They moved on a front of three divisions. Legrand’s was on the right, echeloned in the direction of Davout’s left flank so as to keep touch with that marshal. St. Hilaire’s was in the centre, advancing in a long line of battalions in attack formation. Vandamme’s division was on the left.
The Allied fourth column caught a glimpse of Vandamme’s men as they were climbing the last ascent, and raced forward to form up and bar their way. There were 14,000 troops in the column, half Austrians, half Russians; and the Czar Alexander with the Emperor of Austria rode with them.
MARSHAL SOULT.
In the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Chasseurs of the Guard.
Attacking at once, the French broke through the Allied front line, and, after a hard fight—for the Austro-Russian regiments, fighting under the two Sovereigns’ eyes, resisted with desperate valour—forced it back on the second line with the loss of several guns.
GRAPE-SHOT AT THIRTY PACES
Again there the Eagles took their part. On the right of St. Hilaire’s attack, the brigade of General Thiébault became separated in the fighting with the Russian foremost line. Its three regiments—the 10th Light Infantry, the 14th, and the 36th—became separated, and one of them, the 36th, was for a time in danger of being overpowered by part of the Russian third column, which had faced about on hearing the firing in rear and was hastening back up the hill. Two Russian regiments raced up towards them on that side. Some Austrian infantry of the fourth column, extending in their direction, were at the same time coming at them on the left. In front the 36th was faced by two Russian batteries, which dashed up, unlimbered, and blazed away, firing grape and case shot at barely thirty paces; as well as by some Russian dragoons, who made as if about to charge. To keep the dragoons off, the leading battalion attempted to form square; but the men, breathless after their rush uphill, were in some disorder and for the moment out of hand. The square, while yet half formed, was then nearly torn to pieces by a staggering discharge of grape, and several of the men began to get unsteady. It looked bad for the 36th, when, of a sudden, Adjutant Labadie, of the First Battalion, snatched the Eagle from its bearer and ran out in front. He stopped short and held the Eagle-staff with both hands planted firmly on the ground. Then he called to the men, in a momentary pause while the Russian gunners were reloading: “Soldiers of the 36th, rally to the front! Here is your line of battle!” The men saw him, and obeyed. The disorder ceased. Quickly deploying to right and left, they dashed at the Russian guns. At the same moment the other two regiments of the brigade, led by St. Hilaire and the brigadier, sword in hand, came up at the pas de charge, bayonets levelled. The 10th Light Infantry brilliantly repulsed the Austrians on one side: the 14th on the other side drove Kamenskoi’s Russians back down the hill.
Supporting the 10th Light Infantry was the 59th of the Line, one of Mortier’s corps, of Dupont’s division, which had been sent forward to help in holding the Pratzen heights. Some of the Russian dragoons dashed in among them as they deployed to follow the 10th. A Russian officer cut down the Eagle-bearer and seized the Eagle. Sergeant-Major Gamier, the “Porte-Aigle,” struggled to his feet in spite of his wounds, wrested the Eagle back, and with his free hand fought with his sword and killed the Russian, saving the Eagle.
On St. Hilaire’s left, during this time, Vandamme’s division had had to fight its way forward against the Russians and Austrians of the fourth column, several battalions of which, with artillery, had rapidly taken post along a range of knolls towards the northern edge of the Pratzen plateau. Driving back at the outset six Russian battalions, which charged forward to meet them, springing up from the shelter of a dip in the ground, Vandamme’s men, “without firing a shot, with the bayonet only, advanced on the main enemy with shouldered arms, not replying to the Russian musketry.” When within forty yards, they halted, fired a volley, and dashed in with bayonets lowered. The attack was successful beyond expectation. The enemy before them were routed, and all their guns taken, with many prisoners. Then Vandamme received orders to wheel his division to the right and take in flank the enemy, at that moment in hot fight with St. Hilaire.