Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-12-03
BATTLE OF LOBAU.

BATTLE OF LOBAU.
The annexed account-from Mr.. Headly's
sketch Of the career of LANES, in the last number
of the AMERICAN REvIEw--of The closing scene
in that gallant heroes life, and of the fearful rout
at Lobau. will be read with interest.-Ere. Gaz
In the summer Of 1909, after Vienna bad fallen
INTO Ills rIaIIus NapOleon determined pass the
Danube aud give tie Archduke Charles battle, on
the farther shore. The Danube, near Vienna,
flows in wide stream embracing many islands
in lis siuw and majestic movement over The PLAIN
Bonaparle resolved to pass it at two points at the
same time, at Nussdurf. about mile above Vi
emma and against the island Of Lobau, farther down
the river Lannes took charge of the upper pass
and Massena of the Iower-lhe two heroes of the
coming battle of Aspern. Lannes, failing in his
attempt, the whole army was concentrated at
Lobau. On the evening of the ninetee nth Of May,
Bonaparte surprised the Austrians OIL the island,
aud, taking possession of ii aud the other islands
around 1t, had nothing to do but 10 throw bridges,
| in order to march his army over TO the extended
! plains of Marchtield, that stretched away from
| The ba nix to the heights of Bisomberg where lay
( the Archduke with hundred thousand men,
Through unwearied efforts Bonaparte was able
to assemble on the farther shore, OH the morning
I of the Dist, forty thousand men. The Archduke
saw from The heights he occuped,every movement
of the French army which seemed by It's rashness
aud folly, be rushing into the very jaws Of des
| trucon.
| It was cloudess summer NORMA G, and as the
glorious sun came, flashing over The hill-tops, a
forest of glitteriug bayonets sent back lis beams.
The grass and flowers looked up snngly to the
blue heavens, both Of which seemed unconscious
\ Il. 81, IN Iaxr Inst
the sun had reached its meridian, the command
20 advance was heard along the heights answered
by shouts that shook the earth, and the roll OF
drums and thousand of ,rumpets. aud wild chorus.
es of the soldiers. While Bonaparte was still
struggling to get his army over the bridge, while
| Lannes' crops was on the farther side, and Da.
voust in Vienna. the Austrian army of eighty
thousand men came rolling down the mountain
side aud over the plain, like restless food. Four
,een thousand cavalry accompanied this magnifi-
cent host while nearly three hundred cannon came
trundlingwnh the sound ollhunder over the ground
The army advanced in five awful columns with a
curtain of cavalry 10 front 10 CONCEAL their move
mens and direction. Bonaparte looked with al
unQuet eye on this advancing host. while MS
own army was still separated by the Danube. IL
moment the fela in an uProar. Lannes
who had crossed, took possession OF Esslng, lit
tie village that stood half mile from the Dan
ube and Massena of AsperD, another village
standing at the same distance from the Danube
and nile and half from Essling. These two
villages we're the chief points Of defence between
which the French army was drawn up in a line
! Around these two vlages,in which were entrench
ed these two renowned leaders, were to be the
heat and strength of the battle. Three might!
J columns, were seen marching with Irm and rapI'
steps to Aspern, while towards EssilOg, where TIT
brave LanDes lay, countless host seemed mo
wing. Between, Numbered the two hundred an,
ninety pieces of cannon, as they slowly advances
1 enveoping the field in cloud of smoke, blottln.
out the MONDAY sun, and sending death and haro
amid the French ranks. As night drew on tn
conflic: became awful. Bursting shells explosion
of artillery, and voeys of muskstry,were mingIe
with shoutsOf victory and cries of terror wink
over ALL as if to drown all, was heard at intervals
The brayng of trumpes and strains of martial mu
sic. The villages in which Massena and Ian
mes maintained their ground with such unconquer
able frmness, took fire, and burned with re
flame over The nightly battlefield adding ten-fel
horror to the work of death. But we do not in
> tend to describe the first days battle. We sha
refer to it again when we speak of Massena an
. Bessieres, who fought with desperation and uu
conquerable frmness that astonshed even Napo
leon. At eleven o'clock at night the uproar
battle ceased. and through the slowly retirin
cloud of war that rolled away towards the Dan
o ube. the stars came out one by one, look on tn
a dead and the dying. Groans and cries loaded tn
midnight blast, while Tho sleeping host lay amos
Z in each others embrace. Bonaparte, wrapped
his military cloak, lay stretched beside the Dar
ube not half a mile from the enemy's cannon
The sen:inels could almost shake hands across tn
Il space that interviewed; and thus the living an
t the dead lay down together from the hard-fougf
field, while the silent cannon, loaded with deaf
were pointing over the slumbering hosts. Lue
i by the Danube, that rolled its turbulent flood b
his side, and canopied by the stars, Napoleon res
+ ted his exhausted frame while he revolved tn
: disastrous events Of the day, and pondered ho'
he might redeem his error Massena had lost mos
of Aspern but Lannes still held Essling, and ha
held it during one Of the most sanguinary struggle
of tina, ierceIy tough. battle. Early 10 the morn
! ing, as soon as the light broke over the easter
hills, the two armies were again on their feet, 40