Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-10-31
ATTEMPT or NAPOLEON TO
CROSS THE RIVER DANUBE
NINA Y, 1909.

The immediate problem which has
to be solved by a General who at
tempts TO carry an army across a river
which is defended by the enemy is how
to throw over, at some point or other,
before tho adversary shall have had
time to make dispositions to prevent
him, such force as shall be able to
hold its ground and beat off attack un-
til the whole army shall be safely
transported across the river in rear OF
the screen thus formed, The time,
therefore, required by large bodies of
troops to file over d bridge becomes
an important element in the calcula-
ton, and, consequently at the present
moment the following details Of the
actual passage of a large army across
the Danube will not be without inter.
est In May, 1909, Napoleon deter
mined to crossthe Danube and attack
the Austrian army, which, having been
defeated on the right bank, had retir-
ed to the north OF the river Various
considerations, political as well as mil
itary, induced him TO select Vienna as
the town in tho neighborhood of which
the attempt should be made, and the
actual spot chosen by him was where
the river is divided into two branches
by the island of Lobau. or these two
arms the more southern is the wider,
the northern one having an average
width of 120 yards. The force at the
disposal of Napoleon amounted IN
round numbers TO 10000 men, while
the opposing army under the command
OF the Archduke Charles was about
100000 strong. Keeping his design
secret, Napoleon was able TO occupy
the Island of Lobau without opposi-
tion. Bridging materials had been
prepared, and in three hours, on the
goth of May, communication was es-
tablishcd by means of fifteen pontoons
between the island and the left bank.
Before dark division of light cavalry
under General Lasalle, a division of
infantry under Molitor, and division
OF voltigeurs under Boudet, in all 49,.
500 men, had filed across, and, as the
enemy had not become aware of Ma.
poleon's enterprise, were able to take
up a strong position without bcing
molested. Bnt now the bridge gave
way. The whole night was spent IN
tho work OF repair, and It was not un
til morning that the passage of the
river could bo resumed. During the
early part of the forenoon of the 2lst,
Mazulaz's cavalry, Espagnc's cuiras-
siers, Legrand's division of infantry,
and some artillery, in all about 5000
fien, crossed over; when again the
bridge broke. The Danube, which
had risen three feet on the goth, had
risen four feet more during the fore.
noon of the 2lst. In few hours,
however, communication was again
established, and in the evening ST.
Cyr's division and ST. Germans cav
airy were brought across, so that by
nightfall Napoleon had altogether30
600 men on the onemy's bank Of the
river. BY this time the Austrian com
mander had received information of
Napolcon's movements, had assembled
$4,000 oi his troops, and already, at
one o'clock on the afternoon OF the
2lst, had begun an attack upon the
French advanced guard. This latter
was disposed in a strong position in
the villages Essling and Aspcrn and
until these were captured il was i'm
possible for the Austrians to penetrate
between them and reach the head OF
the bridge. For five hours the French
defended themselves with the utmost
obstinacy. Half Of Moltors division,
which held Aspcrn, had fallen. The
survivors were beginning to waver,
when, lucky for them, the Archduke
Charles, seeing that no more French
troops came up from the bridge, which
had not yet been repaired, and think.
ing that he had done enough in stay
ing the dcbouchc OF the enemy, and
that hc could more easily and more
certainly crush them on the morrow,
when bis own force should have re.
ccived rcinlorceinents, gave orders TO
camp firing and during the night the
prospects Of Napoleon were In truth
gloomy. For the the third time the
bridge leading from tho right bank Of
tho river 10 the island OF lJobau broke,
the Danube having risen yet another
soven feet, or fourteen feet In all. The
damage was, however, once more re-
paired, and before daybrcal Oudinot's
Two divisions the ruard, st. Hilairo's