The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-05-22
!, e.-.,,;ns , seni. circle around Es-

| r.. ,oods in advance Of the little bridge
-, a, that moment Count Bertrand sent word
thar the Danube was falling, that the bridge
was re.established, and that the parks were
psssins. As it was late, Napoleon resolved to
! re main ID position for il the enemy should
get possession of Essling, he foresa~ that it
would be very difficult 10 disfodge him, and
that il would cost a great deal of bloodshed TO
do ii. AT FIVE o'clock, the sharp shooters be-
| came engaged, and a heavy cannonade COM
menced. The Austrians were repulsed in ev-
cry attack upon Aspern and Esslng, and Tor
| three hours, 25,c00 Frenchmen kept their
| ground, without once being broken, against
The reiterated assaults of more than loo'ooo
enemies. The position of the fires oil the bl-
,ouacs, during the night, announced decls'
| i've battle on the morrow.
The French army, upon the two banks, was
superior to the enemy by 10000. The victory
| did not appear doubtful but at midnight the
Danube rose to fearful height, and the pos-
| sage Of the bridge, which was INSTRUCTED,
| could not be rest red until day. At that time
the guard and Oudinot's corps began to pass,
and effected the passage by moving with the
utmost celebrity. The Emperor mounted his
horse, he was full of hope, the destiny of the
House of Austria appeared settled. Arriving
at Essling, he ordered Marshal Lannes to
penetrate the centre of the Austrian army, and
the Young Guard TO debouch from Essling to
throw itself, at the decisive moment, upon the
left flank of the enemy, which rested upon
EnZersdorf, little village upon that branch of
the Danube which forms the island of Lobau.
That great officer deployed his divisions with
the ability and GOODNESS acquired by service in
a hundred battles. The enemy felt the impor-
lance ofpreventing his line from being pene-
trated but he had extended himselftoo much;
his line was several leagues long and he was
uot able to withstand the concentrated attack
of the forces directed against him. But at this
| time, the bridges were again broken, and the
| boats being carried several leagues down the
stream, it became impossible to re-estnblish
them before the lapse of several days. Halt of
| the culrasslers, the entire corps Of Marshal
Davout, and the artillery reserves, were still
upon the right bank. This was a terrible dis
aster but the plan ofthe operations had been
| arranged with so mach wisdom, and calcua-
ted with such profound forethought, that the
French army was in no danger. and if the worst
came TO the worst, could, with ease, resume
its position in the island of Lobau, where it
could not be attacked for the entrenched
camp upon that island was of immense
strength, and was covered by deep fosse 100
yards wide. This disagreeable intelligence
reached headquarters at 7 o'clock in the
| morning. The Emperor sent orders to Masse-
ma and Lannes to halt, and gradually resume
their original positions. The first rested his
left upon the village of Aspern, which is more
than three miles in length; the second rested
his ight upon Essling and united his left to
| the right of Massena. The movement was
made with as much order and precision as
though The troops had been upon parade. The
enemy, who were reueating in despair, halted
| in the utmost astonishment, not being able to
| comprehend this retrograde movement. He
| soon learned the truth, however, and his centre
resumed its original position. 1t was then 10
o'clock in The morning, and from that hour I'M
til in the afternoon. that is to say, six hours,
100, 600 Ausrians, with 500 pieces of cannon,
vainly and without success attacked less than
: $4,000 French soldiers, who had with them
only 100 cannon, and were obliged to econ
omise their fire, because they were deficient
in ammunition.
The success of the attack depended on the
possession OF Essling. The Archduke did all
that he could to carry it. Five times did he
| attack it, aud Fl re times was he repulsed. Two
out of The five attacks succeeded, but he had
no sooner entered the village than he was
driven out of it. AT length, at 3 in the af-
ternoon, Napoleon ordered Count Lobau, one
of his aids, and General Rapp, 10 take the
Young Guard, to debouch in three columns,
and TO fall, al the pas de charge, upon the re-
serves Of the enemy, who was preparing to
make sixth attack. These reserves were
routed and the victory was decided. The
Archduke, having no more fresh troops. took
up his position for the night. The firing
ceased at O'Clock, exactly, at a season Of the
year, when in that country, it might have been
kept up until 10. Thus the French army re.
| NAMED Tor SIX hours, masters OF the field OF
battle, an incontestible proof that they were
not beaten. The Old Guard with whom was
the Emperor, remained continually in order of
battle. within musket-shot of Essling, its right
on the Danube, It's left on Aspern At 6 o.
clock, General Dorsenne requested permits
sion to charge the enemy, with the grenadiers
of the Old Guard, in order TO compel them to
retreat but Napoleon refused, saying, "it is
well as it is; without succor, without bridges.
we have done better than hoped Fearing
that the enemy had cast bridge at the lower
extremity of the island, he made survey of it
in person, aud found that the great bridge had
been carried away by the river, which had
risen % feet. The lower part Of the island
was under water. He returned, and at mid
| night repassed the little bridge. leaving behind
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