CHAP.

XLIII.

progress of the French, finally compelling them to fall
back to the river. Following up their advantage, the
Austrians then forced their way into Essling, which
rendered it difficult for the French to return over the
bridge. But some of the regiments, rallied by General
Mouton, succeeded in reestablishing themselves in the
streets and houses.* At the very time of the great attack
on the Vienna bridge, the bridge to the island of Lobau
was broken by the mill boat which the Austrians had
set fire to and launched down the stream. The conse-
quence was that not only reinforcements ceased to arrive,
but ammunition began to be wanting for the artillery,
which henceforth feared to respond to the enemy with
its usual vigour. This circumstance decided the battle
of Aspern in the Archduke's favour. The French, as
soon as night covered their retreat, effected it to the
island of Lobau. In the last hour of removal, the knees
of Marshal Lannes were shattered by a cannon ball.
As
a litter was borne to the bridge, Napoleon perceived it,
and came to embrace his fallen lieutenant. It was not
the least bitter moment of the defeat. A scene as striking
was what has been called a council of war, but which
consisted merely of Napoleon, seated on the southern
bank of the island, in face of the broken bridge, between
Massena and Berthier. Both were for withdrawing the
army altogether into Vienna.
You might as well
advise to withdraw it to Strasburg, was the emperor's
rejoinder. For we should soon be there, and the
enemy upon us.

*

Safety and success he saw only in audacity, and in a renewal of the attempt to cross, notwithstanding the greatness of his loss at Aspern. It was estimated at no less than from 20,000 to 30,000 men, though the French bulletins acknowledge but half as many hundred. The Austrian loss was not fewer. Both sides, however, drew to their support their remote and scattered

* Savary.

XLIII.

divisions, the French with more efficiency and success CHAP. than their opponents, for the Italian army under Prince Eugène defeated the Archduke John at Raab, and effected his junction with Napoleon, whilst the Archduke John did not arrive till after the coming battle.

The chief fault in the military character of the Archduke Charles, seems to have been want of alertness. He took no advantage of his victory at Aspern to overwhelm his enemies, few and disheartened, in the island of Lobau, nor did he duly watch the movements of his subtle adversary, who, flinging suddenly several bridges of boats over the Danube, in the first days of July, passed his whole army over in one night. The Austrians had thrown up intrenchments opposite Essling and the old bridge-as if Napoleon was likely to take the same road twice. On the morning of the 5th of July, 1809, the French army was marshalled on the Marchfeld near Enzensdorf, opposite to where they had crossed.

The Austrian general was completely taken by surprise. His force was not as yet concentrated, nor could he at first muster on the field more than 70,000 or 80,000 men; the French, even when three-fourths of the army had passed, being fully equal in number. The Archduke Charles had even some difficulty to fall back in proper order to the heights of Wagram. Indeed, so direct was the retreat, that Napoleon, on the evening of the 5th, tried to carry a strong position in the Austrian centre. He suffered, however, from the heterogeneous nature of his own army. Some of the French legions fired upon the Saxons, taking them for enemies, and producing a panic and a rout.

By the morning of the 6th, each general had brought

up
all his forces. The Austrians' line extended along
the ridge between Neusiedl and Wagram, for three
leagues, the French in the plain fronting them from
Aspern to Glynsendorf. The commanders had different
views, the Archduke Charles meditating to direct his

CHAP.
XLIII.

chief attack against the French right, and cut it off from the Danube, whilst the other wing of the Austrians was to achieve a similar victory over that opposed to it. Whilst the Archduke was thus strengthening his wings, especially his right wing, Napoleon was concentrating the larger portion of his force in the centre. Ere it could act, the Austrian right wing drove in Bernadotte, who was opposed to it, and even placed Massena, posted between him and the centre, in considerable danger. Napoleon came himself to the rescue, and not without difficulty and with shrewd manœuvres restored the field. He had at the same time concentrated the greater part of his artillery to play upon the Austrian centre. It was unable to withstand the fire of a hundred guns; Macdonald throwing himself with his infantry into the breach, which the artillery had made. This was the decisive moment of the day. The Austrian centre gave way irreparably, and the Archduke withdrew from the field.*

His loss was great, and has been calculated at one third of his army, including more than twelve generals. The resistance of the Austrians was most obstinate and glorious, and yet some blamed the Archduke for retreating. He did so, however, with the remainder of his army in good order. There were nine entire divisions cut off and compelled to surrender, as had been the case at Austerlitz. By rallying the Archduke John in his retreat, he could bring a force into Bohemia which it would require another battle to subdue, and a march northwards by the French, which must endanger their hold of Vienna.

Such circumstances considerably mitigated the severity which it was Napoleon's first intention to display towards Austria. This was no less than to dethrone the Emperor. But dethronement was shown in the case of Spain to be a perilous extremity, placing the * Archduke Charles, Napoleon, Pelet, Thiers, Ruehle von Lilienstern.

victor and his legions in presence of an insurgent population, instead of that of a trembling court. Soult's

repulse at Talavera took place in the same month as Wagram. And whilst master of Vienna, the French Emperor feared for Madrid.* But what chiefly influenced Napoleon in granting terms to Austria, was the manifest proof that Russia was false and weary of his alliance.

Whilst the Archduke Charles was opposing Napoleon, his relative the Archduke Ferdinand had invaded Poland with a force greater than Poniatowski could resist. The consequence was the momentary occupation of Warsaw by the Austrians, which the Russians, notwithstanding their promised cooperation, had done nothing to prevent. In addition to this patent dereliction, a letter from the Russian commander to the Austrian had been intercepted, expressing the predilection, common amongst the Russian noblesse, for Austria rather than for France, and intimating the desire that their united banners might once more float in active alliance.

A knowledge of this circumstance inclined Napoleon to accept the first offer of an armistice on the part of Austria. The Emperor Francis once more placed himself at his mercy. The conqueror would only grant the armistice on three preliminary conditions; the dismissal of the militia, the reduction of the Austrian army by one-half (eventually to 140,000 men) and expulsion from Austrian service of all natives of France. When the further terms of peace came to be stated, Napoleon stood upon the uti possidetis. He had conquered Austrian provinces containing 10,000,000 of population, and 10,000,000 he must have, he did not care where, to add to Bavaria and incorporate with it. The Austrians

"I fear," wrote Napoleon, two and surprising King Joseph at days after Wagram, "the English Madrid." issuing from Portugal by Abrantes,

CHAP.

XLIII.

СНАР.

XLIII.

demurred to such hard terms, when Napoleon threatened to put up his eagles in Vienna, the mark of French domination, to decry the Austrian paper money, and divide the three crowns of Hungary, Bohemia, and Austria. He at the same time declared that his chief object was an alliance which he could depend upon, and that if the present Emperor would abdicate in favour of the Archduke Ferdinand, he would not demand the cession of a single province. That offer was not listened to. By August, however, Napoleon had relented and professed himself contented with 5,000,000 of population. He was satisfied at last with 3,000,000, taking Salzburg and Lower Austria to the Enns, as well as Villach and the Carniola, to afford a free passage from Italy to Dalmatia. The salt mines of Wielitza were handed over to Russia. On these terms peace was signed with Austria, October 14 (1809).* Napoleon had as many soldiers in Spain as he had upon the Danube. They were not of inferior quality, nor were their generals less renowned. If Davoust and Massena were at Wagram, Soult and Ney were in the Peninsula. Yet the results were not decisive or satisfactory. Undeterred by the retreat of Sir John Moore, Sir Arthur Wellesley took another army to Portugal in the spring of 1809, and within a month from his landing had driven Soult from Oporto, which the French marshal had captured after Corunna, and largely plundered. Having thus succeeded in expelling the French from Portugal, the English commander ventured into Spain, hoping for the active and able cooperation of the Spanish armies. These, however, were no match for the disciplined troops of France. When King Joseph perceived that the English and the Spanish menaced his capital, he came with Victor to repel them. This he thought no difficult achievement. But all the efforts of Victor on the 28th of July, failed to dislodge the

** Bignon, Thiers, Springer.