On 13 November 1805 Marshals Murat and Lannes, commanding the French advance guard, had captured a bridge over the Danube at Vienna by falsely claiming that an armistice had been signed, and then rushing the bridge while the guards were distracted.
15. novembril 1805 vallutasid marssalite Murat' ja Lannes' juhitavad Prantsuse eelväed silla üle Doonau Viini, väites valelikult, et oli sõlmitud vaherahu ja tormasid siis sillale, kui valvurid olid segaduses.