The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-10-06
NapOleOn's Attempt to Cross the
Danube in Nay, 1909.

carry an armv across a river which |,
defended by the enemy Is how to throw
over, at some point OF other, before the
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 until the whole army
shall he safely transported across the
river In rear of the screen thus formed
rhe time, therefore, required by large
bodies of troops to file over bridge
becomes an important element in the
calculation, and, consequently, at the
present moment the following details OF
the actual passage of laige army
across the Danube will not be without
interest. May, 1909; Napoleon deter.
mined to cross the Danube and attack
the Austrian Amy which, having been
defeated on the right bank, had retired
10 the north of the river. Various con-
iderafions, political as well as military,
induced him 10 select Vienna ms the
town In the neighborhood of which the
attempt should he made, aud the a,tual
spot chosen by him was where the river
Is divided into two branches by the Is,
land Of LObau Of.the arms the more
southern Is the wider, the northern one
having an average width of 100 yards.
The force at the disposal of Napoleon
amounted in round numbers to 80, 900
men, while the opposing army under
the command of the Archduke Charles
was about 100,0 ,00n strong, Keeping
his design secret, Napoleon was able to
occupy the Island of LOhau without op-
position. Bridging materials had been
prepared, and in three hours, on the
2Oth of May, communication was es-
tablshed by means of Is pontoons be
tween the island and the left bank. Be.
fote dark division of light cavalry un.
der Gen. Lasalle, n division of infantry
under Molitor, aud division of vOltlg.
eurs under BOudet, in all 13 800 men
had filed across, aud, as the enemy had
not become aware of Napoleon's enter
prise, were able to take up a strong
position without being molpsted. But
now The bridge gave way. The whole
night was spent in the work of repair,
and it was not until morning that the
passage of the river could be resumed.
During theearly part of-the forenoon
of the 21st, Mazulay's cavalry, Espange's
cuiraSsieIs,. LeSrand's division of in
tantry, and some artillery, in all about
., 600 men, crossed over when again
the bridge broke The Danube, which
had risen three feet on the, Goth, had
risen fonr feet more uuring the fore
noon of the 2lst. In a few hours, how
ever, communication was again estab-
lished, and in the evening st. Cyr's
division and st. Germain's cavalry were
brought across, so that by nightfall
Napoleon had altogether 80, 900 men on
the enemy's bank Of the river. BY this
time the AuStriln commander had re
ceived information of Napoleon's move.
ments, had assembled $4,000 of 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 As
perm, and until these were captured 1t
was impossible for the Au>trians to
penetrate bet ween them aud reach the
head of the bridge. For five hours the
French defended themselves with the
utmost obstinacy. Half OF MOlitor's
division, which held Aspern, had fallen.
when, luckily for them, the Archduke
Charles, seeing that no more French
troops rame up from the bridge, which
had not yet beeh repaired, and thinking
that he had done enough in staying the
debOuche of the enemy, and that he
could more easily and more certainly
crush them on the morrow, when his
own force should have received rein
fOrcements, gave orders TO camp firing
and during the night the prospects of
Napoleon were in truth gloomy. For
the third time the bridge leading from
the right bank of the river to the island
of Lubau broke, the Danube having
risen yet another seven feet, or fourteen
feet in all, The damage was ,hO ever,
once more repaired, and before day
break OudiHot's two divisions, the
guard, st, II laire's aud DemOt's troops,
In all 40, 900 men, had begun to cross.
BY nOOu on the 22d Napoleon had co.,
900 men ON the enemy's bank. But by
this time the AuStrians also had been
reinforced, and, advancing to the at
tack, pressed the French bard. IT this !
critical moment the news reached Ma |
p0leun that once again ani for the !
fourth time the bridge from the right |
bank to tne island had been swept away, |
being this time SO much damaged that |
there was but little prospect of being |
able to restore it. Thus lhe Emperor
found himself deprived OF any chlhce /
OF receiving further reinfOrcrments
the force of artillery across was but |
small, ammunition. was running short, |
the men were suffering severely from
the Austrian Onslaughts and heavy fire, |
and ST. lliaiIe and n host of his Officers |
were billed. All that remained to ne
done was to endeavOr to save his army |
from complete annlhilatiOn, by with.
IL across the small arm OF the |
river to the island of L1bau. Lannes
WAS ordered to cover the retreat, and |
lost his life in fulfilling his task. The |
Aus riaus made no vigorous pursuit, |
and by the 23d the French had once |
more placed the northern arm of the
Danube between themselves aud the |
enemy, having lost ID. 600 men in the |
two days lighting. Pal Mall Gazette.
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-Mackerel are being caught In con- |
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