russians.<br /> -2 companies of reserve artillery.<br /> -13,800 men.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">LEFT WING.</p> - -<p class="center"> -The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince John de Liechtenstein.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">FOURTH COLUMN.</p> - -<p class="center"> -The Austrian Lieutenant General Kollowrath.<br /> -The Russian Lieutenant Generals Essen and Miloradowich.<br /> -The Russian Major Generals Szepelow and Repninsky.<br /> -The Austrian Major Generals Carneville, Rottermund, and Jurezeck.<br /> -32 battalions, of which 20 were Austrians.<br /> -1 company of reserve artillery.<br /> -5 companies of pioneers.<br /> -30 squadrons of Russians, of which 8 were Cosacks.<br /> -22,400 men. 3000 horses.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">FIFTH COLUMN.</p> - -<p class="center"> -The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince Hohenlohe.<br /> -The Russian Lieutenant General Ouwarow.<br /> -The Austrian Major Generals Stutterheim, Weber, and Caramelli.<br /> -The Russian Major General Piritzky.<br /> -70 squadrons, of which 40 were Austrian, but very weak.<br /> -2 companies of light artillery.<br /> -4600 horses.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">THE RESERVE.</p> - -<p class="center"> -The Grand Duke Constantine.<br /> -Lieutenant Generals Kollagriwoff and Malutin.<br /> -Major Generals Jankewitz and Depleradowich.<br /> -10 battalions of guards, 4 companies.<br /> -18 squadrons.<br /> -8,500 men.<br /> -</p> - - -<p class="center">RECAPITULATION.</p> - -<table summary="numbers" width="90%"> -<tr> -<td>1st and 2nd -</td> -<td>columns, -</td> -<td>36 bat. -</td> -<td>2 comp. -</td> -<td>5 squad. -</td> -<td align="right">19,740 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>3d -</td> -<td>do. -</td> -<td>24 —— -</td> -<td>2 —— -</td> -<td>———— -</td> -<td align="right">13,800 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>4th and 5th -</td> -<td>do. -</td> -<td>32 —— -</td> -<td> 8 —— -</td> -<td>100 ——— -</td> -<td align="right">27,000 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td>Reserve -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td>10 —— -</td> -<td>4 —— -</td> -<td>18 ——— -</td> -<td align="right">8,500 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2">Advanced corps under -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> Prince Bagration -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td>12 —— -</td> -<td>—— -</td> -<td>40<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> — -</td> -<td align="right">12,000 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> General Kienmayer -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td>——— -</td> -<td>—— -</td> -<td>14 ——— -</td> -<td align="right">1,000 -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td colspan="4">———————————————————————————— -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -</td> -<td> -</td> -<td>114 —— -</td> -<td>16 —— -</td> -<td>177 —-<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> -</td> -<td align="right">82,040 -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<p>The first column assembled at Nebotin, and marched upon Trzebschein, -Blumenau, and Kobelnizeck, where it formed in two lines.</p> - -<p>The second column assembled at Ollschan, and marched upon Studnitz, -Czechowitz, and Ottaslowitz, where it formed, with its right supported -by the left of the first column.</p> - -<p>The third column assembled on the high road to Prosnitz, on which it -marched, and formed in line with the two right columns.</p> - -<p>The fourth column<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> assembled at Nedwriss, and marched upon -Wrahowitz, and Dobrochow, where it formed, and established its -communication with the centre column.</p> - -<p>The fifth column assembled at Schabelin, and marched upon Kralitz, and -Brzesowitz, where it formed in two lines.</p> - -<p>This last column, not being covered by the out-posts on the left, had -an advanced guard of its own, commanded by General Stutterheim, which -communicated with the detachments observing the river March.</p> - -<p>The army advanced with much precaution, because it was ignorant of -the enemy's movements. It had orders to refuse the left, and to allow -the right, which moved along the mountains, to gain ground, in order -to turn the enemy's left, in case of meeting with it. The corps under -the Grand Duke marched upon Prosnitz, (where the two emperors and the -head-quarters were established) and formed the reserve. After four -hours march, the army arrived on its different points of formation -without any obstacle.</p> - -<p>Information was received that the enemy had made no movement whatever, -and that his advanced guard at Wischau had neither been reinforced -or diminished. Preparations were in consequence made for its attack -the next morning, and Prince Bagration received orders to put it in -execution. The army was to follow, in the same order as before, the -route that should be opened for it by this general. On the 28th, at -day-break, Prince Bagration put his corps in motion, in three columns; -that of the centre remained on the causeway; the two others, on the -right and left, turned the town of Wischau; in which the enemy had -a regiment of hussars, and one of chasseurs. Two other regiments of -cavalry were posted in reserve, in rear of the town; while General -Sebastiani was at Huluboschan with a regiment of dragoons. As soon as -the Russians, with the cavalry under General Kienmayer (composed of the -hussars of Szechler and Hesse Hombourg) on their left, appeared before -Wischau, and on the heights of Brindlitz, the French cavalry, with the -exception of about 100 men, precipitately abandoned the town.</p> - -<p>The Adjutant General Dolgorucky, took possession of the town with two -Battalions of Infantry, and made four officers and 100 men prisoners. -The Enemy's Cavalry received considerable reinforcements in retiring -upon Rausnitz, where was a strong Reserve. In the first instance, they -were pursued by four squadrons of Russian Hussars, and two of Cosacks; -but afterwards all the cavalry under Prince Bagration, reinforced by -that of the fourth column, under the command of Lieutenant General -Essen, (under whose orders were placed ten squadrons of Hulans, five -of Cuirassiers, five of Dragoons, and eight of Cosacks) passed through -Wischau, to support the attack of the advanced guard. To cover his -right during this movement, Prince Bagration had received orders -to send a regiment of chasseurs, and one of cavalry, to the right -of Drissitz by Bustomirz and Dietitz, upon Habrowan. This general -prosecuted his march as far as the heights of Rausnitz, where he took -up his position. The enemy was still master of this little town, and -began to cannonade; but the Russian artillery, which was more numerous, -soon silenced the fire. In the evening, two Russian Battalions took -possession of Rausnitz, in front of which were placed the out-posts.</p> - -<p>M. de Kienmayer, who, with his cavalry, had supported the Russian -advanced guard on the left, took his direction upon Drasowitz, and -there established his communication with Prince Bagration.</p> - -<p>The army, on the 28th, moved, as before, in five columns, and followed -up the movement of the advanced guard, in the following manner:</p> - -<p>The first column, from Kobelnizeck, by Ratzlawitz, upon Lutsch, where -it took up its position, posting six Battalions of Infantry and -Chasseurs, in the wood between Nemajam and Pistomirtz.</p> - -<p>The second column, from Ottaslowitz, by Dietitz, upon Nosalowitz, where -it formed in second line.</p> - -<p>The third column, marched as before, along the causeway, to beyond -Noska: one brigade was posted in the first, and the two others in -second line.</p> - -<p>The fourth column, from Dobrochow, by Krzizanowitz, and Brindlitz, upon -the heights of Noska, where two regiments<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> formed in first line; and -the two others in second line. The Austrian infantry attached to this -column was formed in two lines, on the left of the Russians.</p> - -<p>The fifth column, from Brzesowitz, by Ewanowitz, upon Topolan: its -advanced guard marched upon Kutscherau, and communicated with that at -Drasowitz.</p> - -<p>Upon these movements of the allies, the French quitted their -cantonments. By a signal made from Austerlitz, Marshal Soult collected -his corps there, which evacuated the villages it had before occupied.</p> - -<p>The allies flattered themselves that the enemy would not risk the fate -of a battle in front of Brunn. After the 28th, this <i>hope</i> became the -prevailing <i>opinion</i> at head-quarters. Then, instead of hastening their -movements, they wished to manœuvre, at a period, when too much had been -risked, to enable them to avoid a decisive action; if, contrary to the -opinion of those who thought the French would not fight, they still -persisted in not retiring.</p> - -<p>We have, hitherto, seen M. de Koutousoff advancing his right, and -refusing his left, with the view of turning the enemy's flank by the -mountains; for which purpose he had disposed the greater part of his -infantry on the right wing. At Wischau this disposition was changed. -He wished to manœuvre on the right of the enemy. A march to the left -was undertaken, which both lost time, and the ground that might have -been gained to the front. The 29th November, the combined army moved -from Lultsch, and the heights of Noska, upon those of Huluboschan and -Kutscherau. It was not till the 1st December that Marshals Bernadotte -and Davoust joined the Emperor Napoleon; and, on the 29th, M. de -Koutousoff might have been at Austerlitz. After having passed Wischau, -the allied army could no longer manœuvre with impunity. The time it -then lost, in making movements, which did not lead it directly towards -the enemy, while it discovered its intentions to the French army, gave -it also the means of receiving such reinforcements as were within -reach. A <i>short</i> flank movement could not answer the end proposed; -while one that was <i>longer</i>, would have afforded the enemy an -opportunity of attacking on the march.</p> - -<p>While the army was moving on the heights of Kutscherau, Prince -Bagration pushed on his advanced posts towards Posorsitz: General -Kienmayer marched upon Austerlitz, which the enemy had evacuated at -ten o'clock,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> on the morning of the 29th; and General Stutterheim -arrived at Butschowitz, from whence he kept up the communication by -Stanitz, with a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Scheither, who had -driven the enemy's detachments from Gaja. The French army concentrated -its forces, the same day, between Turas and Brunn: it occupied the -villages of Menitz, Tellnitz, Sokolnitz, Kobelnitz, and Schlapanitz, -which covered its front, and placed its out-posts at Aujest, on the -heights of Girshikowitz, and near Krug. The 30th November, the combined -army, in consequence of its new plan, again marched to its left, in the -following manner:</p> - -<p>The first column, from Kutscherau, by Lettonitz, upon Niemschan, which -was the appuy for the right; its left was at Hodiegitz, and it was -disposed in two lines.</p> - -<p>The second column, by Lettonitz, to Hodiegitz, where it formed on the -left of the first column.</p> - -<p>The third column, upon Malkowitz, by Butschowitz, and Krzizanowitz, -where it was posted in reserve, in rear of the first column.</p> - -<p>The fourth column, by Schardiska, Tschertschein, Krzizanowitz, upon -Herspitz, where it formed in reserve to the second column.</p> - -<p>The fifth column, by Neuwieslitz, followed the march of the third, and -was posted in the valley, in front of Marhoefen.</p> - -<p>The Reserve, under the Archduke Constantine, marched to Butschowitz; -the advanced corps, under Prince Bagration, to Posorsitz; and pushed -on its out-posts upon the causeway, and upon Krug. M. de Kienmayer -remained at Austerlitz, and was reinforced by the brigade under General -Stutterheim. A little affair of out-posts took place that day; the -enemy was employed in reconnoitring, and a few cannon shots were -ineffectually exchanged. The head-quarters of M. de Koutousoff were at -Hodiegitz; those of the two Emperors at Krzizanowitz, near Austerlitz.</p> - -<p>It is here necessary to remark, that during these offensive movements -the Archduke Ferdinand had received orders to advance also, to make -a diversion and occupy the enemy; and that this prince, quitting -Czaslau, after having driven the Bavarians, first from Steinsdorff -and afterwards from Deutschbrod, was advancing upon Iglau, where the -Bavarian general, De Wrede, had the command.</p> - -<p>On the 1st December, there was a good deal of firing, the whole of -the morning, along the entire chain of out-posts. The enemy, from -day-break in the morning, was continually reconnoitring along the -heights in front of Pratzen and Krug. He also, for the like purpose, -pushed parties from his left to beyond the high road. M. de Kienmayer's -out-posts, on the left, were at Satchan: and he had a post near Menitz, -a village which the French abandoned. Five Battalions of frontier -troops, under Major-general Carneville, being a part of the Austrian -infantry, arrived in the evening to reinforce M. de Kienmayer.</p> - -<p>The combined army, the left of which was commanded by General -Buxhoevden, and the centre by the general-in-chief, after having dined, -moved forwards, in five columns, in the following manner:</p> - -<p>The first column, under Lieutenant-General Dochtorow, composed of -twenty-four Battalions of Russians, marched by its left on Herspitz, -Wachan, Klein-Hostieradeck, and took up a position in two lines, on the -heights where this village is situated. A regiment of Chasseurs was -posted at Aujest, a village between the foot of the mountain and the -lakes of Menitz.</p> - -<p>The second column, commanded by Lieutenant-general Langeron, composed -of eighteen Battalions of Russians, marched by Austerlitz, Krzenowitz, -and took up a position on the heights of Pratzen; also in two lines on -the right of the first column.</p> - -<p>The third column, commanded by Lieutenant-General Przybyszewsky, -composed of eighteen Battalions of Russians, marched on the right of -Austerlitz, took its direction upon Pratzen, and its position on the -heights, to the right of this village.</p> - -<p>The fourth column, commanded by the Austrian Lieutenant-general -Kollowrath, was composed of twelve Battalions of Russians, under -Lieutenant-general Miloradowitsch, and of fifteen of Austrians, who -were in the rear of this column. This latter marched by its right, near -Niemschan, intersected the high road from Austerlitz to Brunn, and took -post in two lines, in rear of the third column.</p> - -<p>The fifth column, composed of cavalry, under the orders of -Lieutenant-general Prince John, of Liechtenstein, was composed of -eighty-two squadrons, marched by its left, and followed the direction -of the third column, behind which it took post under the heights.</p> - -<p>The corps of reserve, under the Grand Duke Constantine, composed of -ten Battalions, and eighteen squadrons of guards, passed by Austerlitz, -and posted itself on the heights in front, with its left towards -Krzenowitz, and its right towards the high road from Austerlitz to -Brunn.</p> - -<p>The advanced corps, under Prince Bagration, extended by its left beyond -Holubitz and Blasowitz, in order to facilitate the march of the third -and fourth columns upon their points of formation.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant-general Kienmayer, as soon as the columns arrived on the -heights, in front of Austerlitz and Krzenowitz, where his troops were -posted, marched by Pratzen, in front of Aujest, where he arrived at -nine o'clock at night: his corps was then composed of twenty-two -squadrons of Austrians, ten of Cosacks, and five Battalions of Croats.</p> - -<p>The head-quarters were at Krzenowitz. The enemy did not interrupt -this movement, and even withdrew his out-posts as far as Tellnitz, -Sokolnitz and Schlapanitz. The second column having arrived late on -its point of formation, had no out-posts in its front. <i>During the -whole night there was no chain of out-posts established in front of the -position occupied by the combined army.</i></p> - -<p>At one moment during the night, the enemy evacuated the village of -Tellnitz, in which out-posts were placed by a half squadron of Austrian -light cavalry of the regiment of O'Reilly: but two hours after, the -French returned in force, and posted a regiment of infantry in this -village, from the division of Legrand, forming a part of the right -of Marshal Soult. The out-posts on the left of the allies sent, -continually, patroles during the night, to their right, in order to -establish a communication with the Russian advanced posts, but could -never fall in with them.</p> - -<p>This offensive movement had been made by the army in open day, and in -sight of the enemy, who, from the heights of Schlapanitz, and in front -of Kobelnitz, had been able to remark it at his ease. The position -occupied by the allies, at the moment when they crowned the heights -between Aujest, Pratzen, and Holubitz, was a strong one. The enemy, had -he been well observed, would have found it difficult to advance for -the purpose of attacking these heights;<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> The defiles of Tellnitz, -Sokolnitz, and Schlapanitz, which separated the two armies, offered -the means of delay; and the very elevated points of these heights -afforded strong means of defence. Here, as in the position, in front of -Olmutz, the army was posted on a curtain, behind which massive columns -might be posted, ready to act offensively. Its left was secured by -the lakes of Menitz and Aujest, while the right was refused. But the -taking advantage of this position was never thought of, any more than -the possibility of being <i>attacked</i> on these heights, or of finding -the enemy on this side the defile. The French emperor took advantage, -in a masterly manner, of the faults that were committed. He kept his -troops concentrated in massive columns, ready to act according to -circumstances. Marshal Bernadotte (who had joined the Emperor Napoleon -the day on which the allies shewed themselves on the heights of -Pratzen), had been posted in the first instance to the left of the high -road. In the night the Emperor caused his corps to pass this road, and -posted it in rear of the village of Girschikowitz, which was occupied -in force. This corps, composed of the divisions of Rivaux and Drouet, -formed the centre of the French army. Prince Murat's cavalry was in -rear of Marshal Bernadotte, and on his left. Marshal Lannes formed -the left wing with the divisions of Suchet and Caffarelli; this last -was connected with the left of Prince Murat. The right of the army, -commanded by Marshal Soult, was placed between Kobelnitz and Sokolnitz; -the division of Legrand forming the extreme right, was posted between -Sokolnitz and Tellnitz, and occupied these villages with strong -detachments of Infantry. The division of Vandamme was on the left, and -the division of St. Hilaire in the centre of Marshal Soult's corps.</p> - -<p>The reserve of the army, composed of ten Battalions of the imperial -guard, and of ten Battalions of General Oudinot's corps, the whole -commanded by General Duroc, was near Turas. The division of Friant, -belonging to the corps under Marshal Davoust, which had just arrived -from Presburg, was sent to the convent of Reygern, on the Schwartza, -to observe and keep the enemy in check, should he approach by the -route of Auspitz. The division of General Gudin (also arrived from -Presburg), with some dragoons belonging to Marshal Davoust's corps, -advanced from Nickolsbourg, on the right of the French army, to keep -in check the corps of M. de Merveldt, who had penetrated through -Hungary to Lundenbourg. This general had with him his own regiment of -Hulans, and the Emperor's hussars, much weakened by the losses they had -sustained during a difficult retreat; and six Battalions of infantry, -also very weak; the whole amounting to little more than 4,000 men. A -detachment of O'Reilly's light cavalry, and some Cossacks, were sent to -Gros-Niemschitz to observe that point.</p> - -<p>We have now given the position of both armies, during the night -between the 1st and 2nd December, which immediately preceded this -ever-memorable day.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="ph3">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—A general, whose movements -are not so combined as to enable him to oppose another manœuvre to that -of his enemy, whatever it may be, is a general devoid of talent, and -ignorant of the art of war. -</p> -<p> -If the Russians had assumed the offensive at Wischau, it would have -been previous to the arrival of the corps under the Grand Duke -Constantine, which would have weakened their army by 10,000 chosen men. -The French army would not only have had Marshal Bernadotte with them, -who was then at Znaim, but also the corps of Marshal Davoust, whose -divisions were in echelons, on Nicolsburgh. -</p> -<p> -In fact, it was natural to suppose the combined army would not abandon -the capital of Moravia without a battle. It was well known that Brunn -was a fortified town, that there was much artillery, large magazines of -powder, and warlike stores of all kinds in it: its possession seemed to -merit an action, and it was expected. Although the arrival of General -Buxhoevden was not positively known, yet spies had reported it, and all -the information received as to the march of that army in Poland, and -the two Galicias, rendered it so probable, that all the calculations of -the French army were founded on the supposition of this junction. -</p> -<p> -The 19th November, Prince Charles had not passed Goritz; he therefore -could not enter into the most remote calculation relative to the war in -Moravia. The whole French army was collected, so that, if the Russian -army had wished to maintain the important point of Brunn, and to defend -the magazines in that place, it would two days after have been attacked -by Prince Murat, by the corps of Marshals Soult, Lannes, and Davoust, -and by part of that under Marshal Mortier. The Russians would have had -10,000 chosen men less than at Austerlitz, and the French 30,000 men -more: and if it is asked, why, at Austerlitz, the French had not these -30,000 men more, it is, because the Emperor Napoleon, being informed -that the Russian army was retiring from Wischau, and falling back on -Olmutz, conjectured that the Russians were waiting for the third army -under Michelson, in order to resume the offensive; or meant to take up -a position under the guns of Olmutz, and so wait till Prince Charles -approached nearer to the theatre of operation. -</p> -<p> -Obliged to oppose both these armies; the emperor had detached Marshal -Davoust to Presbourgh, and Marshal Ney into Carinthia. The corps under -these two Marshals would have supported General Marmont, and have -had the corps of Marshal Mortier as their reserve; and above 90,000 -men would have attacked Prince Charles, before he could approach the -Danube: and, <i>vice versa</i>, if the third Russian army, under Michelson, -and the combined army, under Olmutz, (which were calculated by their -junction to amount to 120,000 men) should resume the offensive; whether -they advanced by Kremsir, or direct upon Brunn, the calculation had -been made so as to be joined in a short time, by Marshal Bernadotte, -who had made two days march upon Iglau; by Marshal Davoust, one of -whose divisions was only two, and the other four marches distant; -and lastly, by Marshal Mortier, who would also have arrived in four -marches, and who, under this supposition, would have been replaced at -Vienna by one of the Generals, Marmont or Ney. -</p> -<p> -These were skilful dispositions; the object of which was, to oppose -equal force to the enemy, although in reality superior in numbers to -the French army. -</p> -<p> -When the Russians assumed the offensive, it was known that Michelson -had not joined them. The Emperor Napoleon was of course astonished, and -immediately saw how ill combined was the system of the allies. It was -not till after the battle of Austerlitz, and by reports from Galicia, -that it became known that Michelson had no army; that he was only the -Inspector of the two other corps; and that the Russians, after the -arrival of the Grand Duke Constantine, had nothing more to receive. -</p> -<p> -As soon as he learnt the offensive movement of the Russians, the -emperor recalled Marshal Bernadotte, the remainder of the corps of -Marshal Davoust and General Marmont. If he gave battle at Austerlitz, -without having been rejoined by the last divisions of Marshal Davoust, -and those of Marshal Mortier, it was because he saw so favourable an -opportunity, that he not only was persuaded he should gain the battle -without these reinforcements, but even had he 30,000 men less. -</p> -<p> -The allies then did well to wait the arrival of their reinforcements -before they resumed the offensive. They calculated rightly, in letting -the emperor be the first to make his movements, and must have conceived -the hope of afterwards gaining by it, when they should themselves come -to act upon their own plans.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—This disposition, of which -the Austrian officer makes mention, and which is accurate, shews that -the emperor had foreseen, that the enemy might manœuvre on the line of -operation from Olmutz, along the March; in this case, the Russian army -must pass at Shadish, whence it was farther distant than Marshal Soult, -who had some infantry at Gaja, and detachments of cavalry, observing -all the route, necessary to this movement. -</p> -<p> -Whenever the enemy's movement had been known, they would have been -allowed to advance. The corps of Marshals Mortier and Davoust, would -have been at Goeding, and the enemy would have had 30,000 men to -contend with more than at Austerlitz. -</p> -<p> -In all the enemy's manœuvres upon Vienna, he moved upon the wings of -the French army, which, by calling in all its detachments, concentrated -itself, and opposed its whole force to that of the enemy. -</p> -<p> -It is more particularly in discussing, what it was possible for the -enemy to have done, that we are convinced of the science, and deep -calculation shewn by the emperor, in a country so new, and so little -known. We see that all his dispositions, even those which appeared to -be the most trivial, and to have had no other object in view than the -subsistence of the troops, were the result of premeditated design, the -chances of which had been already calculated.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> <i>Note by a French Officer.</i>—There is here the mistake -of a day. Marshal Bernadotte arrived <i>two</i> days before the battle of -Austerlitz.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> 15 of these were Cosacks.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—It is evident that the author -here diminishes the real strength of the combined army, by one-<i>fifth</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> <i>Note by the Austrian general.</i>—The Austrian battalions, -of which this column was partly composed, were extremely weak, in -consequence of the new formation introduced by M. Mack, who, from three -battalions to each regiment, made five: and, as before stated, they -were new levies, with the exception of the regiment of Salzbourg, and -the frontier troops. This corps of infantry was composed as follows: -</p> - -<p><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">2 bat. 1st reg. of Szeckler.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">2 do. 2d do.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 do. Brooder.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">6 do. Salzbourg.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 do. Auersperg.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 do. Kaunitz.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 bat. reg. of Lindenau.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Kerpen.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Beaulieu.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Wurtembourg.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Reuss. Graitz.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Czartorisky.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">1 —————— Kaiser.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">—</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">20</span><br /> -</p> -</div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> I am inclined to think the word, <i>regiment</i> has here been, -inadvertently, substituted for <i>brigade</i>. Translator.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—The corps under Marshal Soult -had evacuated Austerlitz at three o'clock in the morning; and was -posted at seven o'clock in rear of Puntowitz and Schlapanitz. There -are some inaccuracies in the detail of the movements, and the partial -attacks; but the narrative is generally correct, and well told.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—There is no foundation for -the remark here made by the Austrian officer; since the Emperor, who -intended to act upon the centre of the enemy, had an interest in -remaining master of these defiles, that no obstacle might be opposed to -the bringing his army into action: it was with this view he occupied -the fine position of the Santon, situated in front of all the small -streams: besides, the Emperor had posts upon these rivulets two days -before; and the left of the French army was between the Santon and the -village of Girshikowitz, which was the rendezvous of almost the whole -cavalry; consequently, from that moment, it was no longer necessary to -pass the defiles in order to attack the heights. -</p> -<p> -This observation of the Austrian officer, only serves to mark more -strongly to every French officer, who was a witness of the affair, both -the prudence and military eye of their general. He made the Santon, the -point of appuy, for his left flank; not because it was a fine defensive -position; there were others in the rear equally good; but, <i>because -it was the key to all offensive operations</i>. If, on the contrary, the -French general had neglected the Santon, the whole of the left wing of -the French army would have been prevented from resuming the offensive, -unless they passed the defiles. -</p> -<p> -Eight days before the battle, the Emperor returning from Wischau, -ascended the Santon, notwithstanding the extreme cold; and said to the -officers about him: "Examine this position well; it will probably play -a conspicuous part before two months are over our heads." -</p> -<p> -The Emperor having always had it in view, during the campaign in -Moravia, not to allow his left to be turned, and to abandon his right; -that alone would have been a sufficient reason for resting his left -on a position not defensive, but offensive, such as was that of the -Santon. The fact is, the more we discuss the plan of the campaign, -the more we perceive the judgment and military eye of a master in the -science of war.</p></div></div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph2">BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ.</p> - - -<p><span class="uppercase">The</span> disposition for the attack of the French army was delivered to -the general officers of the Austro-Russian army, soon after midnight, -on the morning of the 2nd December. But the imperfect knowledge that -was possessed of their position, although scarcely out of range of -the enemy's musketry, naturally made the suppositions upon which the -disposition of attack was founded also very indefinite. Some movements -had been remarked, the evening before, on the enemy's left, but it was -not known to be occasioned by the arrival of the corps under Marshal -Bernadotte.<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> It was supposed that the French army was weakening its -centre to reinforce its left. Several lines of smoke, which had also -been perceived the evening before, between Turas and the lakes in rear -of Sokolnitz, and Kobelnitz, and some others near Czernowitz, caused -the belief that the French army had made these lakes the point of -appuy for their right, and had placed a reserve in the rear. The left -of the combined army outflanked the right of the French army. It was -supposed, that by passing the defile of Sokolnitz, and of Kobelnitz, -their right would be turned, and that the attack might afterwards -be continued in the plain, between Schlapanitz and the wood of Turas, -thus avoiding the defiles of Schlapanitz and Bellowitz, which, it was -believed, covered the front of the enemy's position. The French army -was then to be attacked by its right flank, upon which it was intended -to move down large bodies of troops; this movement was to be executed -with celerity and vigour; the valley between Tellnitz and Sokolnitz -was to be passed with rapidity; the right of the allies (on which was -the cavalry of Prince John de Liechtenstein, and the advanced corps -under Prince Bagration) was to cover this movement.—The first of these -generals on the plain between Krug and Schlapanitz, on each side of -the causeway; and the other by protecting the cavalry, and occupying -the heights situated between Dwaroschna and the Inn of Lesch, with his -artillery.<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> For this purpose, the five columns, composed as before, -received orders to advance in the following manner:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>1st. Column. Lieut.-general Dochtorow, with 24 Battalions of Russians, -from the heights of Hostieradeck, by Aujest, upon Tellnitz. After -having passed the village and defile, the column was to move forward -to the right upon the lakes, till its head became parallel with that -of the 2d column.</p> - -<p>2nd Column. Lieut.-general Langeron, with 18 Battalions of Russians, -marching like the former column, by his left from the heights of -Pratzen, was to force the valley between Sokolnitz and Tellnitz, and -then dress by the 1st column.</p> - -<p>3rd Column. Lieut.-general Przybyszewsky, with 18 Battalions of -Russians, was also to move by his left, from the heights to the right -of Pratzen, close by the castle of Sokolnitz; from whence the heads -of the three columns were to move forward, between Sokolnitz and the -lakes situated behind it, as far as the lakes of Kobelnitz.</p> - -<p>4th Column. Lieut.-general Kollowrath, with 27 Battalions, 15 of -which were Austrian, moving forward by his left, from the heights in -rear of the 3d column, was to pass the same valley, and the lakes of -Kobelnitz, and bring the head of his column parallel with that of the -three former.</p> - -<p>The advanced corps under M. Kienmayer, was to protect, with its -infantry, the movements of the 1st column, so that this last was, in -fact, reinforced by five Austrian Battalions, and composed altogether -of 29 Battalions. The heads of these four columns of infantry were to -present a large front, and four Battalions of the 1st column were to -occupy the wood of Turas. The remainder, and all the other columns, -were then to move forward between this wood and Schlapanitz, and to -attack the right of the enemy with strong bodies of infantry, while -three Battalions of the fourth column should be occupied in carrying -the village of Schlapanitz.</p> - -<p>5th Column. Lieut.-general Prince John de Liechtenstein, with 82 -squadrons, was first of all to move from the foot of the hill, in rear -of the 3d column, between Blasowitz and Krug, to protect the formation -and march of the columns on the right, and afterwards to advance upon -the plain on the right and left of the causeway, between Krug and the -Inn of Lesch, as was before mentioned.</p> - -<p>The advanced corps, under Lieutenant-general Prince Bagration, -consisting of twelve Battalions and forty squadrons, was to maintain -its position, and gain the heights between Dwaroschna, and the Inn of -Lesch, in order to place strong batteries of cannon upon them.</p> - -<p>The corps of reserve, under the Grand Duke Constantine, consisting of -ten Battalions and eighteen squadrons, was to move from the heights in -front of Austerlitz to the rear of Blasowitz and Krug; he was to serve -as a support to the cavalry of Prince John de Liechtenstein, and to -the corps under Prince Bagration.</p></blockquote> - -<p>The fortune of this day was made to depend upon the rapidity of the -attack on our left, and on the driving back the enemy's right upon -<i>his</i> left. It was imagined the battle would not be decisive if Prince -Bagration was not enabled to oppose an obstinate resistance to the -attacks the French might make upon him; and orders were given to the -cavalry, under Prince John de Liechtenstein, to attack the enemy in any -movement he might make, with a view to engaging this Russian general.</p> - -<p>The cavalry, under Lieutenant-general Kienmayer, as soon as the first -column should have passed the defile of Tellnitz, was destined to cover -the left of the column, and to march between Turas and the Schwarza; -observing well the convent of Reygern.</p> - -<p>It was settled in the disposition, that in case the four columns were -fortunate enough to advance as far as the causeway between Lattein and -Bellowitz, and to drive the enemy back into the mountains, the Wood of -Turas was <i>still</i> to remain occupied by the four Battalions destined -to this purpose, in order to preserve the facility of manœuvring round -it, and the means of retiring, if necessary, by Kobelnitz and Puntowitz -into the position of Pratzen; which retreat was, in case of the worst, -to be continued as far as the position of Hodiegitz, Niemtschen, and -Herspitz.</p> - -<p>If the attack made by the left proved successful, then Prince Bagration -was to move against the enemy's left, and to establish a communication -with the four columns of infantry; after which it was intended to -unite the army in front of the village of Lattein, between Lesch and -Nennowitz. The defiles of Schalapanitz, Bellowitz and Kritschen, being -thus cleared, the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein was to -pass them with rapidity, in order to support the infantry; and, in -case of success, to pursue the enemy between Brunn and Czernowitz.</p> - -<p>The general-in-chief, Koutousoff, was in the centre with the fourth -column.</p> - -<p>The general of infantry, Buxhoevden, commanded the left of the army, -and marched with the first column.</p> - -<p>Having thus given the plan of attack, concerted by the allies, we -are now about to see the manner in which it was deranged, and how it -happened that the faults in the conception were not compensated for by -the success of the execution.</p> - -<p>At seven o'clock in the morning the combined army was put in motion, -and quitted the heights of Pratzen to advance upon its given points. -Each of the four columns of infantry was perfectly in view of the -enemy, who could not but perceive that the direction of their march -caused considerable intervals between them, in proportion as the -heads of the columns approached the valleys of Tellnitz, Sokolnitz and -Kobelnitz. The action began on the left wing of the allies. The corps -of General Kienmayer, posted in front of Aujest, as before mentioned, -was nearest the enemy, and destined to force the defile of Tellnitz, -to open the route for the first column, which had a great circuit to -make after having passed this defile, in order to arrive at the point -which would bring it in a line with the second column; this made -it necessary to carry the village of Tellnitz as soon as possible. -Between Aujest and Tellnitz is a considerable plain, on which some -squadrons of hussars were advanced, between seven and eight o'clock, to -reconnoitre the enemy. On a hill, in front of the village, were posted -several companies of infantry, who defended its approach, while some -detachments of cavalry were on the right, having the lake of Menitz as -their appuy.</p> - -<p>M. de Kienmayer ordered a detachment of cavalry to advance against -their right, and a Battalion<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> of the first regiment of Szeckler -infantry to attack the hill on which the French infantry was posted. -The latter was reinforced, and a fire of musketry commenced, which -became pretty warm. The French defended themselves with obstinacy; and -the Austrians, who had been supported by another Battalion, attacked -with spirit. The hussars of Hesse Hombourg, on the right, under Major -General Nostitz, and those of Szeckler on the left, under Major General -Prince Maurice Liechtenstein, took post on the flanks of this infantry, -to check the enemy's cavalry, (which was perceived on the farther side -of the defile of Tellnitz) should it attempt to pass for the purpose of -attacking these Austrian Battalions. The Hussars suffered severely from -the enemy's sharp shooters, who took advantage of the ground, which all -round the village was covered with vineyards, and full of ditches; but -they could not succeed in keeping off the cavalry. The second Battalion -of the regiment of Szeckler infantry had arrived to reinforce the -first, which was attacking the hill, and which had lost more than half -its strength. Twice the Austrians were repulsed; and twice they again -advanced to the foot of the hill, which it was necessary to carry, in -order to arrive at the village. At length General Stutterheim succeeded -in getting possession of it with these two Battalions.</p> - -<p>The enemy's third regiment of the line, and two Battalions of sharp -shooters, were in possession of Tellnitz and the vineyards round -the village. These troops defended their post with valour. M. de -Kienmayer ordered General Carneville to advance with the remainder of -his infantry (consisting of three other Battalions) to the support of -the two which were on the hill, and were fighting with great courage. -A destructive fire of musketry ensued. The village was situated in -a natural entrenchment, the vineyards being surrounded by a deep -ditch, of which the French kept possession: however, the Austrians -succeeded at one time in penetrating as far as the village; but were -again repulsed, and had some difficulty in maintaining possession of -the hill they had before carried. The regiment of Szeckler infantry -fought with the greatest obstinacy; above two-thirds of them being -killed or wounded. This action had already lasted above an hour, and -yet the head of the first column, with which was M. de Buxhoevden, had -not yet made its appearance. The French had more troops belonging to -Legrand's division on the farther side of the defile; and the Austrians -engaged in so unequal a contest (since they were without support), -continued to make fresh efforts, which they momentarily expected would -become useless. At length, M. de Buxhoevden, with the first column, -appeared from Aujest, and sent a Battalion of the seventh regiment of -light infantry to support the Austrians, and a brigade of Russians -to form the reserve. Two Austrian Battalions, with this Battalion of -light infantry, which charged the enemy with impetuosity, attacked the -village, gained possession of it, and were followed by the remainder. -The French, on the approach of such superior numbers, evacuated the -defile, and drew up on the farther side in order of battle. M. de -Buxhoevden, before he moved forward, waited to see the head of the -second column (which was not advancing) appear in the plain, between -the foot of the hills and Sokolnitz.</p> - -<p>Towards nine o'clock the enemy received a reinforcement of 4,000 men -from the corps under General Davoust. These troops arrived from the -convent of Reygern; the French then taking advantage of a thick fog -which suddenly darkened the whole valley, again got possession of the -village, and even penetrated as far as the hill beyond it. At this -moment General Nostitz made a rapid charge, with two squadrons of the -hussars of Hesse Hombourg, for the purpose of checking them.</p> - -<p>The Russian light infantry, and an Austrian Battalion, which had been -posted in Tellnitz, had fallen back in disorder: the Russian regiment -of New Ingermannland ought to have supported them; but retreated in -a manner, which, combined with the fog, threw a part of the column -into confusion. The charge made by the hussars had checked the French -infantry, some hundreds of whom were made prisoners. The fog having -dispersed, the troops again moved forwards, and the enemy abandoned -the village. The first column made a deployment in several lines upon -the hill, and Tellnitz was retaken. A cannonade took place; and as -soon as the French entirely withdrew from this point, the defile was -passed, without opposition, by the brigades of cavalry under Prince -Maurice Liechtenstein and General Stutterheim, who drew up in order -of battle on the farther side. Tellnitz and the defile were occupied -by some Battalions provided with artillery. The enemy then entirely -abandoned the plain between Tellnitz and Turas; but he was not followed -up, because the communication with the second column was not yet -established. The Austrian cavalry consequently avoided the snare laid -for it, by the retreat of the right of the French army. During this -action, near Tellnitz, the second and third column had quitted the -heights of Pratzen, and had approached towards Sokolnitz, which was -occupied by two Battalions from the division of Legrand. These two -Battalions opposed some resistance to the Russian light infantry as -they advanced at the head of these columns. The French had placed some -cannon on a hill between Sokolnitz and Kobelnitz; (the latter village -was occupied by the enemy's reserve) a pretty heavy cannonade was -opened upon Sokolnitz, which destroyed the village. These two Russian -columns, without concerning themselves as to the fourth column, -without any direct communication with it, and without being deterred -by the offensive movements of the enemy, thought of nothing but the -first disposition, and continued their movements upon Sokolnitz; which -village they took possession of without much resistance, after a long -and useless cannonade. General Muller, of the Russian light infantry, -was wounded and afterwards taken prisoner beyond Sokolnitz. In passing -this village, the two columns crossed upon each other, and some -confusion ensued.</p> - -<p>We must now, for an instant, leave this point, in order to see what -was passing in the centre, and on the right of the allies, while the -capture of the villages of Tellnitz and Sokolnitz was going forward. -The Emperor of the French, who had not failed to remark the want of -concert and consistency in the movements of the Austro-Russian army, -and who saw that by the circuitous route the left was obliged to take, -it became more distant from the centre, in proportion as it advanced, -immediately put in motion the massive columns which he had kept -together, with a view of marching against the centre, and by that means -cutting off the wing, which still imprudently continued to advance, -for the purpose of turning the French army in a position which it did -not occupy. The Reserve of the French army, composed of ten Battalions -of the Imperial guard, and of ten Battalions of General Oudinot's -grenadiers, (who recovered from his wound, now resumed his command) -remained upon the heights between Schlapanitz and Kobelnitz. This -Reserve did not fire a shot during the whole battle. Marshal Soult, -with the two divisions of St. Hilaire, and Vandamme (posted during the -night, as we have already seen, in the valley of Kobelnitz), traversed -this village and that of Puntowitz, to make an attack upon the heights -and the village of Pratzen. At the same time Marshal Bernadotte, after -having crossed, by means of a bad and narrow bridge, (only a few -musket shots distant from his enemy) the rivulet at the village of -Girschikowitz, with the division of Rivaud on his left, and that of -Drouet on his right, took his direction upon the heights of Blasowitz. -The cavalry under Prince Murat formed in several lines on the left of -Marshal Bernadotte, and marched between Girschikowitz and Krug. Marshal -Lannes having on his right the division of Caffarelli, and on his left -that of General Suchet, moved forward to the left of Prince Murat, on -each side of the causeway. From that time the centre and right of the -allies became engaged in all quarters. The Grand Duke Constantine was -destined with the corps of guards to form the Reserve of the right, and -quitted the heights in front of Austerlitz, at the appointed hour, -to occupy those of Blasowitz and Krug. He was hardly arrived on this -point before he found himself in <i>first line</i>, and engaged with the -sharp shooters of Rivaud's division, and Prince Murat's light cavalry, -commanded by General Kellermann. The Grand Duke hastened to occupy the -village of Blasowitz with the light infantry Battalion of the guards. -At the same instant Prince John de Liechtenstein arrived with his -cavalry. According to the original disposition, this Prince was to post -himself on the left of Prince Bagration, to preserve the command of -the plain in front of Schlapanitz. This column of cavalry, which had -been posted in rear of the third column, and which was to move by its -right flank, upon its point of attack, was impeded in its march by the -columns of infantry, which crossed upon it as they were advancing, to -descend from the heights. Prince Liechtenstein had hastened to send, -during the march, 10 squadrons, under Lieut.-general Uwarrow, to the -left of Prince Bagration, to secure that general's left flank, which -was opposed to a part of Prince Murat's cavalry. After the regiment -of Elisabethgrod hussars had formed in order of battle, under General -Uwarrow, the Grand Duke Constantino's regiment of Hulans became the -head of the column of cavalry. Prince John de Liechtenstein, when he -arrived on the Grand Duke's left, found the enemy in presence of the -Russian guards; it was the cavalry under General Kellermann, supported -by the infantry of Marshal Bernadotte's left, and of Marshal Lannes' -right. Prince John de Liechtenstein immediately determined on forming -his cavalry in order of battle, to charge the enemy. The Grand Duke's -regiment was the first that deployed; but, carried away by the ardour -of the brave General<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> Essen, who commanded them; the Hulans did not -await the formation of the rest of the line, and, without support, -rushed forward to attack the enemy's light cavalry, which, retiring -through the intervals of the infantry, was pursued with but too much -impetuosity through the Battalions. The Hulans wanted to attack the -French cavalry that was in second line, but, in consequence of the fire -they had sustained, they reached it in disorder, and were received by -it with determination. The division of Caffarelli formed a line on -their right, and that of Rivaud on their left, and the Hulans, being -thus placed between two fires, lost above 400 men; Lieut.-general -Essen, who led them, was severely wounded, and died in consequence. The -Grand Duke's regiment, which had made this brilliant charge, attacked -too soon, with too much impetuosity, and became the victim of its own -ill-placed courage. It was put completely to the route, and in this -state it reached, by its right, the corps under Prince Bagration, in -rear of which it again formed. This last general had now moved forward -from the post of Posorsitz, to oppose the left of Marshal Lannes, which -rested on Kovalowitz; Prince Bagration had caused the villages of Krug -and Holubitz to be occupied by General Ulanius, with three Battalions -of light infantry.</p> - -<p>We now come to the centre of the allied army, where the fate of this -day was decided. It was too weak to resist the enemy's attacks. -Abandoned by the third column, and all the left of the army, while -the division on the right flank was not sufficiently powerful to -divide the French forces; the centre saw itself attacked, or menaced -with attack, by <i>four</i> divisions, to which it could only oppose 27 -very weak Battalions, without any hope of reinforcement. Those Russian -regiments which had made their retreat from Braunau, formed a part -of this number, and were scarcely composed of 400 men each. Without -exaggeration, we may here calculate, that 12,000 men were attacked by -24,000, and while the French army was not, in fact, so numerous as -that of the allies, by a more happy arrangement of their force, which -was more concentrated and better directed, the enemy's strength was -<i>doubled</i> on that point, which was of the greatest importance. The -centre of the allies was perfectly insulated, which, in consequence of -the distance the several columns (the 2d and 3d excepted) were from -each other, was the case, nearly, on <i>all</i> points.</p> - -<p>The Emperor of Russia, with the Commander in chief, arrived at the head -of the fourth column, at the moment when it was to advance. In order -to give time to the columns on the left to gain ground, Lieut.-general -Kollowrath, who commanded the fourth column, received orders not to -move till towards eight o'clock. The action, therefore, near Tellnitz, -had already begun, and the left was in motion, when the centre formed, -and broke into platoons from the left. The Russian infantry, under -Lieut.-general Miloradowich, was at the head of the column. Two of his -battalions, of the regiments of Novogrod and Apscherousky, commanded by -Lieut.-colonel Monachtin, with some Austrian dragoons of the Archduke -John's regiment, formed the advanced guard of the column, and marched -only a small distance in its front.</p> - -<p>It was now near nine o'clock, and the third column had just quitted the -heights of Pratzen to march, in conformity to the disposition, upon -Sokolnitz: the fourth column had just arrived on the ground occupied, -during the night, by General Przibischewsky, when a massive column of -French infantry was suddenly descried in a bottom, in front of Pratzen. -As soon as the enemy's columns were perceived, they were put in motion, -at the moment when the Russian advanced guard approached the village. -This massive column of the enemy was composed as follows: the right -columns of the division of Vandamme; those on the left, of the division -of St. Hilaire. Nevertheless, the advanced guard of the 4th column lost -no time in occupying the village of Pratzen, and got possession of a -small bridge beyond it before the enemy's sharp shooters. Having passed -this bridge, it posted a Battalion upon a hill to the left, in front of -the village, (which was not yet left by the rear of the third column) -while the other Battalion of the advanced guard occupied the village -itself.</p> - -<p>General Koutousoff, whom this movement of the enemy had taken by -surprize (thinking himself the assailant, and seeing himself attacked -in the midst of his combinations and his movements), felt all the -importance of maintaining the heights of Pratzen, against which the -French were moving; they commanded every thing, and were the only -security to the rear of the third column, which continued to advance -and expose itself with the greatest imprudence, forgetting the enemy -and every thing but the original disposition. It was the summit of the -heights of Pratzen which decided the fate of the day. It had been the -key to the position the allied army had just quitted; and, from the -confused situation of the different columns their fate depended upon -whoever was master of this height. As soon as the Commander-in-chief, -who was at the head of the column, was informed by his advanced guard -that the enemy was so near him, he gave orders for shewing him a front, -and for occupying the height; at the same time he sent for some cavalry -from the column under Prince John de Liechtenstein, who sent him four -Russian regiments. The French directed the march of their two masses -of infantry with great coolness, and at a slow pace. A third column -of the enemy now made its appearance on the right of Pratzen, and -threatened to pass through the interval, between the fourth column, and -the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein. This French column was -a part of the corps under Marshal Bernadotte. Upon this the Russian -infantry, belonging to the fourth column, marched to the right of -Pratzen, and sent a reinforcement to the Battalions of the advanced -guard, which were already posted on the hill to be maintained; but this -advanced guard, being attacked by superior numbers, abandoned it, after -a very short resistance.</p> - -<p>The action then became very warm, and it was attempted to regain the -ground that had been lost by the advanced guard. The Russians made an -attack; opened their fire at too great a distance, and without much -effect, while the French columns continued to advance without firing a -shot; but when at the distance of about a hundred paces, they opened -a fire of musketry which became general, and very destructive. The -enemy opened out his masses by degrees, formed in several lines, and -marched rapidly towards the height, resting his left on the church of -the village, and his right on the most elevated point of the heights. -Having reached them, he formed in an angular direction, for the purpose -of opposing the rear of the third column. This was composed of the -Brigade under General Kamensky, which had separated from the column, -and shewed a front upon the height, menacing the right flank of Marshal -Soult's corps.</p> - -<p>It was still necessary to dislodge the enemy from the heights, of which -he had obtained possession, and to prevent his establishing himself on -them.</p> - -<p>The Emperor of Russia, who, during this sanguinary conflict, had -remained with his infantry of the fourth column, and who, incessantly, -exposed his own person in trying to remedy the confusion, ordered his -Battalions to advance, and try to take the enemy in flank. General -Kollowrath received orders to check the enemy on the left, and, for -that purpose, caused the Austrian Brigades, under the Generals -Jurczeck and Rottermund, to advance against the heights, on which -the French continued to gain ground, and extend themselves, more and -more, while they followed up the Russian Battalions that had been -thrown forward. The first Austrian Battalions made their attack on -the enemy with coolness and intrepidity, although they were entirely -composed of new levies. They fell upon a French regiment which had -been the first to advance on the crest of the hill, and which was -nearly surrounded. The French received the Austrians with firmness, -and defended themselves with valour, notwithstanding which they were -forced to retreat; but, receiving a reinforcement, they quickly -regained the ground which they had lost. Two Russian regiments, -belonging to the second column, the grenadiers of Fanagorisky, and -the musketteers of Rhiasky, who were left in Reserve upon the height -which the column had occupied during the night, were ordered, by the -General-in-chief, to reinforce the Brigade under General Kamensky. The -troops commanded by this General fought very bravely during the whole -of this unfortunate battle. They came to the support of the Austrian -Brigades; and this reinforcement seemed likely to re-establish the -balance of power in the attack of the crest of the hill; upon which the -French generals manœuvred their troops with that ability which is the -result of a military eye, and of experience, taking advantage of the -inequalities of ground to cover their troops from fire, and to conceal -their movements. There was no other chance of turning the fate of the -day but a general and desperate attack at the point of the bayonet. -The Austrian Brigades, with that under General Kamensky, charged the -enemy; the Russians shouting, according to their usual custom; but -the French received them with steadiness, and a well-supported fire, -which made a dreadful carnage in the compact ranks of the Russians. -General Miloradovich, on his side, advanced upon the right; but the -Generals Berg and Repninsky being wounded, their troops had lost that -confidence in themselves, without which nothing is to be done in war. -The ardour of this attack soon evaporated. The superior numbers of -the enemy, and his steadiness, soon changed it to a slow uncertain -pace, accompanied by an ill-directed fire of musketry. Nevertheless, -the example of some of their officers had at one moment the effect -of inducing the left wing again to advance with intrepidity; and, -for an instant, the right wing of the French began to give way. The -regiment of Saltzbourg, and the Battalion of Auersperg, fought with -much courage.<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> Kamensky's Brigade always distinguished itself. -The Austrian General, Jurczeck, was severely wounded. The enemy, well -aware of the importance of this post, now in turn attacked the allies, -who were without any support whatever, and absolutely abandoned by the -left of the army. The fourth column now lost the heights of Pratzen, -beyond the possibility of recovery, together with the greatest part of -its artillery, which was entangled in the deep clay that prevails in -that part of the country. The greatest possible efforts were made to -repair the confusion incident to such a retreat. Meanwhile, the enemy -had advanced his artillery, and vigourously plied it in cannonading -the allies during their retreat, which put the finishing stroke to -the disorder they were in. The Austrian part of this column had one -general, six superior officers, nineteen subalterns, and 1886 soldiers -killed and wounded; five officers and 470 soldiers taken prisoners. -This action, upon the heights of Pratzen, lasted about two hours; after -which the fate of the battle was decided. The fourth column marched -upon Waschan, and repaired (as pointed out in the disposition) to the -position of Hodiegitz and Herspitz, where it collected its Battalions. -The enemy, being once in possession of the heights, did not disturb -this retreat, and remained near Pratzen, waiting, probably, the event -of the movements on the left of the allies. After the unfortunate -attack that was made by the Hulans, Lieutenant-general Prince John de -Liechtenstein, with his cavalry, covered the country between Blasowitz -and Pratzen. The Austrian General, Caramelli, made a charge with the -Cuirassiers of the regiment of Lorraine upon the enemy's infantry, -which coming out of Girschikowitz took advantage of the vineyards -between that village and Pratzen, to take the Russians in flank. This -attack, in which General Caramelli had his horse shot under him, -had the effect of checking the French for a moment. The Major who -commanded the regiment, a Count d'Auersperg, was killed. Prince John de -Liechtenstein also caused an attack to be made on the French infantry, -by the regiment of Nassau, at which time the fourth column had already -lost the heights of Pratzen, and was put to the route. Prince John de -Liechtenstein flew to its assistance to cover the Retreat with the -remains of the cavalry. This general tried to rally some Austrian -Battalions, which, like the Russian infantry, were retreating in -disorder, and was successful in his efforts. His horse was killed under -him by a grape-shot. The cavalry continued to occupy the bottom of the -heights of Pratzen, between that village and Krzenowitz, till it was -night.</p> - -<p>While the action took this turn on the heights of Pratzen, and the -cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein attempted to make head, -both to the right and left, against the enemy's infantry, and a part -of Prince Murat's cavalry, in order to check, or at least retard, the -success of the French. The Grand Duke, Constantine, also found himself -engaged in an obstinate contest. The village of Blasowitz, which he -had caused to be occupied, as we have before seen, was attacked, and -carried by the corps under Marshal Bernadotte. The Grand Duke wishing -to check the enemy's progress, left the commanding heights on which he -was posted, and advanced in line upon the enemy's columns. A sharp fire -of musketry ensued. The French sharp-shooters, who covered the columns, -disputed their ground; but were at length driven in by a charge with -the bayonet, which was ordered by the Grand Duke. A sharp cannonade, -attended with much execution, then took place on this point. The -grape-shot made a dreadful carnage; but, at the moment when the Prince -approached the enemy, (who had by this time deployed into line) the -cavalry of the guards, commanded by Marshal Bessiéres, which had been -posted in the intervals of the infantry, made a charge on the Russian -line, which, being without support, was in consequence driven back, -after a brave resistance.</p> - -<p>The Grand Duke's regiment of horse-guards, in order to disengage the -infantry, made a charge on the enemy's flank, where it checked and -routed their cavalry, and afterwards attacked the French infantry, -which had advanced to support the cavalry. It was on this occasion that -the regiment of horse-guards captured a French eagle belonging to a -Battalion of the fourth regiment. The corps of guards being obliged -to retire, succeeded, after considerable loss, in rallying and forming -its Battalions on the heights which it had originally quitted; from -whence it continued its movement upon Austerlitz, marching towards -Krzenowitz. The enemy's cavalry again returned to the charge, but was -checked by the horse-guards, and some squadrons of hussars belonging -to the guards, who attacked the French with the greatest impetuosity -at the very moment when they were about to charge the infantry during -its retreat. The horse-guards valiantly attacked, and were closely -engaged with the French horse grenadier guards, who, under the command -of General Rapp, had arrived to reinforce the enemy's cavalry. From -that moment the Russian guards effected their retreat upon Austerlitz, -without farther molestation from the French, who remained on the -heights in front of Blasowitz. Prince Repnin, a colonel of the -horse-guards, was wounded and made prisoner, with some officers of the -same corps. The Russian guards suffered severely, but had few taken -prisoners.</p> - -<p>While these things were passing on the left, Prince Bagration, it -has been already stated, had advanced in front of Posorsitz, and had -tried to occupy the heights of Dwaroschna. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, -with the cavalry under his command, was upon that Prince's left, near -Holubitz; which village, as well as that of Krug, had been occupied -in the manner before described; but Marshal Lannes arriving with his -troops in column on Prince Bagration's left, and on the right of the -cavalry under General Uwarrow, put a stop to the march of the right -of the allies. In order to cover the left of the French army, and to -secure its retreat in case of disaster, Marshal Lannes had posted -eighteen pieces of cannon, protected by the twenty-seventh regiment -of infantry, upon the commanding height, situated between Lesch and -Kowalowitz, to the left of the causeway leading to Brunn: it was the -same height that was to have been occupied by Prince Bagration. This -general was under the necessity of reinforcing his left (on which a -heavy cannonade was opened), and of sending almost the whole of his -cavalry to General Uwarrow, who, in consequence, had about thirty -squadrons under his orders. The enemy succeeded, notwithstanding, in -driving back General Ulanius from the villages of Krug and Holubitz, -and continued to advance in column; their march being protected by a -part of the cavalry under Prince Murat. This gave occasion to some -fine charges on the part of both the Russian and French cavalry. -General Ulanius, who commanded the cavalry with the greatest degree of -intelligence and bravery, succeeded by his efforts in checking the -rapid progress which the enemy would otherwise have made on the right -of the allies. Prince Bagration, after having long maintained himself -at Posorsitz, retired upon the heights of Rausnitz, at the moment when -the Russian guards were quitting the heights in rear of Blasowitz; -and, in the evening, received orders to march to Austerlitz. The high -road to Wischau was in consequence left entirely uncovered, on which -the chief part of the baggage of the army was afterwards captured by -the enemy. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, with the cavalry, protected -this retreat; and Prince Bagration took post in rear of Austerlitz, -at six o'clock in the evening, while the cavalry under Prince John de -Liechtenstein still continued to occupy the heights in front of that -place.</p> - -<p>It now becomes necessary to revert to what was passing at Tellnitz -and Sokolnitz. The first, second, and third columns, were left in -the act of marching upon the points of attack fixed in the primary -disposition, without thinking of the enemy's movements, and without -having discrimination enough to give that direction to their columns, -which the nature of the ground and the position of the enemy ought -to have pointed out, at the very first glance. These three columns -were composed of fifty-five Battalions (without including the Brigade -under General Kamensky, which had not followed them), and were only -opposed to the division under Legrand, not above five or six thousand -strong, and to four thousand of the corps under Marshal Davoust.<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> -Had the left of the allied army observed the enemy's movements -during the battle, and reflected upon his intentions; had it taken -advantage of the ground, and seized the means which it presented for -again concentrating itself, in order to execute a bold manœuvre by the -height on which the chapel above Aujest is situated, and which extends -quite to Pratzen. Had this been done, the battle might yet have been -prolonged, and at least have given a chance that the event of this -day would have been less decisive. The offensive movement on the part -of the French disconcerted the attack of the allies; and, from that -moment, all concert ceased.</p> - -<p>The second and third columns were left in Sokolnitz, through which the -head of the latter had passed. It was also stated, that the two columns -had become entangled during a thick fog that took place, and they were -thrown into confusion, in this village, where they mutually embarrassed -each other. At this time that part of the French which had been engaged -in front of Tellnitz retired upon Sokolnitz; General Legrand having -ordered that village to be turned by General Franceschi. When this -took place, the centre of the allies had already been penetrated; and -the French were in possession of the heights of Pratzen. The Russians -who were in Sokolnitz, and those who had passed through it, when they -saw themselves surrounded, immediately surrendered. Lieutenant-general -Przibischewsky, who had the command of the third column, was made -prisoner in the valley of Sokolnitz, together with 6,000 men, being a -part of both columns, which likewise lost the whole of their artillery.</p> - -<p>The relics of the second column retreated in disorder upon Aujest, and -what continued embodied fell back upon the first column. This latter, -informed, when too late, of the attack made by the French upon the -centre, intended to move to its support; but took a wrong direction to -be capable of making a diversion in its favour. The Austrian cavalry, -which had been left beyond Tellnitz, retired through that village, -which was now evacuated, leaving some Battalions of infantry, with a -few cavalry on the hill fronting it, as a corps of observation, and to -secure the march of M. de Buxhoevden, who was retiring upon Aujest, by -the same route he had advanced. To protect the flank of the Russian -infantry, the Szeckler hussars under Prince Maurice Liechtenstein, -and O'Reilly's light cavalry, with two regiments of Cossacks, under -General Stutterheim, were advanced upon the plain, between the foot -of the mountains and the villages of Tellnitz and Sokolnitz; General -Nostitz, with the hussars of Hesse Homburg, marched with the column. -The French, after their success in the centre, had already brought -forward their reserve, consisting of 20 Battalions, and had extended -along the crest of the heights that were occupied in the morning by the -allies, from Pratzen to the chapel above Aujest, but, <i>as yet</i>, they -were not in force, and had no cannon above that village.<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a></p> - -<p>If the first column of the allies, reinforced by some Battalions -from the second, and at that time consisting of above 30 Battalions, -had moved in full force upon these heights, and had attacked them; -if, instead of passing through a defile, (the height above which was -occupied by the enemy,) it had made a charge on the flank of the -French, it is possible that a diversion might have been effected -in favour of the centre; and a defeat in Aujest (which was to be -anticipated) would at least have been avoided. In marching upon the -height above Aujest, the left of the allies might, at least, give a -chance in favour of the battle; while the left, being no longer liable -to be put in confusion, would not have lost so many men. Even supposing -it not to have succeeded in maintaining the height, still it had always -a retreat open upon Scharoditz.</p> - -<p>As soon as the column arrived in Aujest, the French rushed like a -torrent down upon the village, in which a sharp fire of musketry at -first took place, but which was of short duration, before they gained -possession of the village. It was the division of Vandamme, which had -formed the extreme right, on the heights of Pratzen, and which, in -proportion as the French crowned that height, had gradually moved upon -the chapel, above Aujest. The general of infantry, Buxhoevden, with a -few Battalions, succeeded in passing through the village, and rejoined -the army near Austerlitz; some confusion took place, and 4,000 men were -taken prisoners in or about Aujest: they also lost their artillery. -Many of the fugitives betook themselves to the lake, which was frozen -over, but not sufficiently so to prevent many from perishing in it. -The enemy, who in the mean time had received his artillery, vigorously -plied the fugitives with it, who afterwards passed through Satschan, -and in the evening succeeded in regaining the rear-guard of the army, -on the heights of Neuhof. After the French had occupied Aujest, the -centre and rear of the first column, which was so very strong, fell -back under the orders of Lieut.-general Dochtorow, upon the plain -between Tellnitz and the lake. This infantry was collected, but not -in good order. Lieut.-general Dochtorow succeeded for a moment in -re-establishing order, after which he considered only how to effect -his retreat. This was very difficult in the execution, and could only -be effected across a very narrow dike between the lakes, on which it -was not possible to march more than two men in front. There was also -reason to apprehend that the French passing by Aujest and Satschan, -round the lake, would thus cut off the dike, the only retreat now left -to the Russians, which would have made it impossible to save this last -wreck of the left wing of the allied army. Lieut.-general Kienmayer, -with the hussars of Hesse Hombourg, was sent over in advance, for -the purpose of securing this retreat, and posted himself upon the -heights between Satschan and Ottnitz, in order to observe this point. -Meanwhile, the Austrian cavalry continued to support General Dochtorow, -and for that purpose advanced into the plain, between Aujest and -Sokolnitz. The generals who commanded O'Reilly's light cavalry and the -Szeckler hussars, advanced to the attack of two French regiments of -dragoons, who approached from Sokolnitz, but seeing that the Russian -infantry was supported, the latter marched by their left, upon the -height near Aujest, and posted themselves at the head of the division -of Vandamme. The conclusion of this battle was very remarkable, since -the French troops of the right wing were turning their backs upon -Austerlitz to attack the remains of the left of the allies; to do -which, the French were now quitting the same heights, whence the allies -had marched in the morning, to attack them. When the first column had -advanced, the lake was the point of appuy to the right of the French; -at <i>this</i> moment it was the appuy to their <i>left</i>, while the Russians -had their right upon it.</p> - -<p>It was now about two o'clock in the afternoon; the action was decided -and finished along the rest of the line, when the division of Vandamme -advanced to complete it. In rear of Tellnitz, between that village and -Menitz, was a hill of considerable elevation, the right of which was -on the lake. To this hill the Russian infantry retired, still under -the protection of the Austrian cavalry, which was every instant mowed -down by discharges of grape-shot. The village of Tellnitz, which has -already been described as surrounded by ditches, presented the means of -defence, which were taken advantage of; and to give time to the rest -of the column to file off, a regiment of Russian infantry, under Major -General Lewis, was posted behind these ditches, where it was attacked, -but defended itself with resolution. From that time, General Dochtorow -continued his retreat. The cavalry occupied the hill that has been -mentioned, in order to save a great part of this column, which was -again in the greatest possible confusion. The French got possession -of Tellnitz (in which a great many Russian stragglers were taken -prisoners), and bringing the light artillery of the guards down to the -edge of the lake, for the purpose of driving the Austrian cavalry from -their post on the hill, they opened a fire on the flank of O'Reilly's -light cavalry, and destroyed a great part of it. Yet nothing could -prevent this brave regiment from continuing to cover the retreat of the -Russians with the greatest intrepidity.</p> - -<p>Colonel Degenfeldt posted his light artillery, which commanded that of -the French, with so much judgment as to damp the ardour of their fire. -The Colonel of the Szeckler hussars was desperately wounded in the head -with a grape-shot.</p> - -<p>The Russian infantry, fatigued and exhausted, retired very slowly, -and the cavalry had a long time to support their post; at length, -however, this famous dike, the only remaining retreat to the wreck of -the first column of the allies, and which had justly been the subject -of so much uneasiness, was happily passed; still, however, the French -(who occupied the hill, before in possession of the cavalry, as soon -as they quitted it) continued to fire on them, with their artillery, -till they were completely out of reach. Having passed the dike, the two -Austrian Generals, who protected General Dochtorow's retreat, halted -on the heights in front of Neuhoff, and tried to restore order in the -Russian Battalions, which yet formed a corps of at least 8,000 men. -It was then about four o'clock, and already began to grow dark. The -retreat was then continued by Boschowitz; the troops marched the whole -night, under a heavy fall of rain, which completed the destruction -of the roads; the remaining artillery sunk in the sloughs, and were -abandoned. The Austrian cavalry formed the rear guard, without being -pursued by the French, who halted on the dike. The regiment of O'Reilly -brought off its artillery.</p> - -<p>The French army took up the position occupied by the allied army the -preceding night; the latter, after the greatest exertion on the part -of the two Emperors to remedy the general confusion on the field of -battle, retired in the evening completely behind Austerlitz, into the -position of Hodiegitz. But the very considerable loss it had sustained -in killed and wounded, and the number of those who were prisoners, -or missing; more especially of the first, second, third, and fourth -columns, made this army, on its arrival in rear of Austerlitz, in a -very feeble state; at least, as far as regards its disposeable force. -The Austrian cavalry, commanded by General Prince Hohenlohe, (who was -sent to replace Prince John de Liechtenstein that same night, on the -latter being charged with a mission to the Emperor Napoleon:) this -cavalry, alone, had some detachments in front of Austerlitz, and -formed the rear guard of the army. Thus closed this ever-memorable day.</p> - -<p>Should any errors of detail have crept into the foregoing narrative, -those military men who have been engaged in actual service will know -how to make allowances for them; they will know, from experience, -how difficult it is to procure exact information, as to the minute -particulars of a great battle. Two persons rarely see the same object -in a similar point of view. But, as to the general arrangement, the -plans, and the principal movements, their execution, and their result, -my pen has been strictly guided by the love of truth, an accurate -knowledge of what was done, and the utmost impartiality.</p> - -<p>It will not have escaped the observation of the experienced soldier, -that it is principally to the following causes that the loss of -this battle is to be attributed. To the want of correctness in the -information possessed by the allies, as to the enemy's army; to the -bad plan of attack, supposing the enemy to have been entrenched in -a position which he did not occupy; to the movements executed the -day before the attack, and in sight of the enemy, in order to gain -the right flank of the French; to the great interval between the -columns when they quitted the heights of Pratzen; and to their want -of communication with each other. To these causes may be attributed -the first misfortunes of the Austro-Russian army. But, in spite of -these capital errors, it would still have been possible to restore the -fortune of the day, in favour of the allies, if the second and third -columns had thought less of the primary disposition, and attended -more to the enemy, who, by the boldness of his manœuvre, completely -overthrew the basis on which the plan of attack was founded: or, if -the first column (which possessed the means of doing so), instead of -retiring by Aujest, as before mentioned, had marched to the assistance -of the two former, and, together with them (or at least with what -remained of them) had moved upon the heights, of which the French -had as yet but a precarious possession, so long as the left of the -allies was unbroken, and their extreme right, which made only feeble -demonstrations, continued at Posorsitz.</p> - -<p>No computation has been made in this work, as to the loss of the two -armies, at the battle of Austerlitz. It is impossible for any one, -though actually bearing a part in the action, to calculate with any -degree of accuracy the number of killed and wounded on each side.</p> - -<p>The carnage made on the 2nd December was very great. The few Austrian -troops there yet remained were not collected on one point; but, as -we have seen, conducted themselves every where with constancy and -animation. The sixth Battalions of the regiments of Wurtemberg and -Reuss-Graitz were the only corps that were in confusion at the time -when the fourth column was defeated. The Russians, at the commencement, -fought with intrepidity, and the guards and Hulans distinguished -themselves for their courage. The French infantry manœuvred with -coolness and precision, fought with courage, and executed its bold -movements with admirable concert. After having made some efforts, -without effect, the Russian Battalions began to waver; confusion and, -finally, complete defeat were the consequences of the imprudent conduct -of the second and third columns.</p> - -<p>The fourth column of the allies abandoned a <i>part</i> of its artillery. -The first, second, and third columns, lost the <i>whole</i> of theirs, with -the exception of General Kienmayer's corps, which saved its cannon. -The guns were entangled in the sloughs, as before mentioned, and the -Russian horses, which are more calculated for speed than for draft, -could not drag them out of the deep clay, into which they had sunk. The -number of the Russian prisoners may be computed at 15,000 men; while -their killed and wounded must have been very considerable; in addition -to which, as always happens on such occasions, they had a great number -of soldiers missing.</p> - -<p>The loss of the French army must also, necessarily, have been very -considerable. The fire, at the commencement of the action, was too -warmly kept up, not to have done great execution; still, however, the -French force was by no means diminished in the same proportion as -that of the allies. The Generals who were killed, wounded, and taken -prisoners are already well known.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="ph3">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—Marshal Bernadotte was never -seen till the day of the battle. <i>Two</i> days before he had rested on his -arms behind Brunn, and the following day he took post in the rear of -the army, near Lattein. The French generals object in this disposition -was, not only to avoid fatiguing this corps as much as possible, but -also, not to pass the defile of Bellowitz; for not intending to risk an -action, unless the enemy committed great errors, he had determined on -retiring another day's march to the rear, if the enemy manœuvred with -skill. It was not his wish to engage a general action with a superior -army, if it were well posted. The victory might have been doubtful, and -above all, too destructive. -</p> -<p> -It was, therefore, that the divisions repassed the defiles, each day in -proportion as the enemy's plans became apparent, and the faults he was -about to commit became more probable. Besides, if instead of turning -the right of the French army, (which was what the French general rather -wished) the Russians had brought on an affair among the mountains, by -turning the left. The position of the head-quarters, behind Kritchen, -(which was always occupied by the French) was the point, from whence, -by a wheel to the left, it was the most easy to move diagonally in rear -of the Santon, upon the little hills towards the left. -</p> -<p> -The movement that may have been seen on our left, was nothing else -than the posting the divisions of Suchet and Caffarelli to support -the Santon, because it was apprehended the enemy might, in the course -of the day, attempt to get possession of that height, which was the -key to the emperor's projects. He would not allow the enemy to occupy -positions too near to Girshikowitz and Puntowitz, which might have -prevented the army from forming. For the attack, which had been planned -by the emperor, particularly depended on the rapidity with which the -centre should march on the heights of Pratzen.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—This plan was faulty in -every point of view. Supposing the emperor not to have attacked the -heights of Pratzen, merely keeping possession of the Santon, and the -village of Girshikowitz, he would have made an effort in the centre, -when the enemy attacked him, and the left of the enemy, once arrived at -the wood of Turas, was by that divided from his centre. -</p> -<p> -All this serves to prove, that many men are capable of manœuvring 15 or -20,000 men, but very few know how to derive all the possible advantage -from an army of 80,000.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Many misfortunes of the allies appear to have originated -in attacking with small corps where they had the power of attacking -in force. It is obvious, that if <i>one</i> Battalion is inadequate to the -service on which it is sent, it will not only suffer severely in the -attempt, but that very attempt will apprize the enemy of the intention, -and enable him to reinforce. Whereas, by at once attacking with -numbers, all opposition is borne down, and the defence, from not being -protracted, is generally less destructive to the assailants: wherever -the French make an attack, it is in force; and <i>therefore</i> they usually -succeed; with the additional advantage, that they are enabled <i>by -those very numbers</i> to maintain themselves in what they have acquired. -<i>Translator.</i></p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Either there were two generals of this name in the -Russian army, or there must be some mistake; since, in a former -part of this work, General Stutterheim says, "The corps under Essen -was at Kremsir on the day of the battle, and was of no sort of -use."—<i>Translator.</i></p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> <i>Note by a French Officer.</i>—It is very true, that the -Austrians fought well, as asserted by the Austrian officer; as also -that the regiment of Salzbourg particularly distinguished itself, and -lost a great number of men by the bayonet.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—General Legrand had only one -of his brigades with him; the other, commanded by General Levasseur, -was posted in reserve, in front of the rivulet, and of the village -of Hobesnitz, from whence it marched on the flank and rear of the -enemy, when he attempted to retake the heights of Pratzen; it was this -unforeseen movement which greatly contributed to the defeat of that -column. Levasseur's brigade fought during the remainder of the day, in -conjunction with the divisions of St. Hilaire and Vandamme.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—The first column had no -longer the means of resuming the offensive. The reserve, composed of -20 Battalions of grenadiers, had reached the heights in rear of the -divisions St. Hilaire and Vandamme. (The Emperor, with the cavalry -belonging to the guards, was already descending from the chapel of St. -Anthony.) The rear of the column was exposed to Marshal Davoust and -General Legrand. Marshal Bernadotte, <i>alone</i>, had 18 Battalions, not -one half of which had burnt priming, and the remainder had been but -little engaged. -</p> -<p> -The French would have gained the victory with 25,000 men less than -they had, which is a subject of reflection for military men, and -sufficiently shows the influence which the being well commanded has -over the operations, of war.</p></div></div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph2">The 3d and 4th of December.</p> - - -<p><span class="uppercase">The</span> Austro-Russian army had experienced so many difficulties in -regard to its subsistence, on the line of operations it had followed -previous to these offensive movements, that it was abandoned, during -the retreat, in order to direct its march upon Hungary. The allies -quitted the position of Hodiegitz at 12 o'clock at night, and marched -upon Czeitsch, where they arrived on the morning of the third of -December. The column under General Dochtorow arrived at Niskowitz, on -the road to<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a>Hungary, where it found General Kienmayer then forming -the rear-guard of the allies. This Russian column continued its -march, for the purpose of rejoining the army at Czeitsch; but lost a -considerable number of men during the night, who had straggled and lost -themselves in the woods and villages. The Austrian cavalry, which had -protected the retreat of these wrecks of the left wing of the combined -army, and which was a part of the corps under M. de Kienmayer, halted -at Niskowitz. Lieut.-General Prince Bagration was a league in rear -of this Austrian corps, occupying the heights of Urschutz. Between -Niskowitz and Urschutz is a large wood, under cover of which, the -French had it in their power to surround and cut off the corps under -M. de Kienmayer, which was thus too much pushed forward. He therefore -remained in this position no longer than was necessary to give time -to the stragglers of the army, and to some baggage to fall back upon -Urschutz, and to obtain some knowledge of the enemy's movements. As -soon as the French, who had entered Austerlitz in the morning, began -to advance, General Kienmayer fell back upon General Bagration, and -in front of Saruschitz formed the support of that Prince's corps. A -detachment of O'Reilly's light cavalry, and some Cosacks, were sent -to Stanitz, to watch that road. The corps under M. de Merveldt had -received orders to retire from Lunenbourg, in the direction of Goeding, -to observe the country on the left, and principally the two roads of -Auspitz and Nicolsbourg.</p> - -<p>On the third of December, the French army advanced in the following -manner: The cavalry, under Prince Murat, which had pushed forward -detachments upon Rausnitz and Wischau (on the evening of the same -day on which the battle was fought) pursued that route, and made -immense booty: it advanced beyond Prosnitz, and then sent out strong -detachments upon Kremsir.</p> - -<p>Marshal Lannes at first took the same road, and then moved by his -right, to gain the right of the allies by Butschowitz and Stanitz. -Marshals Soult and Bernadotte, the imperial guards, and the grenadiers -of the reserve, were posted on the route towards Hungary, as soon as -the Emperor Napoleon had received information of the direction taken by -the allied army; they advanced, however, but slowly; probably with a -view to give time to the extreme right of their army to gain ground on -the left of the allies.</p> - -<p>Marshal Davoust marched upon the left flank of the Austro-Russian -army, by the route of Nicolsbourg, (in which was the division of -Gudin,) and by that of Auspitz, in which was the remainder of that -corps; these two roads unite within half a league of Goeding.</p> - -<p>Prince Bagration had placed some out-posts in the wood of Urschutz. -The French, about two o'clock in the afternoon, began to reconnoitre -it, obtained possession of the wood, and established themselves on the -skirts of it. A trifling affair ensued, which lasted about two hours, -and which terminated by General Bagration maintaining his post, which, -however, he evacuated that evening, retiring towards Czeitsch; General -Kienmayer posted himself in his front, upon the heights of Nasedlowitz, -pushing forward his out-posts in the direction of Urschutz.</p> - -<p>The 4th of December the allied army crossed the river March, and -arrived at Hollitsch, much diminished in numbers, and with very few -effectives, compared with the army to which it was opposed. The Emperor -Alexander took up his quarters in the castle of Hollitsch, while the -Emperor of Germany remained at Czeitsch, to be ready for the interview -which was about to take place with the Emperor Napoleon.</p> - -<p>An armistice had been agreed on, to take place at day-break on the -4th December. Prince John de Liechtenstein had returned from the -head-quarters of the French the evening before with this intelligence. -But their advanced guard, probably from not having received timely -orders on this subject, advanced to attack the fore-posts of M. de -Kienmayer's corps, which remained upon the heights of Nasedlowitz. -Prince Bagration then retired quite behind Czeitsch. However, this -misunderstanding, and the firing consequent upon it, were soon put a -stop to. A suspension of arms took place, and the space of about a -league and a half was left between the out-posts of the two armies. -That of the French had advanced, and taken up its position in several -lines, between Damborschutz, and Saruschutz, in front of Urschutz.</p> - -<p>It was then that the famous interview, which gave peace to the two -empires, took place between the Emperor Francis II. and Napoleon; -it passed at a little distance from the village of Nasedlowitz, -near a mill, by the side of the high-road, and in the open air. The -conversation of these two sovereigns lasted some time, when the -Emperor of Germany returned to Czeitsch, which he reached in the -evening, and immediately set about informing his ally of the result -of the interview.—For this purpose, an Austrian general was to be -sent immediately to Hollitsch; and General Savary, aid-de-camp to the -Emperor Napoleon, was named by his sovereign, in the first instance -to attend the Emperor Francis II. and afterwards to accompany the -general that should be sent to Hollitsch. In case his Majesty, the -Emperor of all the Russias, should consent to the conditions of the -armistice, General Savary was empowered to countermand the march of -Marshal Davoust's corps, and was afterwards to accompany the Austrian -general, to acquaint the corps of M. de Merveldt with the suspension of -arms. General Stutterheim, who was with the rear-guard of the corps, -near which the interview took place, was charged by his sovereign -with this commission. It was twelve o'clock at night before these two -generals reached Hollitsch, where they had the happiness of obtaining -immediate access to the presence of the Emperor Alexander, who received -them with kindness, and threw no obstacle in the way of the armistice. -Upon this they again departed immediately to find out the corps under -M. de Merveldt, and to countermand that under Marshal Davoust: the -former they fell in with at two o'clock in the morning, retiring upon -Goeding. M. de Merveldt, we have already seen, was charged with the -protection of the left flank of the Russian army; but the whole force -under his orders did not exceed 4,000 infantry and 500 cavalry, which -made it impossible for him to impede the march of the right of the -French army. The two generals succeeded in falling in with Marshal -Davoust at Josephsdorf, at about four o'clock in the morning. General -Gudin's advanced guard was at Neudorf. According to the agreement -between the Emperor Francis II. and Napoleon, all the troops remained -in the exact situation in which they were found upon the cessation of -hostilities being made known to them. The following day Prince John -de Liechtenstein returned to Austerlitz (which was the head-quarter of -the Emperor Napoleon) for the purpose of negociating the boundary to -be observed by the respective armies during the continuation of the -armistice which preceded the peace concluded between Austria and France.</p> - -<p>On the 4th December, the very day on which the armistice took place, -the Archduke Ferdinand, who could not be made acquainted with it, and -who had received orders to advance and observe the Bavarians that -remained at Iglau, after the departure of Marshal Bernadotte: on this -day, that prince attacked General Wrede (to keep him in check) with -some troops, the remnant of his corps; with which he succeeded in -driving him from Iglau.</p> - -<p>The Archduke Charles, obliged to retreat in consequence of the unheard -of catastrophe that happened to the German army, arrived in Hungary, -with his army quite entire, after having at Caldiero incapacitated the -French army of Italy from doing him any mischief.</p> - -<p>It appears, then, that wherever their generals allowed the Austrian -troops to fight, they fought well; and it would be a very rash, and a -very false opinion, to impute the misfortunes of the war of 1805 to -them. In that, as well as in all former instances, the Austrian army -distinguished itself by its courage, its devotion to the cause, its -constancy in supporting unheard of privations, and by its implicit -obedience. It was at Ulm that these brave troops, victims to the -conduct of M. Mack, were subjected to that heart-breaking fate which -was the destruction of the German army. But, at Ulm, many regiments -that had not fired a single shot were obliged to surrender, in -consequence of the operations pursued, and in pursuance of orders given -by that M. Mack, who talked of <i>burying himself in the ruins of Ulm; -who always talked of death, yet feared to die</i>.</p> - - -<p class="center">THE END.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="ph3">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> <i>Note by a French officer.</i>—It is too ridiculous to -suppose that the Russian army, without artillery, without baggage, and -without provisions, would have preferred a retreat by its flank (which -exposed it to the danger of being surrounded by the French army) to -that upon Olmutz: but, in the course of this day, it lost its line of -operation, which was the high road to Olmutz, and nothing remained -for it but to move upon Goeding; and it did not gain much by that; -for, had it not been for the too great clemency of the Emperor, and -the armistice, which was concluded, the remains of the Russian army -would have been entirely destroyed; as may be perceived from what -the Austrian officer lets fall a little farther on.—The loss of a -battle is no proof of want of talent in a general: but the loss of his -artillery and baggage, of his line of operations, and his retreat, are -positive evidence that he is ignorant of the art of war. -</p> -<p> -An army, so commanded, never could make head against a French army in -so great and difficult a warfare. The emperor took advantage of the -faults committed by the enemy, who would have committed yet greater -errors had the emperor retired behind Brunn: the latter would have -been in greater force; and had already planned new combinations, in -the course of which, the general who possessed most experience, and -the greatest genius for the art of war, must naturally have taken his -adversary at a disadvantage.</p></div></div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph2">TO THE OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH ARMY.</p> - - -<p>T. Goddard takes this opportunity of returning thanks to his numerous -Military Friends for the liberal encouragement he has already -experienced, and begs leave to assure them, that such attention shall -be paid to their future favours as will, he trusts, ensure to him a -continuance of that patronage and preference he has already met with.</p> - -<p>He has also the honour to inform them, they can at any time be -immediately supplied with every Publication connected with the finance, -interior management, economy, and discipline of the army. Printed -Review, Inspection, and Monthly Returns for Cavalry and Infantry; -Returns of Arms, Clothing, and Appointments; Attestations, Furloughs, -Discharges, Regimental and Orderly Books, Paymasters Account Books, -and Stationary of every description, for home or foreign service. -Regulations, Instructions, &c.</p> - -<p>General and Staff Officers supplied with Boxes of Stationary, fitted up -in the most convenient and portable manner, with every article allowed -by the King's Regulations.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>New and correct forms of <span class="smcap">Staff Contingent Accounts</span>, with all -the required Certificates printed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The following publications are particularly recommended:</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The AIDE-DE-CAMP, or <span class="smcap">Staff Officer's Assistant</span>, containing -correct statements of the pay, allowances, and contingencies granted to -every officer when employed on the staff in Great Britain.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p><span class="smcap">Instructions</span> for <span class="smcap">Officers employed on</span>, or -<span class="smcap">Embarking for foreign Service</span>; containing his Majesty's -Regulations, together with forms and complete directions for stating -and certifying claims for losses of personal baggage, camp equipage, -chargers, and bat horses, whether lost, or shot for the glanders. -Necessaries of Non-commissioned Officers and Private Soldiers, -Regimental Clothing and Appointments, &c. &c. &c. To which are added -all the new Regulations relative to the Increased Pay, Allowances, and -Passage Money of Men and Officers, both at Home and on Embarking for -Foreign Stations, with a variety of other necessary information.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A <span class="smcap">Chart</span>, shewing the comparative Rank of every Officer in -the Army, Navy, Marines, Ordnance, Artillery, Engineers, Medical -Department, Militia, Volunteers, &c. &c. &c. &c.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>An OFFICER'S LAST LEGACY to his Wife and Family; being a complete -Collection of the Rules, Orders, Regulations, and Instructions, -relative to the Pension and Allowances granted by Government to the -Widows and Orphans of Officers dying in his Majesty's Service, whether -belonging to the <i>Army</i>, <i>Navy</i>, <i>Artillery</i>, or <i>Marines</i>.</p> - -<p>Together with correct Tables of the Pensions, as increased from the -25th of June, 1806; as also of the King's Bounty to the Widows and -Relations of Officers Killed in Action or Dying of their Wounds, and -Forms of the Applications, Affidavits, and Certificates, necessary for -obtaining the same, &c. &c. &c.</p> - - - - -<p class="center"><small>Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-Street, Holborn.</small></p> -<div class="transnote">Transcriber's note: Original spelling, including probable inconsistencies, -has been retained. -</div> - - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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