Read Ebook: A Detailed Account of the Battle of Austerlitz by Stutterheim Karl Von Napoleon I Emperor Of The French Contributor Pine Coffin John Translator

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THE

ATLANTIC MONTHLY.

A MAGAZINE OF LITERATURE, ART, AND POLITICS.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by TICKNOR AND FIELDS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Transcriber's Note: Minor typos have been corrected and footnotes moved to the end of the article.

THE CADMEAN MADNESS.

The peculiar proficiencies of great epochs are as astonishing as the exploits of individual frenzy. The era of the Greek rhapsodists, when a body of matchless epical literature was handed down by memory from generation to generation, and a recitation of the whole "Odyssey" was not too much for a dinner-party,--the era of Periclean culture, when the Athenian populace was wont to pass whole days in the theatre, attending with unfaltering intellectual keenness and aesthetic delight to three or four long dramas, either of which would exhaust a modern audience,--the wild and vast systems of imaginary abstractions, which the Neo-Platonists, as also the German transcendentalists, so strangely devised and became enamored of,--the grotesque views of men and things, the funny universe altogether, which made up both the popular and the learned thought of the Middle Ages,--the Buddhistic Orient, with its subtile metaphysical illusions, its unreal astronomical heavens, its habits of repose and its tornadoes of passion,--such are instances of great diversities of character, which would be hardly accountable to each other on the supposition of mutual sanity. They suggest a difference of ideas, moods, habits, and capacities, which in contemporaries and associates would amply justify either party that happened to be the majority in turning all the rest into insane asylums. It is the demoniac element, the raving of some particular demon, that creates greatness either in men or nations. Power is maniacal. A mysterious fury, a heavenly inspiration, an incomprehensible and irresistible impulse, goads humanity on to achievements. Every age, every person, and every art obeys the wand of the enchanter. History moves by indirections. The first historic tendency is likely to be slightly askew; there follows then an historic triumph, then an historic eccentricity, then an historic folly, then an explosion; and then the series begins again. In the grade of folly, hard upon an explosion, lies modern literature.

The largest library in the world, the Biblioth?que Imp?riale of Paris, contains very nearly one million of books, the collected fruits of all time. Consider an average book in that collection: how much human labor does it stand for? How much capital was invested originally in its production, and how much tribute of time and toil does it receive per annum? Regarding books as intellectual estate, how much does it cost mankind to procure and keep up an average specimen? What quantity of human resources has been originally and consecutively sunk in the Parisian library? How much of human time, which is but a span, and of human emotion and thought, which are sacred and not to be carelessly thrown away, lie latent therein?

The estimate must be highly speculative. Some books have cost a lifetime and a heartbreak; others have been written at leisure in a week, and without an emotion. Some are born from the martyrdom of a thinker to fire the genius of a populace; others are the coruscations of joy, and have a smile for their immortal heir. Some have made but the slightest momentary ripple in human affairs; others, first gathering eddies about themselves, have swept forward in grand currents, engrossing for centuries whole departments of human energy. Thousands publish and are forgotten before they die. Spinoza published after his death and is not yet understood.

We will begin with the destined bibliomacher at the time of his assumption of short clothes. The alphabet is his first professional torture, and that only ushers him upon the gigantic task of learning to read and write his own language. Experience shows that this miracle of memory and associative reason may be in the main accomplished by the time he is eight years old. Thus far in his progress towards book-making he has simply got his fingers hold of the pen. He has next to run the gauntlet of the languages, sciences, and arts, to pass through the epoch of the scholar, with satchel under his arm, with pale cheek, an eremite and ascetic in the religion of Cadmus. At length, at about twenty years of age, he leaves the university, not a master, but a bachelor of liberal studies. But thus far heto Moravia, being composed of the corps under Prince Murat, Marshals Soult, Lannes, and Bernadotte. The last of these was then opposed to the Archduke Ferdinand, and was advancing upon Iglau. Marshal Davoust, after having followed M. de Merveldt into Styria, moved from Vienna upon Presbourgh. The corps of Marmont marched upon Carinthia, and then upon Styria; in the first instance, to open the communication between the grand army and that of Italy; and afterwards, to oppose the junction of the Archduke Charles with the army under M. de Koutousoff; but the movements of this prince were so well calculated, and his force so well concentrated, that he did not allow time for the French to establish themselves at Gratz. Marshal Ney, after the passage of the Inn, took his direction on the Tyrol, by Scharnitz.

At the time of the junction of the two Russian armies near Wischau, they had only opposed to them, the corps of Prince Murat, part of which formed the advanced guard, those of Marshals Soult and Lannes, the imperial guards, under Marshal Bessi?res, and a corps of grenadiers, drawn from these different troops, forming a reserve of 15,000 men, under General Duroc. This army, when near Brunn, was composed of eight divisions, each of which was about 7000 strong. The Russian army was so much fatigued with the continual marches it had been making, whether to fall back on the support, or the support to get forward in time, that it was decided at Wischau to take up the position of Olmutz, to give some days rest to the troops.

The Austrian general Weyrother, had been sent into Galicia, for the purpose of conducting the army of Buxhoevden through the hereditary states. He was an officer of reputation, who did not want for talent, and who had inspired the Russians with confidence. As soon as the two armies became united, he filled the situation of Quarter-master general. The court of Vienna had previously selected General Schmidt for this important trust; but that officer, a man of superior merit, and who, with a talent for the profoundest calculation, possessed that tranquil wisdom, which gives reason and deliberation in counsel; after having shewn himself, at Crems, to be worthy of the confidence that was placed in him, lost his life there, and was thus snatched from the hopes of his sovereign, and of his brother soldiers. His loss was the more sensibly felt, and the more regretted, because his successor, neither possessed his calmness, his prudence, or his firmness. The army marched, the 21st of November, from Wischau, and arrived the next day but one, in the position in front of Olmutz, whither we will follow it, for the purpose of detailing the operations.

M. de Koutousoff had also sent some Austrian partisans, on his right flank, who marched upon Tribau and Zwittau, whither the Archduke Ferdinand, who was at Czaslau, had sent some parties of light troops, to keep up the chain of communication.

Prince Murat arrived, on the 18th of November, at Brunn. His advanced guard, under general Sebastiani, pushed forward in the first instance, to Rausnitz, and afterwards entered Wischau, after Prince Bagration had evacuated it. The Emperor Napoleon, established himself, on the 20th November, at Brunn, and placed his army in concentrated cantonments, in the following manner:

The corps of guards, the grenadiers of the reserve, and the troops under Marshal Lannes, in Brunn and its vicinity. The cavalry under Prince Murat, on the right and left of the great road, between Brunn and Posorsitz. Marshal Soult, at Austerlitz; and the three divisions, of which his army was composed, were divided, between that place, Butschowitz, Neuwieslitz, Stanitz, and the road to Hungary. At Gaja, was a strong detachment, which kept open the communication with that which observed the river March, in order to secure the right of the army.

The 25th November, the Grand Duke Constantine arrived at Olmutz, with the corps of guards, of which he had the command. After a long and forced march from St. Petersburgh, this fine body of men was in the best order.

This corps was composed of ten battalions, and eighteen squadrons, the whole amounting to 10,000 men; of whom, however, there were only 8,500 under arms. At this moment, the army, under M. de Koutousoff may be computed to have amounted, in all, to above 80,000 men, as will be seen hereafter, in detail.

The 27th November, at eight o'clock in the morning, the army was put in motion, in five columns, to approach nearer the advanced guard, under Prince Bagration, who, on that day, made no movement whatever, in order that the manoeuvre might be concealed from the enemy. This was done with a view to concentrating the troops, which, however, in the end, were diffused afresh. The five roads, by which the army advanced, were parallel to each other. The two right columns marched along the foot of the mountains, to the right of the causeway, and were composed of infantry only. That of the centre was on the great road to Prosnitz; the fourth to the left of this, and very little distant from it; the fifth, composed entirely of cavalry, was in sight of the fourth. In front of this last, the country was entirely open.

Here follows the detail of the march.

RIGHT WING.

The General of Infantry, Buxhoevden.

FIRST COLUMN.

Lieutenant General Wimpfen. Major Generals Muller, Sclichow, and Strick. 18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers. 2-1/2 squadrons of Cosacks. 8,320 men. 250 horses.

SECOND COLUMN.

Lieutenant General Langeron. Major Generals Kaminsky, Alsufieu. 18 battalions of Russians. 1 company of pioneers. 2-1/2 squadrons of Cosacks. 11,420 men. 250 horses.

CENTRE.

The General in Chief, Koutousoff.

THIRD COLUMN.

Lieutenant General Przybyszewsky. Major Generals Orosow, Lieders, Lewis. 24 battalions of Russians. 2 companies of reserve artillery. 13,800 men.

LEFT WING.

The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince John de Liechtenstein.

FOURTH COLUMN.

The Austrian Lieutenant General Kollowrath. The Russian Lieutenant Generals Essen and Miloradowich. The Russian Major Generals Szepelow and Repninsky. The Austrian Major Generals Carneville, Rottermund, and Jurezeck. 32 battalions, of which 20 were Austrians. 1 company of reserve artillery. 5 companies of pioneers. 30 squadrons of Russians, of which 8 were Cosacks. 22,400 men. 3000 horses.

FIFTH COLUMN.

The Austrian Lieutenant General Prince Hohenlohe. The Russian Lieutenant General Ouwarow. The Austrian Major Generals Stutterheim, Weber, and Caramelli. The Russian Major General Piritzky. 70 squadrons, of which 40 were Austrian, but very weak. 2 companies of light artillery. 4600 horses.

THE RESERVE.

The Grand Duke Constantine. Lieutenant Generals Kollagriwoff and Malutin. Major Generals Jankewitz and Depleradowich. 10 battalions of guards, 4 companies. 18 squadrons. 8,500 men.

RECAPITULATION.

The first column assembled at Nebotin, and marched upon Trzebschein, Blumenau, and Kobelnizeck, where it formed in two lines.

The second column assembled at Ollschan, and marched upon Studnitz, Czechowitz, and Ottaslowitz, where it formed, with its right supported by the left of the first column.

The third column assembled on the high road to Prosnitz, on which it marched, and formed in line with the two right columns.

The fourth column assembled at Nedwriss, and marched upon Wrahowitz, and Dobrochow, where it formed, and established its communication with the centre column.

The fifth column assembled at Schabelin, and marched upon Kralitz, and Brzesowitz, where it formed in two lines.

This last column, not being covered by the out-posts on the left, had an advanced guard of its own, commanded by General Stutterheim, which communicated with the detachments observing the river March.

The army advanced with much precaution, because it was ignorant of the enemy's movements. It had orders to refuse the left, and to allow the right, which moved along the mountains, to gain ground, in order to turn the enemy's left, in case of meeting with it. The corps under the Grand Duke marched upon Prosnitz, and formed the reserve. After four hours march, the army arrived on its different points of formation without any obstacle.

Information was received that the enemy had made no movement whatever, and that his advanced guard at Wischau had neither been reinforced or diminished. Preparations were in consequence made for its attack the next morning, and Prince Bagration received orders to put it in execution. The army was to follow, in the same order as before, the route that should be opened for it by this general. On the 28th, at day-break, Prince Bagration put his corps in motion, in three columns; that of the centre remained on the causeway; the two others, on the right and left, turned the town of Wischau; in which the enemy had a regiment of hussars, and one of chasseurs. Two other regiments of cavalry were posted in reserve, in rear of the town; while General Sebastiani was at Huluboschan with a regiment of dragoons. As soon as the Russians, with the cavalry under General Kienmayer on their left, appeared before Wischau, and on the heights of Brindlitz, the French cavalry, with the exception of about 100 men, precipitately abandoned the town.

The Adjutant General Dolgorucky, took possession of the town with two Battalions of Infantry, and made four officers and 100 men prisoners. The Enemy's Cavalry received considerable reinforcements in retiring upon Rausnitz, where was a strong Reserve. In the first instance, they were pursued by four squadrons of Russian Hussars, and two of Cosacks; but afterwards all the cavalry under Prince Bagration, reinforced by that of the fourth column, under the command of Lieutenant General Essen, passed through Wischau, to support the attack of the advanced guard. To cover his right during this movement, Prince Bagration had received orders to send a regiment of chasseurs, and one of cavalry, to the right of Drissitz by Bustomirz and Dietitz, upon Habrowan. This general prosecuted his march as far as the heights of Rausnitz, where he took up his position. The enemy was still master of this little town, and began to cannonade; but the Russian artillery, which was more numerous, soon silenced the fire. In the evening, two Russian Battalions took possession of Rausnitz, in front of which were placed the out-posts.

M. de Kienmayer, who, with his cavalry, had supported the Russian advanced guard on the left, took his direction upon Drasowitz, and there established his communication with Prince Bagration.

The army, on the 28th, moved, as before, in five columns, and followed up the movement of the advanced guard, in the following manner:

The first column, from Kobelnizeck, by Ratzlawitz, upon Lutsch, where it took up its position, posting six Battalions of Infantry and Chasseurs, in the wood between Nemajam and Pistomirtz.

The second column, from Ottaslowitz, by Dietitz, upon Nosalowitz, where it formed in second line.

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