392 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



wound from which was at first con- 

 sidered dangerous; asqueeze of the 

 hand signified to him the concern of 

 his sympathizing commander, who, 

 filled with contempt of death, now 

 fought for glory and for his country. 

 The attacks of our impenetrable 

 corps, both with the sabre and the 

 bayonet, so rapidly repeated and so 

 impetuous, as to be unparalleled in 

 military annals, frustrated ail the 

 intentions of the enemy. He was 

 beaten at all points, and astonished 

 at such undaunted intrepidity, he 

 was obliged to abandon the field of 

 battle. 



About this time Ileutenant-gen. 

 ihe prince ofHohenzollernobserved 

 on his left wing, near Esslingen, a 

 chasm, which had been formed dur- 

 ing theheatofthe engagement, and 

 afforded an advantageous point of 

 attack. Frolich's regiment, com- 

 manded by colonel Mecserry, was 

 ordered thither in three corps, and 

 repulsed four regiments of cavalry, 

 accompanied with infantry and artil- 

 lery. The corps remained in the 

 position which they had taken, till 

 the grenadiers of the reserve, which 

 the archduke had ordered forward 

 from Brietenlee, arrived to relieve 

 the battalions exhausted with the 

 sanguinary conflict, and continued 

 the attack upon the center of the 

 enemy's position. Lieutenant gen. 

 D'Aspre penetrated with the four 

 battalions of grenadiers of Przezin- 

 sky, Puteany, Scovaux, and Schar- 

 lach, without firing a shot, to the 

 enemy's cannon, where he was 

 flanked by such a destructive fire 

 from Esslingen, that nothingbut the 

 presence of the archduke, who has- 

 tened to the spot, could have induc- 

 ed his grenadiers to maintain their 

 ground. Captain count Dombasse 

 had already reached the enemy's 



battery, when he was wounded by 

 two balls, and quitted the field. 



About noon the archduke ordered 

 a new assault upon Esslingen, which 

 was immediately undertaken by 

 field-marshal-lieut. D'Aspre with 

 thegrenadierbattahons of Kirchen- 

 better and Scovaux on the left, and 

 Scharlach and Georgy in front. — 

 Five times did these gallant troops 

 rush up to the very walls of the 

 houses, burning internally and pla- 

 ced in a state of defence ; some of 

 the grenadiers thrust their bayonets 

 into the enemy's loop-holes; but ail 

 their efforts were fruitless, for their 

 antagonists fought the fight of de« 

 spair. The archduke ordered the 

 grenadiers to take up their former 

 position, and when they afterwards 

 volunteered to renew theassault,he 

 would not permit them, as the ene- 

 my was then in full retreat. 

 Corps of Field-Marshal Lieutenant 

 Prince Rosenberg. 



Both divisions of this corps, which 

 in advancing to the engagements 

 had composed the fourth and fifth 

 columns, were formed before break 

 of day for a new attack, for which 

 the enemy likewise made prepara- 

 tion on his side, but with a manifest 

 superiority in numbers. Prince Ro- 

 senberg resolved to attack the vil- 

 lage of Esslingen with the archduke 

 Charles's regiment of infantry, to 

 push forward his other troops in 

 battalions, and in particular to go 

 and meet the enemy, who was ad- 

 vancing in the open countrybet ween 

 Esslingen and the nearest arm of the 

 Danube. The village was already 

 gained, and battalions advancing on 

 the left, obliged the eneniy, drawn 

 up in several lines, to yield. The 

 most violent cannonade was keptup 

 incessantly on both sides, and it was 

 sustained by the troops with the 



greatest 



