Napoleon's
Correspondence (English)
May 19 through 21, 1809 (15230 -
15242) Prelude and first day of Aspern-Essling
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15230. - TO VICE-ADMIRAL COUNT DECREES, MINISTER OF THE
NAVY, AT PARIS.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809.
Vice-Admiral Decres, the conduct of the said Mr. Victor
Hugues in Cayenne, as well as that of the general captain of Martinique,
deserves an investigation. Send orders to the one and the other to move thirty
miles away from Paris, to a city which you will indicate. Demand reports from
the general captain of Martinique on the weak defense opposed by fort Bourbon.
How could it go so promptly? Why the garrison wasn't free and noncaptive?
Finally why didn't it exclude from capitulation the colonial prefect, who is a
civil employee? As for the said Mr. Victor Hugues, he imports to me the
indications on his career, to know if is not to save it that he gave up my
island of Cayenne without defense. I need to have investigations and detailed
reports on these colonies.
Since you could not unload all your provisions in Barcelona,
unload them in Rosas.
NAPOLEON.
According to the original comm. by Mrs. Decres
duchess.
15231. - TO ALEXANDER, PRINCE OF NEUCHATEL, MAJOR GENERAL
OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY, AT EBERSDORF.
Ebersdorf., May 19, 1809.
My Cousin, strongly order the duke of Valmy not to divert
anything for the Hanau corps which is intended for the army, neither troops,
neither artillery, nor military crews. If he does not rigorously carried out
this order, I will be obliged to relieve him of the command of this corps.
NAPOLEON.
According to the original. War depot.
15232. - TO MARSHAL, DAVOUT, DUKE Of AUERSTAEDT, COMMANDING
THE 3RD CORPS OF THE ARMY Of GERMANY, AT SAINT - POELTEN.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809.
My Cousin, order general Pajol to go with a regiment of
cavalry to the outskirts toward Tulln, otherwise he will be put in
communication with another regiment of cavalry which you will send, under the
orders of an intelligent officer, to Sieghartskirchen; with this brigade of
cavalry he will go to the help of General Vandamme, who today went between
Mauthausen and Altenburg; to attack the enemy who threatened to pass. Warn
General Vandamme of the name of these two regiments, the direction which they
will take and of the hour at which they will arrive, by an officer who will be
able to bring back news from what will occur this evening and tonight. Charge
General Pajol and the senior officer than you send to Sieghartskirchen with
frequently corresponding with you and with leaving to this effect some posts on
the road. Hold ready, with divisions Friant, Morand and Gudin, to leave at 2
o'clock at night to go wherever it will be necessary, whilst making as few
movements with these divisions as possible this evening. It does not appear
that Friant's division alone will need to come out of the city in order to be
relieved by Claparede's division. Friant's division can match everything
between Schnbrunn and Vienna in battle. Have its artillery ready to
leave. If you meet some other things belonging to your army corps on the
Saint-Poelten road, make them march on Vienna. For the remainder, it is
necessary to make as few movements as possible until we know what the enemy
will do. It is not impossible that I will not move your corps during the day of
tomorrow. I order that the two brigades of Claparede's division occupy Vienna,
and that a division occupies Nussdorf near Klosterneuburg. Make sure that all
of General Morand's posts are relieved during the night.
NAPOLEON.
According to the original comm. by the marshal's wife
princess of Eckmuhl.
15233. - TO MARSHAL BESSIERES, DUKE OF ISTRIE, COMMANDING
THE CAVALRY RESERVE OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809, three o'clock in the evening.
The intention of the Emperor, my dear Duke, is that
Espagne's division returns here tomorrow at five o'clock in the morning, with
its artillery and ready to cross the Danube: that Saint-Sulpice's division also
returns to a quarter league from Ebersdorf by six o'clock in the morning, and
finally Nansouty's division at eight o'clock.
I warn you that the Emperor is giving to General Lasalle a
division made up of brigades Pire and Bruyere. The intention of His Majesty is
that these two brigades return tomorrow, at five o'clock in the morning in
Ebersdorf to cross the bridge.
I also ask you to give the order to General Colbert to send
someone with two of his regiments, to be in front of Ebersdorf at the very
earliest, to pass the Danube there.
You will order General Colbert to lend 500 horses to General
Lauriston; it is necessary that General Colbert warns General Lauriston of his
movement. I warn you that I give the order to General Marulaz to pull in his
posts and to go to Ebersdorf with his brigade, for crossing the bridge there.
The prince of Neuchatel, Major General
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15234. - TO MARSHAL MASSENA, DUKE OF RIVOLI, COMMANDING THE
4TH CORPS OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY, AT VIENNA.
Ebersdorf, May 19 1809. Three-thirty at night.
The Emperor, my dear Duke of Rivoli, orders that general
Marulaz pulls in all his posts, and that tomorrow, at five o'clock in the
morning, returns with his brigade to Ebersdorf to cross the bridge.
General Montbrun, who is in Bruck, will cover the road to
Presbourg; you will tell General Marulaz to warn general Montbrun.
The Emperor also orders that all your army corps is ready to
cross the bridge early tomorrow.
The prince of Neuchatel, Major general.
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15235. - TO MARSHAL LANNES, DUKE OF MONTEBELLO, COMMANDING
THE 2ND CORPS OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY, AT NUSSDORF.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809, four o'clock in the evening.
The intention of the Emperor, my dear Duke, is that your
army corps is ready to cross the Danube tomorrow at nine o'clock in the
morning.
The prince of Neuchatel, Major general .
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15236. - TO GENERAL COUNT GUDIN, COMMANDING THE 3RD DIVISION
OF THE 3RD CORPS, AT SIEGHARTSKIRCHEN.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809, four o'clock in the evening.
It is ordered for General Gudin to leave Sieghartskirchen
tomorrow at three o'clock in the morning, to return at nine o'clock in the
morning to Nussdorf between Klosterneuburg and Vienna, on right bank of
the Danube; he will guard the entire bank of this river to Vienna. I will
inform the duke of Auerstaedt of this order.
The prince of Neuchatel, major general.
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15237. - TO MARSHAL BERNADOTTE, PRINCE OF PONTE-CORVO,
COMMANDING THE 9TH CORPS OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY, AT LINZ.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809, eight o'clock in the evening.
The intention of the Emperor, Prince, is that you enter
Bohemia and that you maneuver either on Budweis, or on Zwettel, according to
the circumstances and the movements of the enemy.
The Emperor hopes that the bridge that is to be thrown below
Vienna will be ready tomorrow before midday, and that in the course of the day
all the army will be on the left bank.
Your first goal, Prince, must always be to cover Linz; the
second, to move the enemy away from the Danube, from Krems to Vienna.
General Vandamme has the order to put his headquarters at
Enns, to leave 2,000 men at the head of bridge at Linz and to occupy Steyer,
also that leaves your corps available.
The prince of Neuchatel, general major.
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15238. - TO MARSHAL DAVOUT, DUKE Of AUERSTAEDT, COMMANDING
THE 3RD CORPS OF THE ARMY Of GERMANY, AT SAINT-POELTEN.
Ebersdorf, May 19, 1809, eight o'clock in the evening.
The intention of the Emperor, my dear Duke, is that you
withdraw all that you have on the side of Maria Zell, and there keep only one
strong patrol of observation. If there is nothing new, the intention of the
Emperor is that you start from Saint-Poelten, so as to be returned tomorrow at
midday in Vienna. Before the day, you will send your pontonniers, your sappers
and your tools to Nussdorf, or you will give the order for someone to throw a
bridge. You know that Nussdorf is between Klosterneuburg and Vienna. I directly
sent the order to General Gudin to leave tomorrow at four o'clock in the
morning, from Sieghartskirchen, to go to Nussdorf and to watch all the right
bank of the Danube to Vienna.
You will order that all boats are collected at once and also
that the left bank is free: that must be tomorrow, since the bridges that the
Emperor has done in Ebersdorf, two miles below Vienna, will be done before
midday, and then our cavalry will flood the plain.
Your pontonniers will be very-necessary to establish a ferry
at the site of the burned bridges at Vienna, to be able to communicate by the
most direct road to Brunn: for our bridge, as I said to you, is two long
leagues below Vienna.
The intention of the Emperor is that you quickly move your
cavalry by Mautern and Tulln, which will scout the right bank of the Danube:
except however a regiment which it will be necessary to leave at Krems.
As for Morand's division, you will place it so as to fulfill
the double goal to cover, from Moelk to Vienna, the right bank, to guard
Saint-Poelten and of being able to assemble in Vienna once the enemy has given
up the left bank.
I am ordering the prince of Ponte-Corvo to enter Bohemia and
maneuver on Budweis or Zwettel, following the circumstances and the movements
of the enemy.
As for General Vandamme, he must place someone at Enns and
leave 2,000 men at the head of bridge of Linz. He will occupy Steyer to contain
the Alt-Mark and Enns: he will observe the outlets of Mauthausen; He must
occupy Wallsee and Ips, and he will return to Vienna the troops which are in
these last points, and finally he will be held ready to go, with all the mass
of his forces, on Steyer, according to events. In the last case, he would leave
2,000 men at the head of bridge of Linz, so that the prince of Ponte-Corvo is
available.
The prince of Neuchatel, major general .
15239. - NINTH BULLETIN OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY.
Vienna, May 19, 1809.
While the army took some rest in Vienna, that its corps
rallied, that the Emperor passed reviews to grant rewards to the brave men who
had been distinguished and to name for vacant positions, we prepared all that
was necessary for the important operation of the passage of the Danube.
Prince Charles, after the battle of Eckmuhl, was thrown on
other bank of the Danube, had for refuge only the mountains of Bohemia. While
following the remains of the army of Prince Charles in the interior of Bohemia,
the Emperor would have taken his artillery and his luggage; but this advantage
was not worth the disadvantage of walking his army, during fifteen days, in
poor countries, mountainous and devastated.
The Emperor did not adopt any plan which could delay one day
his entry into Vienna, suspecting well that, in the state of irritation we had
excited, we would think of defending this city, which has an excellent enclosed
bastion, and to erect some obstacle. In another way, the army of Italy drew its
attention, and the idea that the Austrians occupied the beautiful provinces of
Frioul and Piave did not leave him any rest.
The marshal duke of Auerstaedt remained in position in front
of Ratisbon during the time which Prince Charles emerged in Bohemia, and
immediately after he moved by Passau and Linz by the left bank of the Danube,
gaining four steps on this prince, the corps of the prince of Ponte-Corvo was
directed in the same system, Initially he made a movement on Egra, which
obliged prince Charles to detach the corps of General Bellegarde there; but by
a counter-march he moved abruptly on Linz, where he arrived before general
Bellegarde, who, having learned of this counter-march, also moved on the
Danube.
These skilful maneuvers, made day by day according to
circumstances, released Italy, delivered without defense the barriers of Inn,
Salza, Traun and all the enemy stores, subjected Vienna, disorganized the
militia and the landwehr, finished the defeat of the corps of archduke Louis
and general Hiller and achieved the loss of reputation of the enemy General,
This one, seeing the Emperor's march, thought of moving on Linz to cross the
bridge there and to meet the corps of archduke Louis and General Hiller; but
the French army assembled there several days before he could have hoped to make
his junction with Krems; lucky plans! He was still delayed four days, and
General Hiller, again by crossing the Danube, was obliged to burn the
beautiful bridge of Krems. He finally hoped to meet in front of Vienna; he was
still delayed several days.
The Emperor threw a bridge on the Danube, opposite the
village of Ebersdorf, two miles below Vienna. The river, divided into this
place in several arms, is four hundred toises wide. The operation began
yesterday the 18th, at four hours after midday. Molitor's division was thrown
onto the left bank, and collapsed the weak detachments which wanted to dispute
the ground with him and to cover the last arm of the river.
The Generals Bertrand and Pernety worked on the two bridges,
one of more than two hundred and forty, the other of more than one hundred
thirty toises, connected between them by an island. It is hoped that work will
be finished tomorrow.
All the information which we collected cause us to think
that the emperor of Austria is east of Znaym.
There is no levee in Hungary yet. Without weapons ,
without saddles, money, and very little attachment to the House of Austria,
this nation appears to have refused any species of help.
General Lauriston, aide-de-camp to His Majesty, at the head
of the Baden infantry brigade and General Colbert's brigade of light cavalry,
went to Neustadt on Bruck and Semringberg, high mountains which separates the
waters which run to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. In this difficult
passage, he took a few hundred prisoners.
General Duppelin marched on Maria Zell, where he disarmed a
thousand landwehr and took a few hundreds of prisoners.
The marshal duke of Danzig went on Inspruck; he met, on the
14th, in Woergl, general Chasteler with his Tyroleans; he collapsed and took
700 men and eleven pieces of artillery from him.
Kufstein was freed on the 12th. The chamberlain of His
Majesty, Germain, who had contained himself in this place, indeed showed
himself.
In this tale is the position of the army today. The corps of
the marshals dukes of Rivoli and Montebello and the corps of grenadiers of
General Oudinot are in Vienna, as well as the Imperial Guard. The corps of the
marshal duke of Auerstaedt is distributed between Saint-Poelten and Vienna. The
marshal prince of Ponte-Corvo is in Linz with the Saxons and
Wurtenbergers; he has a reserve with Passau. The marshal duke of Danzig is with
the Bavarians in Salzburg and Inspruck.
The colonel count de Czernitchef, aide-de-camp of the
emperor of Russia, which had been dispatched for Paris, arrived at the moment
the army entered Vienna. Since this moment, he has been at the service of His
Majesty. He brought news of the Russian army, which will have been able to
leave its cantonments only towards May the 10th or 12th.
Extract of the Monitor of May 27, 1809.
15240. - TO GENERAL CLARKE, COUNT OF HUNEBOURG, MINISTER OF
THE WAR, AT PARIS.
Ebersdorf, May 20, 1809.
My dear general Clark, I reply to your letter of the 12th.
It is necessary to send the 941 men intended for 15th and 10th light and the
57th regiment to Portugal, as I ordered.
Once again, Prussia will not move; if it moves, I am there
to punish it. Exceptional occurrences cannot take place any more. Besides, I am
able to provide for all, the only thing that you can do without my order, it is
to make provisions, in the event of unforeseen events, for Wesel, Mainz or
Strasbourg; for the remainder of Germany, do not think of it.
I approve the measures which you took to carry completion
the seven Polish regiments, the regiments of Tour d'Auvergne and Isembourg, and
Irish regiments.
I wish that the Austrian prisoners do not cost me anything
and that they are distributed between the peasants.
Work on the miners, sappers and pontonniers, and take from
the depots all that you will be able to supplement them.
NAPOLEON.
According to the copy. War depot.
15241. - TO GENERAL CLARKE, COUNT OF HUNEBOURG,
MINISTER OF THE WAR, AT PARIS.
Ebersdorf, May 20, 1809.
My dear general Clark, I received your letters of the 13th,
I see that the 3rd provisional demi-brigade is only to 1,200 men and the 4th
with 600 men. However all the corps which must provide to these demi-brigades
have many people; thus accelerate the formation of these demi-brigades.
You were wrong to direct the detachments of dragoons to the
depots of Versailles on Hanau, since there are provisional regiments of
dragoons at Hanau. Continue to direct them on Strasbourg, where these regiments
are formed.
I suppose that in the event of events on the side of the
Scheldt you took measures to direct general Rampon there with his 6,000
national guards; that General Sainte-Suzanne , with what he has available at
the camp of Boulogne, can meet in Ghent with the demi-brigades of Ghent,
Maestricht and Saint-Omer; finally that you take measures in Paris for the two
demi-brigades which are formed there. All that needs to be activated.
The two demi-brigades which are formed in Paris must be
5,000 men strong ; it is necessary that they are ready and in hand, to post
them to any points of the coast which are threatened.
According to the minutes. Empire Archives.
15242. - TO MARSHAL DAVOUT, DUKE OF AUERSTAEDT, COMMANDING
THE 3RD CORPS OF THE ARMY OF GERMANY, AT VIENNA.
At the bivouac over the Danube, May 21, 1809, nine o'clock
in the evening.
The bridges, being broken, time was wasted. The enemy has
attacked with all his forces, and we had only 20,000 men across. It was a hot
affair. We remain on the field of battle.
It is necessary to send all your park here, [and] the most
ammunition possible. Send the most troops that you are able, by keeping those
which are necessary to hold Vienna. Also send us food.
Come by steps from Saint-Poelten, which will be necessary to
hold Vienna.
The prince of Neuchatel, major general.
According to the copy. War depot. |