HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



155 



bridge and that at Altinmarkt were 

 repaired. 



DaToust's corps, which took the 

 route by Frcying, after some op'po- 

 sitioa, passed the bridge at Mult- 

 dorf. iMurat caused a brigade of 

 cavalry to pass the river at the same 

 time, and as soon as the bridges of 

 Octingand Marchiel were repaired, 

 he crossed the Inn in person with 

 the reserve. 



The Austrians and Russians, 

 finding their force inadequate to 

 prevent the passage of the river, 

 retreated step by step towards 

 Vienna. In the mean time an ef- 

 fort was' made for the defence of 

 that 'capital. The citizens capable 

 of bearing arms were summoned to 

 embody themselves ; and a procla- 

 mation was issued, wherein the em- 

 peror declared that he would trust in 

 the justice of his cause, and the love 

 and energy of his twenty-five mil- 

 lions of people, aided by the pow- 

 erful asbistance of his Russian auxi- 

 liaries. 



The right bank of the Inn being 

 now left destitute of defence, the 

 remainder of the French army pas- 

 sed it without opposition ; and 

 whilst the Austro-Russians were 

 pursued by the French, who had 

 already passed the river, the 

 corps under Launcs, on the ^9th, 

 took possession ^ of Brannau, a 

 j)lace of considerable strength, 

 containing large magazines of ar- 

 tillery, ammuniticn, and provi- 

 sions. The Russians, who had 

 occupied Brannaa, left behind 

 them a quantity of powder and 

 other military stores. This was a 

 seasonable supply to the French 

 army. On the 30th, Buonaparte 

 arrived and placed his head quarters 

 tu that fortress. 



Kcfnadottc was hereupon de- 



tached from the left of the army to 

 the right, in order to occupy Saltz- 

 burg, so as to be in a situation to in- 

 tercept the communication between 

 the army under the archduke 

 Charles in the Venetian territory, 

 and the Austro Russians; a corps of 

 six thousand Austrians, who were 

 there stationed, retreated before the 

 arrival of Bernadotte in the direc- 

 tion of Wells. They were pursued 

 by the advanced guard under Keller- 

 man, and were overtaken near Pas. 

 ling. Notwithstanding the strength 

 of the position of the Austrians, 

 they were compelled to retire with 

 the loss of some hundreds of pri- 

 soners. 



This operation facilitated the 

 advance of the main body of the 

 army, under Bonaparte, which 

 moved rapidly in pursuit of the ene- 

 my. 



Prince Murat, with his cavalry, was 

 the first to overtake the Austrian rear 

 guard, about six thousand strong, 

 posted on the heights of Ried. 

 They were charged with great im- 

 petuosify by the French horse, and 

 forced to give way. The enemy, 

 however, rallied to protect their 

 baggage, but, after an obstinate con- 

 flict, they were put to flight, leaving 

 four or five hundred prisoners. 

 The position of Ried was, after this 

 affair, taken possession of by Murat, 

 to which point the main body was 

 in full march. 



Murat continued the pursuit, 

 and, on the 3 1st, again fell in with 

 the enemy's rear, in the vicinity of 

 Laiubach. Some shcv.- of resistance 

 Mas made, for the purpose of pro- 

 tecting the retreat of the combined 

 army, and the allies lost about 400 

 men, of whom 100 were Russians, 

 and a few pieces of cannon. 



'1 he object of the allies was now 



to 



