174 ANNUAL 11 E G 1 S T E U, 1805. 



with tlR'ir usual ability, the result 

 of a military eye and oi experience, 

 taking advantage of the inequalities 

 of ground, to cover their men from 

 lire, and to conceal their moYeiuents. 

 .'J'lieouly chance tliat now remain- 

 ed to the allies of turning the fate of 

 the day, was by a general and 

 desperate attack at the point of the 

 bayonet. 



The Austrian brigades, uith that 

 under genera Kamcnskoy, accord- 

 ingly charged, but they were re- 

 ceived by the French witli steadi- 

 ness and a well-supported fircj, which 

 made adreadl'ul carnage in the com- 

 pact ranks of the llussians. (Jeneral 

 Aliloradowilh advanced upon the 

 right, but the generals Berg and Rep- 

 niusky being wounded, their troops 

 lost that confidence in themselves, 

 ■without which nothing is to be done 

 in war. The ardour of this attack 

 soon evaporated ; nevcrthclei-s, the 

 example of some of their oflicers 

 had, at one moment, the eifcct to 

 induce the lelt wing again to ad- 

 vance with intrepidity, and for an 

 instant the right w ing of the French 

 began to give way. 



The French, in ihcir turn, now 

 attacked the aliie^, who were with- 

 out any support, and absolutely 

 abandoned by the left wing of their 

 army. Resistance tiien became of 

 no avail, and the fourth column of 

 the combined army lost the heights 

 of Pratzcn beyond the possibility of 

 recovery, together with the great- 

 est part of their arfillery, which was 

 entangled in the deep clay that 

 prevails in that part of the country. 

 The French adVanccrftheir artillery, 

 and vigorously cannonaded the re- 

 treating army, by which it was put 

 into great confusion. This action 

 on the heights of Piatzen lasted two 

 hours, and the issue of it was de- 

 cisive of the battle. 



The fourth column retired to the 

 position of Ilodiegitz and Herspitz, 

 where it collected its battalions, the 

 French remaining in possession of 

 the heights of Pratzcn. 



Whilst the action took this turn 

 in the centre, the cavalry, under 

 prince John of Lichtenstein, at- 

 tempted to make head both to the 

 right and left against the French in. 

 fantr}' and a part of Murat's ca- 

 valry, in order to check, or at least 

 retard, their success. This general 

 si:cceeded in rallying some Austrian 

 battalions, which, like the Russian 

 infantry, were retreating in disorder. 

 His horse was killed under him by a 

 grape shot. The cavalry continued 

 to occupy the foot of the heights of 

 Pratzen, bitween the village of that 

 name and Kozenovitz, until night. 

 I'lie grand duke Conftantine also 

 found himself in an obstinate con- 

 test. The village of Blasowitz, 

 which he had caused tobeoccnpied, 

 was attacked by the corps under 

 Rernadotte. 'J'he grand duke wish- 

 ing to stop the enemy's progress, 

 left the commanding heights on 

 which he was posted, and advanced 

 in line upon the French columns; 

 a sharp fire of musketry ensued. 

 The French sharp shooters, who 

 covered their columns, were driven 

 in by a charge with the bayonet, 

 which was ordered by the grand 

 duke. A sharj) cannonade, attended 

 \u til much execution, then took place 

 on this point. The grape shot made a 

 dreadful carnage ; but, at the mo- 

 ment when the prince approached 

 the enemy, (who had by this time 

 deployed into line) the cavalry of 

 the French guards, which had been 

 posted in the intervals of the in- 

 fantry, made a charge upoTi the 

 Russian line, which being without 

 support, was driven back, after a 

 2 brave 



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