The National Register. — London, England, 1809-07-16 00:00:00

454 bridge, in the rear across the main arm of the river. The. enemy avith the divisions of Generals Molitor, ISoadet, Nausonty, Le gran►i, Espague, Lasalle, and Ferranti, under the 'Marshals Massena and Lasnes, as well as Marshal 13essieres,. together w it h the Guards of the Wirtemburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, and Ilaadea auxiliaries, had already left this position, and was directing his march towards Hirschstetten, when the first Aus:rian advanced guards met him. If it he at all permitted in war to indnlge fa vourable presentiments, it was certainly excusable so to do at that great moment. when, on the 21st of May, exactly at twelve o'clock, the columns began to put themselves in motion for the attack .—A general enthusiasm had taken possession of the troops; joyful war-songs, accompanied by Turkish music, re sounded through the air, and were interrupted by shouts of " Long live our Emperor, long live the Archduke Charles!" w henever the Imperial General appeared, who had placed him self at the head of the second column. Every breast panted with anxious desire and high confidence after the decisive ato useut ; and the finest weather favOured the awful scene. BATTLE OF THE 21ST OF MAY. • FIRST COLUMN. The advanced guard under Gederal Notdman, consisting of two • battalions of Gs ulay and Lichtenstein hussars, htid formed near the destroyed bridge • of Tabor, and leaving theiillages of Ka gran and Ilirsebstettin to the left, anti Stadia,' la..the right, marched in the plain towards Aspeen; It waiifollowed by the ' column which, having left the High •Ilmad before the Post-office: at Stammersdorf, had marched - from the right by half divisioaii.' its right flank along the Danube was covered by a bat talioatif St. Georgians; by the first battalion of 'V iefina NiOlunteers, ainit by a .battalion of Militia, under tlie - -?onunand of getjur coati . Collot-do. Within a cannon shot of Stadelati the outposts in . f t: the enemy's piquets, which gradually retreated to their original . divisions. At this time General•Nottlinran ordered twit battalions. of Gyulay to dritiv up en echelton,' in order to favouPthe ad-: vance of the column. The enemy, deawn'utitalaile . diyisions, • stood immediately before Aspern,having.to ••coverhis front, or curled all the ditches of the fieldS, which - afforded evellent breast-works. Il is right was covered tiaqry;itild his telff by a broad and deep •iitch (one of those at carrY'Offthe water_ of the Danube when it overflows), as well as byp bushy ground; • whit!' was likewise occit)iied sever - al bodies in s elgse ouster. "Thott4h the enemy had the advantage of position all to himself, inwontien a the :re,hes of the Dioitt:-,e were t,nly passable by meats of' a •5m..11 !aitle, at which lie kept up a Vigerous ti;•e flaw ',en Owl the ditches both with cannon and small arms, it did not prevent the I second ' battalion of (n y lay, inimetlately after the tit•st had penetrated as far as Ole bushy meadows, to pass the bridge in a column, to form without delay, and with charged j bayonets to attack the enem . s ho pteeipitately retre a ted f p Aspen], on which occasion that vill•oe, af.er tiv4;nrous but nos •ery obstinate resistance, was taken r 'fOr the first time. It was, however ' not tong before the ebetny had it in his. pots er, by the arrival of a fresh reinfrarement, to expel ai, - ain the battalions of Guylay. By this time s!;:o. battalions of the column bad arrived, the C•hassnors of Schjeider, of the second co lumn, joined :i^ advancNl pt:trd of the first ; Guylay formed . again, and the enemy way a ;econd time pushed to the lower end of the village,though he sit. ga ceeded again in reining what be had lost. Both parties were aware of the nece:;sitt k , f maintaining them selves in Aspen: at any rate, whit h, pi otititefl sueeet . sively the most obstinate efforts bo'll of attack :wd di...felice; the partie s engaged each other in .•:er street, in !nery house, and in evert barn ; carts, ploughs, and liarrei 0.6 ere obliged .to be removed . during mit uninterrupted fire, in (inlet to g et at the enemy; eve rt individual wall was an impediment of th assailants, and a ran-- part of the attacked : the steeples, loftytrees, the garrets, am' the cellars were to be conquered before either of the parties could stle itself masters of the place, mad yet The possession. was ever of short duration; for no sookcr hair.vve takeu a street or house, than the enemy gained another, tot ci us to abandon th e former. So this murderous conflict lasted n; several hours : the German battalions were supported by ll unitarians, who were again assisted by the Vienna Voi un teer- , e;tch vit oiling the whet in courage and p.'rseveranre. At the wine time the secon , . column combined its attai ks wiih those of the first, having to overcame the -ame iesistance, by reason (if tho enemy's constant ly leading fresh rcinforcemeots into fire. At teogili Gewertii Vacquant of the second column succeeded in becoming master of the tipp.-r part of the village, nod maintaining hinorlf. co t .' durii g the whole of the aiLht. By the shells of both parties, JULY 16. many houses had been set on fire, and illuminated the whole country around. At the.extremitv of the ti;;l.t wing, on the bushy meadow, the combats were not less severe. The left dank of the enemy was secured by an arm of the Danube; im penetrahle twit mood, intersected only by footpaths, covered his front, and a broad ditch and pallisadoesltforded him the ad vantage of a natural rampart. Here fought, at the beginning of the battle, the fir.' battalion of Gynlay, under C:►to.:el Mariassv ; then the battalion of chas seurs under Major Schneider; next the St. “eorgians under Ma jor M ihallovich, and finally, the two battalions of Vienna vo lunteers, under Lieutenant-Colonel Steigentesch, and St. Quen tin. Here, also, the enemy was defeated ; and the first day of this sanguinary engagement terminated by the occupation of As tern by General Vacquant, at the head of eight battalion!: of the second column, while Lieutenant Field-Mar:hal Hiller drew the trnsps of his corps from the village, placed them again in order of battle, and passed the night under arms. TIE . NATIONAL REGISTER. SECOND COLUMN. The advanced guard, commanded by Lieutenant-General Fres nel, advanced by Leopoldeu and liagran.to‘vards Hirschstetten, and consisted of one battalion of chasseurs and t battalions An ton M itsovsl:y, under General S% inziegerode, a:: w ell ad the brigades•of cavalry, Klenrta; andlrineent, under Oencrallreewy. It was followed in the same direction by the cannot from its position near. Cerasdorf. The enemy baying be:eo.diseovered 'from - the eminences: near Ilirchstetten, to be near Aspen-, and Essl•ingen,. the brigade Veesey was . detached against tic tatter place,• and the . brigade IS'in!Ongerode 'to dislodge the eacmy frotp.Asperh.--•-The, column. deployed before Hirst kstetsten, in tyro lines, in order to support the advanced guard, and lea% ing Aspernto rite rig•trt;foll'owed upon the plain at a proper tante. 'The brigade WinzingerOde, how ever, mot t% W I so spirited turesistance in its attempt up'mc Aspen), than an attac k the front alone wasnot likely to be attended %f it!) success ; the env - 01 . y, th&refOre, '`f .the advanced guard was ;rushed for. :••war.d froth:A9peroon - the lefT; in order to support the attack on the flank with the tier) batteries of cavatty;uS well as to facit .tate the junrtirrwwlth the third eolurnit'lvhi'ch nal advancing by lirelteelee. tim•satue time the regiment of Voss 1 3 !itt;ett %vat , ordered to the rlghtsivie brAspern, with a view to ,an attack on that place, the•-rest - vrtl4o'.'cutlis 'Wait 1'41'4;4 into close co. lumns of battalinns. " •• '• • • Meanwhile the enemyform ed Lis left wing, wh.icli l.e refused,. tuward3 Aspern, and his rignt' upon Esslingen. Thus he ad vance& r• L ith calumalvof iaraotry and ca• airy' upon t..e inain a rity while an treinely la r fsk cannonade sti yp() rted hi lire ~f tWelve'regiments iiteniraiSiers formed the erntre of the wetind tine of lhe enemy, giving to the: whole an inipt*i a•- pet 1. . Meant hile the attack, of a• baltal ion of [truss— Hanoi yo .11)ern %vas repulsed, and itgave wai., being thriiwn 'into con3ter::ation by the loss'of its cUmurander,lmt it rallied iminediatelytfter, ••,:nunt Bellegarde I -ordered 6cticral Sar4nant to renew tic at tack with the regiment of Vogelsang, artitto carry the village at all, hazards. The latter obeyed the order with the most brilliant suetess v aud Aspera; tleaugh defended by 12,0QU - of the beg of the enemy's troops, was carried by'storm ; Baciitiant being as sisted by the.regiinent of fteus• Planen, by a battalion of Arch. dukes Rainer, - and by.the brigade'oflluiet ot the third To .frustrate this attack, the enemy advanced with ttto co luntus of infantry,.supported by his heavy cavalry, upon the main army, repulsed ttie,rwo'regiinentS of 'lluttait and 'Vincent's light horse, .t.tnd fell hpon the 'infantry. 'F h' latter t' ;pet log him with their , firelocks' ready; and with con[ intrepidity, tired at ten paces distance so effectually' as totally' rout (hi' enemy, upon which GeneraiVee.sey, at the brad Of a dis of klenan l attacked the enemy 'S.ctirrassierS WI such energy that their re. treat was fo;lowed by Ow. of •the infantry: Hereby the army nlong the whole 4:+f its fine was disengaged' frnm the enemy, ob t:tineil .corainunicai ion ,ou the:left with' the corps of Of Prince I 1 o henznltern, and tor.tme posl.essed of the - 4)1,611am post of As pen). The enemy.lieihg iu full'retreitt attempted no further at lack, ail(' confined himself inertly to,a d The corps remained during the night under aunts. The enetaj repeated, indeed, his attacks en Asperti, but they all prose(' unsuccessful. 1 Ii 1.111) V. , This column, accordiog to its tirstigation, hul began its mareh from its posit:llM at . se.lering, b the road of Atietibi ono and iireitertlee: Some 's Jight hon.r aii 3 l chits si;ors rmed the.. titivaticsd &caul of At! -rultimo, and. at three ~ :tioric- i n the afiernomi,met near liiirettStetteo, the left wirg of the enemy, which consisted mostly of cavalry. As about this time