Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-08-10
F o r EIG N.
VIA NETWORK.
Austrian adicial accozsats Of the battles efthe
21st and ed Of 1lay.


emperor Napoleon in person, has been to-
tally beaten on the 21st and I'D OF this
month, at Aspern and Essling, by the Aus
triaan army, commanded by the Archduke
Charles. Several days before the two san
culinary ones, the French army had pre-
pared a grand attack, by movements and
demonstrations upon line or leagues
opposite Vienna, above and below that CT
ty. The Archduke who on the 16ih and
18th of May had collected and concentrat-
ed the columns of his army IN line paral-
ell with the left bank, was eager only to Sc
cond the ardor of his troops to come'ln con-
tact with the enemy, and to take their re-
venge for the battles Of the 10Th, Goth, 21st
and 22d of April. The opportunity was
afforded them on the Goth.
The emperor Napoleon evinced deter
animation to pass the Danube by a, bridge
whose right was upon Labou, an isle OF the
Danube, two leagues long and three tourths
wide. It is below Vienna, and league
and a half ,lissan, by the right bank, ana 8
leagues by the left the Danube making an
arm, whose angles both outside and inside
served for support to the devclopement OF
the French army. The archduke did not
attempt to oppose the passage. The frsne .
troops who had already debouehed, and
who took part in the battle Of the 21st,
chiefly consisted Of three divisions, g-nc,
rails Legrand's, ST.. Cyr's aud Molitor's and
strong body Of cavalry. 1t was thought
at first, by the movements Of the french
army, that it wished to push its line upon
the village of Aspern on It's left, and On the
village Of Essling, little more advanced,
ON its right.
The two armies began the battle about 4
P. NJ. on the 2lst, and after the most obsti-
nate resistance, the French army was DIR
ven back to the Danube, with the exception
of the extremity OF the wood on the bank,
where they continued to maintain them
selves. The firing had lasted without IN
terruption until / 1 at night, and night alone
prevented us from clearing the banks OF the
Danube.
On the ed at 4, P. NJ. the attack recon-"
menced. In the mean time the emperor
: Napoleon had brought all his army both up
on the Labou and in front OF the Danube,
and it resumed the sameline as on the pre-
ceding day. His force was on that day
$4,000. Besides,the French corps, she had
brought over par, of the Bavarlans, andthe
Baden and Hesse Darmstadt contlngents.
A part of his guards and all his curassers
and heavy cavalry were in the field.
The emperor Napoleon had proceeded to
the left bank of the Danube, and directed
all the movementsof his army. AT first the
latter had some advantage, and ordered the
cavalry to charge and support the infantry,
which. had reinforced itself in Essllng, and
had again taken post in Aspern; but the
repeated charges of the cavalry could not
pierce our centre. Here prince John, OF
Lichtenstein, commanded to whom the,
victory is in a great measure to be attrlbut-
ed.
The Austrian infantry, who on this bril-.
liant day, performed prodigies OF valor
formedquiekly en- masse, and sustained all
the shocks of the cavalry without suffering
themselves to be penetrated. The adnlra-
BILE FIRE Of our artillery soon thinned the
ranks OF the cavalry. In fine our reserve
of grenadiers was put in motion to retake
Aspe IN for the lasttime, which, in the space
of "a hours, had been taken and retaken 10
times and to carry Essling, where every
house had, sit were been takenby storm.
The stoutest resistance was large build
ing at Essling, which had beena magazine
for corn, and which By its thickness was
proof against bullets, and the fire of the.ar-
t;liery. All the French who were IN As
perm and Essllng perished, either in the at
tack or in the flames that consumed entirely
the two places. The streets as well as the
road that conmtlnic ates from one to the o.
Their were choaked with cuirrassiers, their
arms and horses. Our infantry had at