islands and low bushy ground behind the town were occupied by some light troops of the corps of Hiller, as well as by militia.

The corps itself was posted on what is termed "the point," on the left shore of the river, waiting the arrival of the army, which was advancing in haste. The occupation of Vienna formed too essential a part in the extensive plans of the French Emperor; its conquest had been announced by him with too much confidence, and was of too great importance towards confirming the prejudice of his irresistible power, for him not to employ every method of taking it before the assistance which was so near could arrive.

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

The Archduke received this intelligence in his head-quarters between Horn and Meissau, and though it was scarcely to be expected that the city, surrounded as it was, should continue its resistance, the Archduke proceeded on his march without interruption, flattering himself that he might be able to execute his favourite project by a bold attempt to pass the Danube near Vienna.

The cavalry, for the convenience of water, was posted along the Russ, a small rivulet, which is concealed by ground covered with bushes, and the advanced guards pushed forward to the Danube, in order to observe the movements of the enemy, and prevent his passing the river, which he had already attempted to do from Nussdorf, to what is called. the Black Lake, but with so little success, that a battalion of his advanced guard was taken. The chain of the outposts extended on the left side as far as the March, and on the right to Krems; this place and Presburg were occupied by some battalions; and the head quarters of the Archduke were, on the 16th of May, at Ebersdorf, near the high road leading to Brunn.

On the 16th, the outposts reported, that the enemy had taken possession of the great island of Lobau, within about six English miles of Vienna; that his numbers increased there every hour, and that he seemed to be employed in throwing a bridge across the great arm of the Danube behind the island. From the top of the Bisamberg, the whole of the opposite country appeared to be enveloped in a cloud of dust, and the glitter of arms evinced a general movement of troops beyond Summering, towards Kaiser-Ebersdorf, whither, according to later accounts, the Emperor Napoleon had removed his head-quarters, and was by his presence hastening and promoting the preparations for passing the river.

On the following morning, at daybreak, the Archduke resolved to reconnoitre the island, and employ for this purpose part of the advanced guard, under the command of Field Marshal Lieu. tenant Count Klenau, supported by some regiments of cavalry.

The isle of Lobau forms a convenient place of arms, which is about six En

In this situation of affairs, the Archduke resolved to collect his army at the foot of the hill Bisamberg, and allow it a few days of rest, which, after so many forced marches, it urgently wanted.

broad, and being separated by the large arm of the Danube from the right bank, nothing prevents the building of a bridge, which is concealed by ground covered with bushes; and the great extent of the island affords the advantage of sending troops and ordnance from so many points of it, that the passage across the smaller arm to the large plain of Marchfield may be made good by force of arms.

It was soon perceived, by the strength

of

of the enemy's columns which advanced upon the island, and placed their cannon 'so as to support the second passage, that he meditated a serious attack. The advanced guard sustained a tolerably warm engagement, and the cavalry routed the first division of the enemy, which debouched from the low grounds on the edge of the river, late in the evening; upon which the Archduke, whose intention was not to prevent the passage of the enemy, but to attack him the following day, retreated with his cavalry to Anderklaa, and ordered the advanced troops to fall back to Maass, according as the enemy should extend himself.

On the 21st at day-break, the Archduke ordered his army under arms, and formed it in two lines on the rising ground behind Gerasdorf, and between the Bisam-hill and the rivulet Russ. The corps of Lieut. Gen. Hiller formed the right wing near Stammersdorf; on its left was the corps of the general of cavalry Count Bellegarde, and next to that the corps of Lieutenant General Prince Hohenzollern in the alignement of Deutsch-wagram. The corps of Prince Rosenberg was posted by battalions in column on the Russbach on the rivulet Russ, kept Deutsch-wagram strongly occupied, having, for the security of the left wing, placed on the heights beyond that place a division en reserve. The whole cavalry, which the day before had advanced under the command of Prince Lichtenstein by An derklaa, was called back into the line, filling, in two lines, the space intervening between the left wing of Prince Hohenzollern and the right of Prince Rosenberg.

The vast plain of the Marchfield spread like a carpet before the front of the line, and appeared, by the absence of every obstruction, to be destined to form the theatre of some great event. The grenadiers remained in reserve near Seiering, and the corps of the general of artillery Prince of Reuss kept the Bisam-hill and the low bushy ground along the Danube strongly occupied. Part of it was still left near Krems, the corps being almost broke up by having so many of its divisions detached to so considerable a distance.

At nine o'clock, the Archduke ordered the arms to be piled, and the

troops to dine. The piquet of observation on the Bisam-hill reported that the bridge across the Danube behind the isle of Lobau, being now quite finished, was plainly perceivable, and that troops were without intermission seen filing off over it, as well as passing in boats, to the isle. The outposts, likewise, gave information of the gradual augmentation of the enemy in the town of Entersdorf, and in the villages of Essling and Aspern, and of his advancing towards Hirschstetten.

The Archduke Charles now thought that the moment for giving battle had arrived, and hastened to Gerasdorf, where the Chief of the Quarter-master General's staff, Gen. Baron Wimpfen, sketched out the following plan. Plan of attack upon the hostile army on its march between Essling and Aspern, and towards Hirchstetten,

The attack to be made in five columns. The first column, or the column of the right wing, is formed by the corps of Lieut. Gen. Hiller. It will advance from its present position in the direction between the "point" and Leopoldau, along the nearest arm of the Danube, pass along the left bank towards Stadelau and Aspern, keep constantly near the Danube and the meadows bordering upon it, and is vigorously to repulse the enemy, who most likely will meet it on the same road, and to drive him from the left bank. This column must not suffer its progress to be impeded by the batteries which the enemy perhaps may have erected on the islands, but must endeavour to silence them by its cannon, and spiritedly continue to advance.

"The second column consists of the corps of the general of cavalry Count Bellegarde; leaving Gerasdorfto the left, it will march towards Leopoldau, endeavour to join the first column on the right, advance upon Kagran, and then, conjointly with the third column upon the left, push forwards towards Hirschstetten.

"The third column is composed of the corps of Lieutenant General Prince Hohenzollern. It will march by Suffenbrunn to Breitenlee, and from thence towards Aspern, and will endeavour to join on its right side the second column, and on its left the fourth.

"The fourth column, under the command

mand of Lieut-General Prince Rosenberg, is made up of that part of his corps which is posted on the right bank of the rivulet Russ: it is to advance by Anderklaa and Raschdorf towards Essling.

"The fifth column is formed by that part of Prince Rosenberg's corps which . stands between Deutsch-wagram and Beamersdorf. It will cross the Russ near Beamersdorf, leave Raschdorf and Bischdorf to the right, endeavour to pass to the left round the town of Enzersdorf, and secure its left flank by the Archduke Ferdinand's regiment of hus

sars.

"The cavalry-reserve under the command of General Prince Lichtenstein, to march by the way of Anderklaa, without coming in contact with the fourth column, between Raschdorf and Breitenlee, and straight to the New Inn, keeping continually at such a distance between the heads of the third and fourth columns, as, in case of necessity, to be near at hand for the purpose of repelling the main body of the enemy's cavalry.

"The grenadier corps of reserve to march from Seiering into the position which the corps of Bellegarde has taken up behind Gerasdorf.

"All the columns and corps will march at 12 o'clock at noon. Their second lines to follow them at a suitable distance. Every column to form its own advanced guard. The order of march, and the distribution of the field pieces, to be left to the judgment of the Commanders of the respective corps. The whole will march by half divisions. Lieutenant-General Klenau to form the advanced guard of the fourth and fifth columns, and, before he advances, to suffer the heads of these columns to come quite up to him, in order that he may have at hand a sufficient support of infantry.

"Of the corps of cavalry, the brigade under the command of Veesey to be attached to the second column, and the regiment O'Reilly to the third; and both brigades are to repair immediately, the former to Gerasdorf, and the latter to Sussenbrunn.

"The principal object in view is to drive back the enemy entirely over the first arms of the Danube, destroy the bridges he has thrown over them, July 1809.

all of which amounted to 75,000 men, effective troops.

Of artillery, there were 18 batteries of brigade, 13 of position, and 11 of horse artillery; in the aggregate 288 pieces of different calibres.

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

The enemy, with the divisions of Generals Molitor, Boudet, Nansouty, Legrand, Espagne, Lasalle, and Ferrand,

under

under the Marshals Massena and Lasnes, as well as Marshal Bessieres, together with the guards of the Wirtemberg, Hesse Darmstadt, and Baden auxiliaries, had already left his position, and was directing his march towards Hirschstetten, when the first Austrian advanced guards met him.

If it be al permitted in war to indulge favourable presentiments, it was certainly excusable so to do at that great moment, when on the 21st of May, exactly at 12 o'clock, the columns began to put themselves in motion for the attack. A general enthusiasm had taken possession of the troops: joyful war-songs, accompanied by Turkish music, resounded through the air, and were interrupted by shouts of " Long live our Emperor, long live the Archduke Charles!" whenever the Imperial General appeared, who had placed himself at the head of the second column.

Every breast panted with anxious desire and high confidence for the decisive moment; and the finest weather favoured the awful scene.

BATTLE OF THE 21ST QF May.

First Column.

The advanced guard under General Nordman, consisting of two battalions of Giulay and Lichtenstein hussars, had formed near the destroyed bridge of Tabor, and leaving the villages of Kagran and Hirschstetten to the left, and Stadeau to the right, marched in the plain towards Aspern.

It was followed by the column, which having left the high road before the Post Office at Stammersdorf, had marched from the right by half divisions. Its right flank along the Danube was covered by a battalion of St Georgians, by the 1st battalion of Vienna volunteers, and by a battalion of militia, under the command of Major Count Colloredo.

Within a cannon shot of Stadelau the out posts met the enemy's piquets, which gradually retreated to their original divisions.

At this time General Nordman ordered two battalions of Giulay to draw up en echellon, in order to favour the advance of the column. The enemy, drawn up in large divisions, stood immediately before Aspern, having, to cover his front, occupied all the ditches of the

fields, which afford excellent breast works. His right was covered by a battery, and his left by a broad and deep ditch (one of those that carry off the waters of the Danube when it overflows), as well as by a bushy ground, which was likewise occupied by several bodies in close order.

Though the enemy had the advantage of position all to himself, inasmuch as the freshes of the Danube were only passable by means of a small bridge, at which he kept up a vigorous fire from behind the ditches both with cannon and small arms, it did not prevent th ad battalion of Giulay, immediately after the first had penetrated as far as the bushy meadows, to pass the bridge in a column, to form without delay, and with charged bayonets to attack the enemy, who precipitately retreated to Aspern, on which occasion that village, after a vigorous but not very obstinate resistance, was taken for the first time. It was, however, not long before the enemy had it in his power, by the arrival of a fresh reinforcement, to expel again the battalions of Giulay. By this time some battalions of the column had arrived, the chasseurs of Major Schneider, of the 2d column, joined the advanced guard of the 1st; Giulay form. ed again, and the enemy was a second time pushed to the lower end of the village, though he succeeded again in regaining what he had lost.

Both parties were aware of the necessity of maintaining themselves in Aspern at any rate, which produced successively the most obstinate efforts both of attack and defence; the parties engaged each other in every street, in every house, and in every barn; carts, ploughs, and harrows were obliged to be removed during an uninterrupted fire, in order to get at the enemy; every individual wall was an impediment of the assailants, and a rampart of the attacked; the steeple, lofty trees, the garrets, and the cellars, were to be conquered before either of the parties could stile itself master of the place, and yet the possession was ever of short duration; for no sooner had we taken a street or a house, than the enemy gained another, forcing us to abandon the former. This murderous conflict lasted for several hours; the German battalions were supported by Hungarians,

who

who were again assisted by the Vienna volunteers, each rivalling the other in courage and perseverance. At the same time the 2d column combined its attacks with those of the first, having to overcome the same resistance, by reason of the enemy's constantly leading fresh reinforcements into fire. At length Ge. neral Vacquant, of the 2d column, succeeded in becoming master of the upper part of the village, and maintained himself there during the whole of the night.

By the shells of both parties many houses had been set on fire, and illuminated the whole country around.

At the extremity of the right wing, on the bushy meadow, the combats were not less severe. The left flank of the enemy was secured by an arm of the Danube; impenetrable underwood, intersected only by footpaths, covered his front; and a broad ditch and pallisadoes afforded him the advantage of a natural rampart.

Here fought, at the beginning of the battle, the 1st battalion of Giulay, under Colonel Mariassy; then the battalion of chasseurs, under Major Schneider; next the St Georgians, under Major Michailovich; and finally, the two battalions of Vienna volunteers, under Lieutenant-Colonels Steigentesch and St Quentin. Here also the enemy was defeated; and the first day of this sanguinary engagement terminated by the occupation of Aspern by General Vacquant, at the head of eight battalions of the 2d column, while Lieutenant FieldMarshal Hiller drew the troops of his corps from the village, placed them again in order of battle, and passed the night under arms.

Second Column.

The advanced guard, commanded by Lieut.-General Fresnel, advanced by Leopoldau and Kagran towards Hirschstetten, and consisted of one battalion of chasseurs and two battalions of Anton Mitsovsky, under General Winzingerode, as well as the brigades of cavalry Klenau and Vincent, under General Veesey. It was followed in the same direction by the column from its position near Gerasdorf.

The enemy having been discovered from the eminences near Hirschstetten to be near Aspern and Esslingen, the

brigade Veesey was detached against the latter place, and the brigade Winzingerode, to dislodge the enemy from Aspern.

The column deployed before Hirschstetten in two lines, in order to support the advanced guard, and leaving Aspern to the right, followed upon the plain, at a proper distance.

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

Meanwhile the enemy formed his left wing, which he refused, towards Aspern, and his right upon Esslingen. Thus he advanced with columns of infantry and cavalry upon the main army, while an extremely brisk cannonade supported him. A line of 12 regiments of cuirassiers formed the centre of the second line of the enemy, giving to the whole an imposing aspect.

Meanwhile the attack of a battalion of Reuss-Plauen on Aspern was repulsed, and it gave way, being thrown into consternation by the loss of its Commander, but it rallied immediately after. Count Bellegarde ordered General Vac. quant to renew the attack with the regiment of Vogelsang, and to carry the village at all hazards. The latter obeyed the order with the most brilliant success, and Aspern, though defended by 12,000 of the best of the enemy's troops, was carried by storm; Vacquant being assisted by the regiment of Reuss-Plauen, by a battalion of Archduke Rainier, and by the brigade of Maier of the third column.

To frustrate this attack, the enemy advanced with two columns of infantry, supported by the heavy cavalry, upon the main army, repulsed the two regiments of Klenau and Vincent's light horse, and fell upon the infantry.

The