A VISIT TO ASPERN AND WAGRAM. 
593 
splendid French, cavalry rode round and round unable to effect an 
entrance anywhere or shake the stubborn front opposed to them. 
The muskets meanwhile ploughed their ranks with an incessant fire, 
and finally leaving half their numbers on the plain the squadrons were 
withdrawn shattered and crestfallen. Unbroken infantry had once 
more triumphantly shown that it need not fear even the best equipped 
and most valiant cavalry. 
Inspirited by their success HohenzollenTs infantry at once pressed 
forward against the weakened French centre which was being forced 
back little by little into the promontory formed by the bend of the 
Danube between the villages. 
As the Austrian advanced, a combined attack on Essling was made 
by Rosenberg's two columns, and the village was set on fire in several 
places by the shells which heralded the attack. The flanking fire from 
the granary and some of the buildings, however, arrested the tide of 
advance as it came abreast of the village, and all its energy and weight 
did not succeed in driving the heroic division under Lannes from its 
defences. 
The attack from the direction of Stadtlau which would have struck 
the French in a most vulnerable point was, fortunately for them, 
not pushed home as it should have been, and a few companies of the 
Molitor division, taking advantage of the wooded and difficult nature 
of the ground, were able to keep the four Austrian battalions sent for¬ 
ward here in check. 
But while the advance of the Austrians in the centre exposed their 
left to the flanking fire from Essling, it on the other hand also menaced 
the eastern side of Aspern, and soon that village was assailed on both 
sides by Hiller, and part of Bellegarde's corps under Yacquant. 
A most murderous combat then took place and eventually a mighty 
shout, which was heard in the dusk high above the roar of battle all 
along the line, announced the capture of the village by the Austrians. 
Even then, however, Massena would not give up the struggle, but, 
calling Legrand's division to the aid of Molitor's, made a final 
attempt to regain his ground. The effort, however, was beyond his 
strength, and although he did recapture a few houses, the fall of night 
saw the churchyard and the bloody street in the grasp of the assailants. 
In truth, when darkness put an end to the first day's carnage there 
must have been a feeling of chill disappointment throughout the French 
army. Aspern was lost to them, Essling was surrounded, their centre 
was shaken and showed signs of giving way, while the prestige which 
had surrounded all previous efforts of their Emperor had met with a dis¬ 
tinct check. The enemy's guns were in positions which enabled their 
fire to search every part of their array. Their homes far away in France 
lay leagues and leagues behind them, while immediately in their rear 
rolled a broad swollen river imperfectly and inadequately bridged. 
Defeat meant destruction, and defeat seemed imminent. Napoleon, 
greatest in adversity, however, did not lose hope, but rather redoubled 
his efforts to ensure success. The Archduke, fortunately for him, sus¬ 
pended operations as the night closed in, and lost what might have been 
an opportunity for totally defeating his enemies. The rising waters of 
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