A Detailed Account of the Battle of Austerlitz

by Karl von Stutterheim

We have, hitherto, seen M. de Koutousoff advancing his right, and refusing his left, with the view of turning the enemy's flank by the mountains; for which purpose he had disposed the greater part of his infantry on the right wing. At Wischau this disposition was changed. He wished to manœuvre on the right of the enemy. A march to the left was undertaken, which both lost time, and the ground that might have been gained to the front. The 29th November, the combined army moved from Lultsch, and the heights of Noska, upon those of Huluboschan and Kutscherau. It was not till the 1st December that Marshals Bernadotte and Davoust joined the Emperor Napoleon; and, on the 29th, M. de Koutousoff might have been at Austerlitz. After having passed Wischau, the allied army could no longer manœuvre with impunity. The time it then lost, in making movements, which did not lead it directly towards the enemy, while it discovered its intentions to the French army, gave it also the means of receiving such reinforcements as were within reach. A short flank movement could not answer the end proposed; while one that was longer, would have afforded the enemy an opportunity of attacking on the march.

While the army was moving on the heights of Kutscherau, Prince Bagration pushed on his advanced posts towards Posorsitz: General Kienmayer marched upon Austerlitz, which the enemy had evacuated at ten o'clock,[8] on the morning of the 29th; and General Stutterheim arrived at Butschowitz, from whence he kept up the communication by Stanitz, with a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Scheither, who had driven the enemy's detachments from Gaja. The French army concentrated its forces, the same day, between Turas and Brunn: it occupied the villages of Menitz, Tellnitz, Sokolnitz, Kobelnitz, and Schlapanitz, which covered its front, and placed its out-posts at Aujest, on the heights of Girshikowitz, and near Krug. The 30th November, the combined army, in consequence of its new plan, again marched to its left, in the following manner:

The first column, from Kutscherau, by Lettonitz, upon Niemschan, which was the appuy for the right; its left was at Hodiegitz, and it was disposed in two lines.

The second column, by Lettonitz, to Hodiegitz, where it formed on the left of the first column.

The third column, upon Malkowitz, by Butschowitz, and Krzizanowitz, where it was posted in reserve, in rear of the first column.

The fourth column, by Schardiska, Tschertschein, Krzizanowitz, upon Herspitz, where it formed in reserve to the second column.

The fifth column, by Neuwieslitz, followed the march of the third, and was posted in the valley, in front of Marhoefen.

The Reserve, under the Archduke Constantine, marched to Butschowitz; the advanced corps, under Prince Bagration, to Posorsitz; and pushed on its out-posts upon the causeway, and upon Krug. M. de Kienmayer remained at Austerlitz, and was reinforced by the brigade under General Stutterheim. A little affair of out-posts took place that day; the enemy was employed in reconnoitring, and a few cannon shots were ineffectually exchanged. The head-quarters of M. de Koutousoff were at Hodiegitz; those of the two Emperors at Krzizanowitz, near Austerlitz.

It is here necessary to remark, that during these offensive movements the Archduke Ferdinand had received orders to advance also, to make a diversion and occupy the enemy; and that this prince, quitting Czaslau, after having driven the Bavarians, first from Steinsdorff and afterwards from Deutschbrod, was advancing upon Iglau, where the Bavarian general, De Wrede, had the command.

On the 1st December, there was a good deal of firing, the whole of the morning, along the entire chain of out-posts. The enemy, from day-break in the morning, was continually reconnoitring along the heights in front of Pratzen and Krug. He also, for the like purpose, pushed parties from his left to beyond the high road. M. de Kienmayer's out-posts, on the left, were at Satchan: and he had a post near Menitz, a village which the French abandoned. Five Battalions of frontier troops, under Major-general Carneville, being a part of the Austrian infantry, arrived in the evening to reinforce M. de Kienmayer.