A Detailed Account of the Battle of Austerlitz

by Karl von Stutterheim

The action then became very warm, and it was attempted to regain the ground that had been lost by the advanced guard. The Russians made an attack; opened their fire at too great a distance, and without much effect, while the French columns continued to advance without firing a shot; but when at the distance of about a hundred paces, they opened a fire of musketry which became general, and very destructive. The enemy opened out his masses by degrees, formed in several lines, and marched rapidly towards the height, resting his left on the church of the village, and his right on the most elevated point of the heights. Having reached them, he formed in an angular direction, for the purpose of opposing the rear of the third column. This was composed of the Brigade under General Kamensky, which had separated from the column, and shewed a front upon the height, menacing the right flank of Marshal Soult's corps.

It was still necessary to dislodge the enemy from the heights, of which he had obtained possession, and to prevent his establishing himself on them.

The Emperor of Russia, who, during this sanguinary conflict, had remained with his infantry of the fourth column, and who, incessantly, exposed his own person in trying to remedy the confusion, ordered his Battalions to advance, and try to take the enemy in flank. General Kollowrath received orders to check the enemy on the left, and, for that purpose, caused the Austrian Brigades, under the Generals Jurczeck and Rottermund, to advance against the heights, on which the French continued to gain ground, and extend themselves, more and more, while they followed up the Russian Battalions that had been thrown forward. The first Austrian Battalions made their attack on the enemy with coolness and intrepidity, although they were entirely composed of new levies. They fell upon a French regiment which had been the first to advance on the crest of the hill, and which was nearly surrounded. The French received the Austrians with firmness, and defended themselves with valour, notwithstanding which they were forced to retreat; but, receiving a reinforcement, they quickly regained the ground which they had lost. Two Russian regiments, belonging to the second column, the grenadiers of Fanagorisky, and the musketteers of Rhiasky, who were left in Reserve upon the height which the column had occupied during the night, were ordered, by the General-in-chief, to reinforce the Brigade under General Kamensky. The troops commanded by this General fought very bravely during the whole of this unfortunate battle. They came to the support of the Austrian Brigades; and this reinforcement seemed likely to re-establish the balance of power in the attack of the crest of the hill; upon which the French generals manœuvred their troops with that ability which is the result of a military eye, and of experience, taking advantage of the inequalities of ground to cover their troops from fire, and to conceal their movements. There was no other chance of turning the fate of the day but a general and desperate attack at the point of the bayonet. The Austrian Brigades, with that under General Kamensky, charged the enemy; the Russians shouting, according to their usual custom; but the French received them with steadiness, and a well-supported fire, which made a dreadful carnage in the compact ranks of the Russians. General Miloradovich, on his side, advanced upon the right; but the Generals Berg and Repninsky being wounded, their troops had lost that confidence in themselves, without which nothing is to be done in war. The ardour of this attack soon evaporated. The superior numbers of the enemy, and his steadiness, soon changed it to a slow uncertain pace, accompanied by an ill-directed fire of musketry. Nevertheless, the example of some of their officers had at one moment the effect of inducing the left wing again to advance with intrepidity; and, for an instant, the right wing of the French began to give way. The regiment of Saltzbourg, and the Battalion of Auersperg, fought with much courage.[14] Kamensky's Brigade always distinguished itself. The Austrian General, Jurczeck, was severely wounded. The enemy, well aware of the importance of this post, now in turn attacked the allies, who were without any support whatever, and absolutely abandoned by the left of the army. The fourth column now lost the heights of Pratzen, beyond the possibility of recovery, together with the greatest part of its artillery, which was entangled in the deep clay that prevails in that part of the country. The greatest possible efforts were made to repair the confusion incident to such a retreat. Meanwhile, the enemy had advanced his artillery, and vigourously plied it in cannonading the allies during their retreat, which put the finishing stroke to the disorder they were in. The Austrian part of this column had one general, six superior officers, nineteen subalterns, and 1886 soldiers killed and wounded; five officers and 470 soldiers taken prisoners. This action, upon the heights of Pratzen, lasted about two hours; after which the fate of the battle was decided. The fourth column marched upon Waschan, and repaired (as pointed out in the disposition) to the position of Hodiegitz and Herspitz, where it collected its Battalions. The enemy, being once in possession of the heights, did not disturb this retreat, and remained near Pratzen, waiting, probably, the event of the movements on the left of the allies. After the unfortunate attack that was made by the Hulans, Lieutenant-general Prince John de Liechtenstein, with his cavalry, covered the country between Blasowitz and Pratzen. The Austrian General, Caramelli, made a charge with the Cuirassiers of the regiment of Lorraine upon the enemy's infantry, which coming out of Girschikowitz took advantage of the vineyards between that village and Pratzen, to take the Russians in flank. This attack, in which General Caramelli had his horse shot under him, had the effect of checking the French for a moment. The Major who commanded the regiment, a Count d'Auersperg, was killed. Prince John de Liechtenstein also caused an attack to be made on the French infantry, by the regiment of Nassau, at which time the fourth column had already lost the heights of Pratzen, and was put to the route. Prince John de Liechtenstein flew to its assistance to cover the Retreat with the remains of the cavalry. This general tried to rally some Austrian Battalions, which, like the Russian infantry, were retreating in disorder, and was successful in his efforts. His horse was killed under him by a grape-shot. The cavalry continued to occupy the bottom of the heights of Pratzen, between that village and Krzenowitz, till it was night.

While the action took this turn on the heights of Pratzen, and the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein attempted to make head, both to the right and left, against the enemy's infantry, and a part of Prince Murat's cavalry, in order to check, or at least retard, the success of the French. The Grand Duke, Constantine, also found himself engaged in an obstinate contest. The village of Blasowitz, which he had caused to be occupied, as we have before seen, was attacked, and carried by the corps under Marshal Bernadotte. The Grand Duke wishing to check the enemy's progress, left the commanding heights on which he was posted, and advanced in line upon the enemy's columns. A sharp fire of musketry ensued. The French sharp-shooters, who covered the columns, disputed their ground; but were at length driven in by a charge with the bayonet, which was ordered by the Grand Duke. A sharp cannonade, attended with much execution, then took place on this point. The grape-shot made a dreadful carnage; but, at the moment when the Prince approached the enemy, (who had by this time deployed into line) the cavalry of the guards, commanded by Marshal Bessiéres, which had been posted in the intervals of the infantry, made a charge on the Russian line, which, being without support, was in consequence driven back, after a brave resistance.

The Grand Duke's regiment of horse-guards, in order to disengage the infantry, made a charge on the enemy's flank, where it checked and routed their cavalry, and afterwards attacked the French infantry, which had advanced to support the cavalry. It was on this occasion that the regiment of horse-guards captured a French eagle belonging to a Battalion of the fourth regiment. The corps of guards being obliged to retire, succeeded, after considerable loss, in rallying and forming its Battalions on the heights which it had originally quitted; from whence it continued its movement upon Austerlitz, marching towards Krzenowitz. The enemy's cavalry again returned to the charge, but was checked by the horse-guards, and some squadrons of hussars belonging to the guards, who attacked the French with the greatest impetuosity at the very moment when they were about to charge the infantry during its retreat. The horse-guards valiantly attacked, and were closely engaged with the French horse grenadier guards, who, under the command of General Rapp, had arrived to reinforce the enemy's cavalry. From that moment the Russian guards effected their retreat upon Austerlitz, without farther molestation from the French, who remained on the heights in front of Blasowitz. Prince Repnin, a colonel of the horse-guards, was wounded and made prisoner, with some officers of the same corps. The Russian guards suffered severely, but had few taken prisoners.

While these things were passing on the left, Prince Bagration, it has been already stated, had advanced in front of Posorsitz, and had tried to occupy the heights of Dwaroschna. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, with the cavalry under his command, was upon that Prince's left, near Holubitz; which village, as well as that of Krug, had been occupied in the manner before described; but Marshal Lannes arriving with his troops in column on Prince Bagration's left, and on the right of the cavalry under General Uwarrow, put a stop to the march of the right of the allies. In order to cover the left of the French army, and to secure its retreat in case of disaster, Marshal Lannes had posted eighteen pieces of cannon, protected by the twenty-seventh regiment of infantry, upon the commanding height, situated between Lesch and Kowalowitz, to the left of the causeway leading to Brunn: it was the same height that was to have been occupied by Prince Bagration. This general was under the necessity of reinforcing his left (on which a heavy cannonade was opened), and of sending almost the whole of his cavalry to General Uwarrow, who, in consequence, had about thirty squadrons under his orders. The enemy succeeded, notwithstanding, in driving back General Ulanius from the villages of Krug and Holubitz, and continued to advance in column; their march being protected by a part of the cavalry under Prince Murat. This gave occasion to some fine charges on the part of both the Russian and French cavalry. General Ulanius, who commanded the cavalry with the greatest degree of intelligence and bravery, succeeded by his efforts in checking the rapid progress which the enemy would otherwise have made on the right of the allies. Prince Bagration, after having long maintained himself at Posorsitz, retired upon the heights of Rausnitz, at the moment when the Russian guards were quitting the heights in rear of Blasowitz; and, in the evening, received orders to march to Austerlitz. The high road to Wischau was in consequence left entirely uncovered, on which the chief part of the baggage of the army was afterwards captured by the enemy. Lieutenant-general Uwarrow, with the cavalry, protected this retreat; and Prince Bagration took post in rear of Austerlitz, at six o'clock in the evening, while the cavalry under Prince John de Liechtenstein still continued to occupy the heights in front of that place.

It now becomes necessary to revert to what was passing at Tellnitz and Sokolnitz. The first, second, and third columns, were left in the act of marching upon the points of attack fixed in the primary disposition, without thinking of the enemy's movements, and without having discrimination enough to give that direction to their columns, which the nature of the ground and the position of the enemy ought to have pointed out, at the very first glance. These three columns were composed of fifty-five Battalions (without including the Brigade under General Kamensky, which had not followed them), and were only opposed to the division under Legrand, not above five or six thousand strong, and to four thousand of the corps under Marshal Davoust.[15] Had the left of the allied army observed the enemy's movements during the battle, and reflected upon his intentions; had it taken advantage of the ground, and seized the means which it presented for again concentrating itself, in order to execute a bold manœuvre by the height on which the chapel above Aujest is situated, and which extends quite to Pratzen. Had this been done, the battle might yet have been prolonged, and at least have given a chance that the event of this day would have been less decisive. The offensive movement on the part of the French disconcerted the attack of the allies; and, from that moment, all concert ceased.

The second and third columns were left in Sokolnitz, through which the head of the latter had passed. It was also stated, that the two columns had become entangled during a thick fog that took place, and they were thrown into confusion, in this village, where they mutually embarrassed each other. At this time that part of the French which had been engaged in front of Tellnitz retired upon Sokolnitz; General Legrand having ordered that village to be turned by General Franceschi. When this took place, the centre of the allies had already been penetrated; and the French were in possession of the heights of Pratzen. The Russians who were in Sokolnitz, and those who had passed through it, when they saw themselves surrounded, immediately surrendered. Lieutenant-general Przibischewsky, who had the command of the third column, was made prisoner in the valley of Sokolnitz, together with 6,000 men, being a part of both columns, which likewise lost the whole of their artillery.

The relics of the second column retreated in disorder upon Aujest, and what continued embodied fell back upon the first column. This latter, informed, when too late, of the attack made by the French upon the centre, intended to move to its support; but took a wrong direction to be capable of making a diversion in its favour. The Austrian cavalry, which had been left beyond Tellnitz, retired through that village, which was now evacuated, leaving some Battalions of infantry, with a few cavalry on the hill fronting it, as a corps of observation, and to secure the march of M. de Buxhoevden, who was retiring upon Aujest, by the same route he had advanced. To protect the flank of the Russian infantry, the Szeckler hussars under Prince Maurice Liechtenstein, and O'Reilly's light cavalry, with two regiments of Cossacks, under General Stutterheim, were advanced upon the plain, between the foot of the mountains and the villages of Tellnitz and Sokolnitz; General Nostitz, with the hussars of Hesse Homburg, marched with the column. The French, after their success in the centre, had already brought forward their reserve, consisting of 20 Battalions, and had extended along the crest of the heights that were occupied in the morning by the allies, from Pratzen to the chapel above Aujest, but, as yet, they were not in force, and had no cannon above that village.[16]

If the first column of the allies, reinforced by some Battalions from the second, and at that time consisting of above 30 Battalions, had moved in full force upon these heights, and had attacked them; if, instead of passing through a defile, (the height above which was occupied by the enemy,) it had made a charge on the flank of the French, it is possible that a diversion might have been effected in favour of the centre; and a defeat in Aujest (which was to be anticipated) would at least have been avoided. In marching upon the height above Aujest, the left of the allies might, at least, give a chance in favour of the battle; while the left, being no longer liable to be put in confusion, would not have lost so many men. Even supposing it not to have succeeded in maintaining the height, still it had always a retreat open upon Scharoditz.