Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-08-22

Such were the events OF the 21st, which
we separate from the remainder Of the mar
ratiye, because they naturally suggest an
important remark. According to the French
bulletin, the Austrians were broken and
routed in every part on this day, the Dist;
vet according to the same bulletin they re-
NAMED in their former position all the night
of the 21st, until in the morning, when,
from the occurrence of the alledged acct
dent Of the bridge, they rallied and made a
tremendous attack on the French. Now
there seems to us an evident inconsistency
in these accounts. II the Austrians had
been SO completely routed, if they had been
even beaten beyond mere repuise on the
21s., they could not have maintained the
field during the night.
The inference which we would wish to
deduce is, that from the inconsistency Of
these accounts it is not true that the Austri-
ans were defeated on the 2lst. The mere
point Of fact most probably IS, that they at
tackled the French on their having crossed
the river, because the mere circumstance OF
the passage rendered such moment the
most advantageous one for attack, and the
archIuke Charles seems very wisely to have
adopted the practice Of hazarding no more
general battles, unless under circumstances
Of an evident advantage on his side.
1t is probable that in this attack the Aus
TRANS were repulsed /; that is to say, that
they did not succeed in compelling the enc
to evacut,e his position. But it seems evil
dent from what is above stated, that, neither
were the Austrians driven from their posi-
tons. Each party seemed IN a condition to
look the other boldly in the face. If this be
the true state of things, it Is very material.
A repulse, and particularly in an offensive
attack, is not defeat or any thing like it.
The assault may indeed be very effective
though ii be ultimately repulsed; that is to
saw, though it have not effected its whole
purpose.
Such, therefore, seems to have been the
state Of things on the 21st; the French re-
tanning their position, and the Austrians, as
confessed by the French, retaining theirs.
On the following morning Bonaparte, it is
stated, received the sudden information
that the bridge over the Danube was brok en-
down; that his front was thus separated
from his rear, and that all his ammunition
was on the other side OF the river. The
French bulletin, in the very terms in which
it speaks of this $ unhappy event, this
shocking accident" directly implies, that
they have suffered from it in no common
degree. They would l,,I not term that a
ed to them most " shocking" disasters. The
bulletiu proceeds to state that this discovc-
~ threw the French into some confusion
another important Acknowledgements. The
Austrians perceived this confusion, availsd
themselves of it, and immediately com.
menced most tremendous fire of 200 pie.
ces Of cannon and $4,000 musquetry. In
the attack LIKEWISE, according TO the French
bulletin, the Austrlans were repulsed, and
the French remained masters of the field.
In this manner passed the 22d. On the fol-
lowing day, or rather during the night of
the 22d, the French army retreated to an
island on the Danube, separated only bv
channel from the bank. The loss on the
22d and Esd is acknowledged in the bulletin
to have been very great, and several gene
rails are nonnally mentioned to have been
killed and wounded at the head of their re-
spectlve troops. According to the French
bulletin, however, the French remained un-
moested on the island on the Esd and Oath,
and were about to re- construct the bridges. |
Such is the French narrative, that is to
say, the confessed and acknowledged state
OF facts. and which we tbink f,}lv warrants |
the following most important conclusion:
l. That the removal of the bridges on
the Danube, and the separation of Bona
parte from his rear and ammunition, the
AuStrlanS were enabled To nla.. unan H. |