The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-29
From, the 1st Jauua.'y 10 sac SOFA December.
1907. fHciUS;I,e
ON THE DANUBE.

a. In the Aurora of the 23d, there are
nearly FIVE columns of Speculation on the
past and present relations of the French and
Austrian armies After having replied with
much ability to the suggestion. that "jutg-
ing from the unusual and protractcd inacti-
witty of the French Emperor, it would ap-
pear that he had been in some measure in
duced tlchoSge the plan Of tho campaign
and attempted to show, that " his not ad.
vancing, any more than his delay in pro-
ceetling to another action, is not an indica-
ton OF any other than his Gust omary LoGcy,
| and perhaps that in which his policy is
| most profound'-the Editor winds up his es-
say by the following remarks on the f,ro6a6le
| course IF events:
Having given our ideas of what we con-
ceive to DE mistakes in others, we shall now
ehedeavor to suggest what we conceive to be
the probable course of events, and we are
now within. perhaps. twenty days of being
put right, if we have misoonceived.
The occupation of Vienna, will probably
nave been made nse of to prepare that city.
and the Austrian domnions west and south
of The Danube. to receive new master. and
| new dynasty. The collection nf forage,
provisions and pay for the army of France
ana its allies, will likewise form n matcriab
nLJect; and the negotiations opened with the
hungarian nobles, will have been Conducted
with vigilance during the suspension of mi
litary move rnent
The approach of the Russians, left them
only five days march from the right of the.
Austrian army the middle OF June, and mi
litary operations consentaneous, fror Pre-
burg to OlmutZ, mast have commence d abo,t
the OF. of July.
What course would the Austrians pursue
Would they make stand in Moravia. or
| Bohemia, or throw back their right wing
upon the river Rosbsch, and secure a retreat
, into Hungary, over the Moraves
1t they were to concentrate their force in
Morava. they must either attack the Russi-
ans by detachment. and beat them, if Bona
Parte viii let them or risking a battle fall
| III upon Bohemia, and endcavor to make a
defensive war, such as DaUn made on the
same classic defiles and vallies Z: but they
"ollid have there 4 country exhausted Of
military resources; and an army ad anc-,
ing from Westphaia to cut off all supplies
from the north of Germany and from Swa-
oia 10 attempt entering Sucsia, would be
| TO put the hand in the mouth of the tiger.
the only alternatives left them would be to
make a stand, or retreat of maueuyre
in Moravia. and fall back upon Hungary
or risk the fate of the house of Lorraine in
general action. within view OF Vienna
and determined to rally. if defeated, beyond
| the Morave river, and invoke the proven
bal generosity and pride of the Rungarians.
Whether they make stand in Moravia or
in hungary, the corps Of Ferdinand will fall
IN with the archduke's right; and the arch
tiuke jonn with his left; these will give him
force much about this amount
Array before Vienna, 1ss 0oo
Archduke Ferdinand's corps, 60 O00
Archduke Johns corps. 40 COO
Hungarian levy west of the Danube. SIS OvO
: Total. ae2 900
Probably this estimate is so or 40, OoObe
low the real numbers but even these. di.
Vldeo INTO three grand corps, would give
three disposable armies, of &C, 600 men each.
with reserve to each of the three armies
OF near 3O,0oo men each and this arrange
ment would perfectly accord with the new
french tactics, which the Archduke adopt
ed after the battle of Austerlitz.
The first of these corps might have it's
heaq quarters at Znavm, in Moravia, ex
tentilngits right to Nicolsburg. and Fields
burg. on the Taya river, above its confluence
| with the Morave The second corps. yith
Its left at Esenberg, twenty miles north of
krems, on the Danube, and extending it's
right, say to Sonneberg, Halabrunn. Gamers
drof and HOLDEN Rupertorf The third
corps, withits head quarters at Kornnew-
burg on tie Danube, ten miles north of Wen
ma, extending east across the Rosbach hold
ing the passes of Pochkstyss, Steia Lirchen
ana ODER Siebrunn, with their magazines
and archives, at Marchegg, or Theigarten,
on the Brave.
| In these positions, they would have all the
advantages of distribution, for subsistence.
and contiguity, for immediate concentration:
be prepared to repel the Russians keen the
communication open with Bohemia and Hun
gary and be ready to cooperate against the
French, should they again cross the Danube.
| The Rosbach itself, tho small river. would
form an admirable line of defence for this
army, and it is in no part of its Course more
than u miles from the Danube opposite vi
emma only miles
The French force may perhaps be estima-
ted as follows:
Five corps d'armee at 90 900 each, 100 600
Bernadotte and Saxoils, 20 600
Bavarians, Aoooo
Prince Eugene's army, $1,000
The Dalmatian army, az ma
Total, oA. non
Of these half the Bavarians, 10000 the
DaiinatIan corps, $1,000. and one French
cops darmec, 10000, amounting to Is. 900
men, must be left in lower Austria and vi.
emma, and along the frontier of Syria and "a
rInthia, as corps of observation. reducing the
disposable foice to 10000. But in lieu Of
these the three Russian corps must amount
to 20, 900 each, that is 10000 men, making
the French and Russian disposable force