The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-07-12 00:00:00

way of Anderklu, without
with the fourth column, between
Breitenlee, and straight to the
continually at sack a distance
of the third and fourth colamus,
easily, to be nose at band fur
toiling the main body of the
The grmiadier cum of reserve
Sciering into the p4Mtibte which
'garde has taken up behind Gerasdoi..
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
edvaiicedgeard. The order of march, and the
'distribution of the lickl-pieces, to be left to the
judgment of the Commanders of the respective
corps. The whole will march by half divisions.
Klenau to form the advanced
guard of the fourth and fifth columns, and, be-
fore he advauces, to suffer the heads of these co-
, Imam 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 Vessey to be attached to the second
column, and the regiment O'Reilly to the third;
I and both brigades are to repair immediately, the
former to Gerasdorf, and the latter to Sussen-
I brunt'. The principal object in view is to drive
I back the enemy entirely over the first arm of the
I Danube, destroy the bridges he has thrown over
them, and occupy the bank of the Loban with a
numerous artillery, especially howitzers. The
infantry will form on the plain in battalions, with
half divisions from the centre. the Imperial
Highness the General in Chief recommends order,
closeness during the advance, and a proper use of
every species of arms. His station will be with
the second column.

" Gertudarf, May 21, 1809."
lit Column 19 Battiditins 9.2 Squadron.
Yd ----40 l6 ---
----- 42
4th----
sth--19 \ 16 --
Cavalry ..... . . ii.....----
(Iretadiets 16

103 148
AU which amounted to 75,00 D 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 pas-
sage. The extensive villages of Ealing and As.
peen, mostly composed of brick houses, and en-
circled all round by heaps of earth, resembled
two bastions, between which is 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. Biting had a granary furnished with loop-
holes, and %those three stories afforded room fur
several hundred men, while Aspern was provided
with a strong church-yard. The left side of the
latter village borders on an arm of the Danube.
Both villages had a safe communication with the
bushy ground near the Danube, from which the
canny had it constantly in his power to dispatch,
unseen, fresh reinforcements. The Isle of Lobes'
served at once as a place of arms, and an a tete-
de-posit, a bridge-head fur the bridge, in the rear
across the main arm of the river. _

The enemy with the divisions of Generals Mo.
liter, Boudet, Nansouty, Lcgrandc, Espagne,
Lasalle, and Fcrrand, under the Marshals Mas-
ses& and Lassies as well as Marshal Bessieres, to.
gether with the Guards of the Wurtcmberg,
Hesse Darmstadt and Baden auxiliaries, had al.
ready left this position, and was directing his
march towards Hirschstetten, when the first Aus.
trian guards advanced to meet him.
If it be at all permitted in war, to indulge fa-
vourable presentiments, it was certainly excusable
so to do at that groat mon►ent, when, on the ?Ist
of May, exactly at twelve o'clock, the columns
began to pet themselves in motion for the attack.
A general enthusiasm had taken possession of the
troops, joyful war-songs, accompaniel by Turkish
music, resounded through the air, and were in.
terrupted by shouts of " Long live our Emperor,
long live the Archduke Charles !" whenever the
Imperial General appeared, who had placed him.
self at the head of the second column. Every,
breast panted with anxious desire and high confi.
deuce after the decisive moment; and the finest
weather favoured the awful scene.

BATTLE OF THE SST OF MAY.
First Column.

The advanced guard under General' Nordman, I
consisting of two battalions of Oyulay and Lich-
tenstein Hussars, had formed near the destroyed
bridge of Tabor, and leaving the villages of Ka.
gran and Hirchstetten to-the left, and Stadlau 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 Stain.
mersdorf, had marched from the right by half di.
visions. Its right flank along the Danube was co-
vered by a battalion of St. Georgians, by the first
battalion of Vienna volunteers, and by a battalion
of militia, under the command of Major Count
Colloredo. Within a cannon shot of Stadelau the
outposts mct the enemy's piquet!, which gradually
retreated to their original divisions. At this time
j General Nordmao ordered two battalions of Gyu.
lay to draw up en echelon, in order to favour the
advance of the column. The enemy, drawn up in
large divisions, stood immediately before Aspern,
having to cover his front, occupied all the ditches
of the fields, which afforded excellent breast-
works. His right was covered by a battery, and
his left by a broad and deep ditch (one of those
that carry off the waters of the Danube when it
overflows) as well as by a bushy ground, which
was likewise occupied by several bodies in close or.
der. Though the enemy had the advantage of po.
iltion all to himself, inasmuch as the freshet of the
Danube were only passable by means of a small
bridge, at which he kept up a vigorous fire from
bellied the ditches both with cannon and small
arms, it did not prevent the second battalion of
Gyelay, immediately after the first had penetrated
as far as the badly meadows, to pass the bridge la
a miens, to form without de!ay, and charged

the enemy, who precipitately
.., on which occasion that vil.
woes bdt not very obstinate resis.
for the first time. It was, how.
Ire the enemy had it itibialmiser
fresh reinfurcement, to impel'
.of Gynlay. By this lime some
, the column had arrived, the chasseurs
Schneider, of the 2tl column, joined the
/tweed guard of the Ist ; Gyulay formed again,
and the enemy was a second time pushed to the
lower end of the village, though he succeeded again
in regaining what he had lost.
Rods parties were aware of the necessity oil
maintaining themselves in Aspern at any rate,
which produced successively the most obstinate ef.,
'fillets of both attack and defence ; the parties en..
*wed each other in every street, in every house,'
mod in every barn ; carts, ploughs, and harrows,
were obliged to be removed during an ioninterrupt.
alli fire, in order to get at the enemy ; every indi.
Waal 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 con. 4
quercd before either of the parties could stile it.
self master of the place, and yet the possession.
was csnr 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. S.
this murderous conflict lasted for seven hoists;
the Germatsisattalions were supported by Hunga.
Tian', ho were again assisted by the Vienna vo.
linkers, each rivalling the other in courage and
perseverance. At the same time the 24 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 General Vaquant of the '2d
column succeeded in becoming master of the upper
part of the village, and maintaining himself there
during the whole of the night.
By the shells of both parties many houses had
been set on tire, and illuminated the whole coun.
try around.
At the extremity of the right wing on the bushy
meadow the combats were not less severe. The
left lank of the enemy was secured by an arm of
the Danube ; impenetrable underwood, intersected
only by footpaths, covered his (runt ; and a broad
ditch and palisalues afforded him the advantage of
a natural rampart.
Here fought at the beginning of the battle the
Ist Battalion of Gytilay under Colonel Mariassy ;
then the battalion of chasseurs tinder Major
Schneider ; next the St. Georgians under Major
Mihailovich, and finally, the two battalions of
Vienna Volunteers under Lieut.-Col. Stegentescb
and St. Quenten. Here also the enemy was de-
feated ; and the first day of this sangui nary en.
gagement terminated by the occupation of Aspens
by General Vacquant, at the head of eight bathe.
lions of the second column, while Lieut. Field.
Marshal Hiller drew the troops of his corps from
the village, placed them again in order of battle,
and passed the night under arms.

THE STATESMAN.
..
catalog into cootaet bayonets to attack 1
/teen item:Woe( and .retreattal to Aspern,
e Now Los, keepia4 Cage, after a vigoroul
e between, the beads bums, was taken foe
as, as, in case of ne. ever, nut long befor
ur the purpose of re. by the arrival of a
.raserny's cavalry.— again the battalions
rye to march from battalions of the col
ch this corps of Dcl. of Major Schneider;
Gerasdorf. All the advanced guard of t