APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 385 



Vienna volunteers, and by a batta- 

 lion of militia, under the com- 

 mand of major count Colloredo. — 

 Within a cannon-shot of Stadlau 

 the out-posts met the enemy'spic- 

 quets, which gradually retreated to 

 their original divisions. — At this 

 time general Nordman ordered two 

 battalions of Gyulay to draw up 

 en echellon, in order to favour the 

 advance of the column. The ene- 

 my drawn up in large divisions, 

 stood immediately before Aspern, 

 having, to cover his front, occu- 

 pied all the ditches of the fields, 

 which afforded excellent breast- 

 works. His right was covered by 

 a battery, and his left by a broad 

 and deep ditch (one of those that 

 carry off" the waters of the Danube 

 when it overflows), as well as by a 

 bushy ground, which was likewise 

 occupied by several bodies in close 

 order. — Though the enemy had the 

 advantage of position all to him- 

 self, inasmuch as the freshes of the 

 Danube were only passable by 

 means of a small bridge, at which 

 he kept up a vigorous fire from be- 

 hind the ditches both with cannon 

 and small arms, it did not prevent 

 the 2nd battallion of Gyulay, im- 

 mediately after the first had pene- 

 trated as far as the bushy meadows, 

 to pass the bridge in a column, to 

 form without delay, and with charg- 

 ed bayonets lo attack the enemy, 

 who precipitately retreated to As- 



f)ern, on which occasion that vii- 

 Bge, after a vigorous but not very 

 obstinate resistance, was taken for 

 the first time. It was, however, 

 not long before the enemy had it in 

 his power, by tiie arrival of a fresh 

 reinforcement, to expel again the 

 battalions of Gyulay. By this time 

 some battalions of the column had 

 arrived, the chasseurs of major 

 Vol,. LI. 



Schneider, of the 2nd column, 

 joined the advanced guard of the 

 1st ; Gyulay formed again, and the 

 enemy was a second time pushed 

 to the lower end of the village, 

 though he succeeded again in re- 

 gaining what he had lost. — Both 

 jjarties were aware of the necessity 

 of maintaining themselves in As- 

 pern at any rate, which produced 

 successively the most obstinate ef- 

 forts both of attack and defence; 

 the parties engaged each other in 

 every street, in every house, and 

 in every barn ; carts, ploughs, and 

 harrows were obliged to be remov- 

 ed during an uninterrupted fire, in 

 order to get at the enemy ; every 

 individual wall was an impediment 

 of the assailants, and a rampart of 

 the attacked ; the steeple, lofty 

 trees, the garrets, and the cellars 

 were to be conquered before either 

 of the parties could style itself 

 master of the place, andyetthepos- 

 session was ever of short duration ; 

 for no sooner had we taken a street 

 or a house than the enemy gained 

 another, forcing us to abandon the 

 former. So this murderous conflict 

 lasted for several hours ; the German 

 battalions were supported by Hun- 

 garians, who were again assisted by 

 the Vienna volunteers, each rival- 

 ing the other in courage and perse- 

 verance. At the same time the 2nd 

 column combined its attacks with 

 those of the first, having to over- 

 come the same resistance, by rea- 

 son of the enemy's constantly lead- 

 ing fresh reinforcements into fire. 

 At length general Vacquant of the 

 second column succeeded in be- 

 coming master of the upper part 

 of the village, and maintaining him- 

 self there during the whole of the 

 night. — By the shells of both parties 

 many houses had been set on fire, 

 2 C and 



