172 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



aud the village of Pratzen. At (he 

 same time marshal Bernadotte, after 

 having crosseel the rivulet at tlie 

 village of Girschicowitz, with the 

 division of lUvaud ou his left, and 

 that of Droiict on his right, tooic 

 his direction on the heights of 

 Blasowitz. The cavalry, under 

 prince Murat, formed in several 

 lines on the left of ijernadotte, and 

 marched between Girschicowitz and 

 Krug. Marshal Lannes, having on 

 his right the division of Catfareliy, 

 and on his left that of general 

 Suchet, moved forward on the left 

 of Murat. From that time the 

 centre and right of the allies became 

 engaged in ail quarters. 



T he grand duke Constantine was 

 destined, with the corps of Russian 

 guards, to form the reserve of the 

 right, and quitted the heights in 

 front of Austerlitz, at the appoined 

 hour, to occupy those of lilasowitz 

 and Krng. lie was hardly arrived 

 on this point, before he found him- 

 self engaged with the sharp shooters 

 of Rivaud's division, and Mnrat's 

 light cavalry, commanded by gene- 

 ral Kellerman. The grand duke 

 hastened to occupy the villajc of 

 lilasowitz, with the light inlamry 

 battalion of the guards, at the same 

 time prince John of Lichtenstein 

 arrived with his cavalry, aiid de- 

 tached 10 squadrons to protect 

 prince Bagratiou's left flank, whicii 

 was opposed to part of Mu rat's ca- 

 valry. Prince John of Liclitenstrin 

 found the grand dul.e in presence of 

 the cavalry under Kellerman. sup- 

 ported by the infantry of Berna- 

 dotte's left, and Lannes' right. 

 It was determined to charge the 

 enemy ; the arch-duke's regiment 

 was the first tli<it deployed. ^ This 

 was executed with intrepidity, but 

 with too great precipitancy, for 



the French cavalry, retiring thioug!; 

 the intervals of their infantry, the 

 Russian cavalry pursued, but being 

 thus placed, between the tires of 

 Catferelli's division, ou their right, ■ 

 and that of Rivaud on their left, J 

 the huiaus lost above 400 men, 1 

 and the archduke's regiment was 

 put completely to the route. In 

 this state, it reached the corps un- 

 der Bagration. This last general 

 had now moved forward from Po- 

 rorsifz, to oppose the left of mar- 

 shal Lannes, which rested on Ko- 

 valowitz. The villages of King 

 and Hoiubilz were occupied by 

 three battalions of Russian infan- 

 try. 



From what we have stated, it 

 will appear that the centre of the 

 coinbintd army had been very much 

 weakened by the strong force which 

 was detached to so great a distance 

 on their left, Mith the view of 

 turning the enemy's right, while (he 

 division on the right was not sufli- 

 ciendy strong to divide the French 

 forces. Bonaparte, whose inten- 

 tion seems to have been to make 

 advantage of this circumstance, from 

 the moment (hat he discovered the 

 plan of the allies, brought a very 

 superior force to act against their 

 centre. Jt is computed that, in this 

 point, the Austro-Russians did not 

 exceed 12,000 men, while the 

 troop.', destined to attack them 

 Mere at least double that number. 

 The centre of the allies was thus 

 perfectly insulated. However, ac- 

 cording to the original plan, they 

 prepared to advance about eight 

 o'clock, the emperor Alexander 

 Iiaving arrived at the head of the 

 fourth column, which was com- 

 manded by the Austrian general 

 Kollov, rath. The action therefore 

 near Tellnitz had already begun, 



and 



