Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-08-11

Instant by the right bank and thr e
leagues by the left the Danube max
ing an arm, whose angles both inside
and outside, served for support to
the developement OF the french army.
The archdnke did not attempt to OPP
pose the passage. The French troops
VINO had already debouched, AID Who
took part in the battle ofthe 2tss, chief.
ly consisted Of three divisions, gems.
Legrand's, St. Cyt', and AIolitor's
and astrong body Of cavalry. II was
thought at first, by the movements o..
the French army, that ;r wished TO
push its line upon the village of As
perm on its left, and on the village Of
Easling, little more advanced, on lis
right.
The two armies begin the battle a
bout 4 p. NJ. on the 2Ist-and after
the most obstinate resistance, the
French army was driven back TO the
Danube, with the exception ct the ex.
tremity of the wood on the bank,
where they continued TO niaintain
themselves--The ssing had lasted
without interruption until i at night,
aud night alone prevented us from
clearing the banks ofthe Danube.
On the 7sd at 4 p. NJ. the attack re-
commenced: In the mean time the
emperor Napoleon had brought all his
army both upon the Labou and in
front of the Danube, and it resumed
the same line as on the preceding day.
His force was on that day SO, OOo.-
Besides the French corps, he had
brought over part ofthe BIvarians, and
the Baden and Hesse Darmstadt con-
tingents. A part of his guards and
all his cuirassiers and heavy cavalry
were in the field.
The emperor Napoleon had proceed
ed to the left bank of the Danlbc, and
directed all the movements of his ar
my. At first the latter had some ad-
vantage, and ordered the cavalry TO
charge and support the infantry, which
had reinforced itself in Essling, and
had again taken post in Aspern but
the repeated charges of the cavalry
could not pierce our centre. Here
Prince John of Lichtenstein commar-
ded, to whom the victory is in a great
measure to be attributed.
The Austrian infantry who On this
brilliant day, performed prodigies of
valor, formed quickly en- raasse, and
sustained all the shocks Of the cavalry
without sui ering themselves to be pen
etrated. The admirable FIRE of our
artillery soon thinned the ranks of the
cavalry. In fine our reserve of grena-
diers was put in motion to retake AS
perm for the last time, which in the
space of Is hours, had been taken &
retaken 10 times and to carry Ess-
ling where every house had, as it were
been taken by storm.
The stoutest resistance was large
buildingar Essling, which had been
for corn, and which by its
thickness was proof against bullets,
and the FIRE of the artillery. All the
French who were in A5pern and Ess-
ling persisted, either in the attack or in
the flames that consumed entirely these
two places. he streets as well as
the road that communicates from one
tn the other were choaked with cui-
rassiers, their arms and horses. Our
infantry had atlength made itself mas
tiers OF these two principal posts, and
overthrow every thing that was oppo-
sed to it. The eEemy, therefore, per-
cciying that his communication with
the Danube was threatened, fastened
his retreat. AT 4 in the afternoon he
was repulsed at all points and in the
evening he re. crossed to the Lobau,
leaving on the field Of battle grea,
Number dead and wounded, cannon,
an infiniiy of Cuirasses and musqueta.
Since the night Of the 22d our army
has encamped on the field of battle,
which extends along the Danube.
The greater part Of prisoners we have
made are cavalry and light infantry.
General Durosnel, FIRST equcrry, and
governor of the pages of the emperor
Napoleon, doing the duty OF one of his
aid dc camps in the battle, was taken
on the Dad at in the morning, at
tha L Ill