The National Register.
London, England, 1809-06-11 00:00:00

%4

great. rannher of trees, which were cot down during the late'
evects at Vienna, nod rafts which had been left on the hank ;
Eta that the bridges Which formed the communication hetuecn
the right hank anti (lit little island, and between the little island
and that of In-der-Lobau, bad thereby been carried au ay. This
rapid swell Which usually does not take place until the middle
of June on the melting of snow, has been accelerated by the
treat heat which has for some'days prevailed.—Ml the reserve
parks of artillery -which were advancing, were by the loss of
the brifoges detained on the right bank, as was also a part of
our heavy cavalry, and the whole of the Duke of Auerstadt's
corps. This dreadful accident induced the Emperor to put a
Stop to the movement in advance. • Ile ordered the Duke of
Montebello to keep the field of battle which had been recognised,
and then to take his position with his left wing resting on tt cur-
tain-work which the Duke of Rivoli covered, and his right
nwiag at Esling. The artillery nod infantry cartridges which
Uwe is sltu reserve park, could oat brought acrios the
riVer'e Thf. enemy wtt itt a most frightful state of disorder at
the moolent. when lteleariie,! that our bvidges were broken tiow
Thc plaeli-lia;,; of our tire, and the concentrating movement of
our army, SOW left hint no doebt respecting- this onforeieen nee'.
d.!at. All l:i. cann-o artillery equipage w hick were before
on the rol:eat, v ere agaia draw:* out line, and from nine in
the rnoroin;:. to seven is lac e en;ng, he made the most astet:ish-
inz e vertifmr.., sup par ic,l by th,• lire of 200 nieces of canna:), to
throw the aria in!o disi.rder ; hut his enrts tended
to his •,“ "Fhrice he atittrkA the VilinreF of Esling
a:l4 Gro•-Isi,.•rzt, thricf, he tiled t!.em 1t ith t.i &ad. The
Fusil: et: of the Guivid, commanded by General Monton, ac-
quired ;rent Wary; they defeated the reserve, formed of all the
Greind iers of the Austrian artily, and the only fresh troops
which t•entair:d to the 4sucmy. Lieat-ral Gross put to the sword
700 II ho had succeeded in entrenching themselves
in the Chtirch-yard of Lsling. The Tirail:cur2, under t!te cam-
;natal of General Curial, performed their first service this day,
wd proved thm.tltcy po:;sest..:l courage. General Dorsenne,
Col. Cammanding the Old Guard, posted his troops in the third
line, forming a brazen wall, which was alone capable at with-
starn:ing all the efforts of the Austriao army. The enemy dis-
charged 4G.600 cannon shot against us, while we, deprived of
our reserve parks, were under the necessity of sparing our
ammuoitioa lest some other unforeseen events occur.

In Vie evenii g the ettenty retutncd to his old position, which
he had pre& icots io the cioninensement of the attach, and we
temaioed masters of the field. ills loss is very great : it dieing
estimated by the most experienced officers that he left more than
12..00 dead on the fiebl. According to the reports of the pii-
sot.c's, the tae-ly have had 23 6encrids and OD Fttper i o r &beers
ailed or wounded. Lieutenant Field Marshnl Weber, 1500
ard four standards have fallen into our hands. Our loss has
been :onloideroble. We have 1100 killed,nnd 5000 ~rounded
Doke of Montehello &vas wounded by a catmon-ball in the
thigh, at six o'clock in the evening of the 'ad ; but an amputa-
ikon has taker place. and his life it out of danger. •A
-t first it
was thought he was killed, and bring carried to where the
Emperor wn•z, his adieu was tnost raecting. In the midst of all
the anxieties of the day, the Emperor gave himself up to the
expre:rima of that tender friendship which, during so many
%elm., he has eheri-hed fir this brave companion in arms. Some
tears roiled from his e&e,, and turnirg to those who surrounded
laitn, lea said—" My heart r,qui,-ed a painful stroke like tills, to
9aa,:c Inc hallo anj 61fier concern to day titan for tag army."
The Duke of Montebello &vas senseles?, hut recovered himself
in the presence of the F:o!ierfar : he embraced him and said'""'
" Within an Ur y(FI ICti Bate lost him teko dies with the glory
and Cie c being your bre. friend." _

Tice General of I)ivition, St. Hilaire, is alfo wounded; he is
one oft first Generals Frauce. General Durofnel, Aide-
de-camp to the I'. niperor, was alio killed by a canon:;-ball,
while he svii carding °Her. The soldiers displayed all that
coolness and intrepidity which is pr,et:liar to the Ft ench ;dose.
The waters of she Dair.ibe mill increasing, the brill-I,s of the
Danube could not In' resiored dui ink the ; t;ie eEmperor
theiefore ordered the ariny on the "23c1 to pa:4 the left bank
across the little arm, and take a position in the of In-
cLr-Lobau, protecting the le-les-du-pont. The works for re-
placing tha bridges are continued with ast4iduity, and nothing
will be undertaken until they are secure, not only 2g-elitist the
accidents of the water, but against any than; that may he at-
tempted a2,ainst them. The rise of the river, and the rapidity
of the stream, render much labour and great caution neeelsary.
On the morning of the !3d, when the army was biformed that
the Emperor hadordsied it to retreat to the great island, notking

JUNE 11•.

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could exceed the astoniiiiment of the brave troops. Victerioas
on both ways, they. had 'supposed that the remainder of the
army had joined them; hut when they were told that the WO
water carried away.the bridges, and that its coutioqed inerea,.e.
rendered a supply of their-ammunition and proOsions impracti-
cable, and that any movement in advame would be absurd, it
was with difficulty they could be persuaded of the truth of the
statement.
That bridges, eonstrinfed of the largest boats, of de
Danube, secured by double anchors and cables, should be
carried away, was a great and entirely unfoiscen dis-
aster; but it was extremely fornmate that the Luiperor
was not two. hours later of being Wm-tried of it. 'lle
army, in porsuieg the evenly, won4l have exhausted its amt,:Dl.
tion, wh:eh it would have been impossible to replace,
On the 23d a quantity of am:tuition was 'sent to the camp at
In-dce.Lobao. The battle of Esling, of which a clecut;,,,".
tiat report shall be macle, pointing out the 1:t-are tat u ; • .lt,-
tinguished therneltes 'her eio, will, is the es of pu,icritt, he
a ore., roemoris.l of the glory and it.erlible firmness of tl:e
French area''. The Dukes of Montebello and lit oh on th:.t
day • displali‘d all the powers of their military character.
the Emperor has . ;:hen the command of the Cd curl), 1,,
Count Oudinot, a Genetal• tried in a Tsui tirtd battles, in
which he has alr.gys evinced the posbessieu of equal eanirap
as skill.