Wagram campaign (1809). By early 1808 the Austrians were anxious to reopen hostilities against France (see Napoleonic wars), though some leading figures like Archduke Charles, effectively C-in-C, urged caution to give the army time to prepare. Although Napoleon was not surprised, he had troops tied down in Spain, and the Austrians moved faster than expected, invading Bavaria on 9 April. Napoleon reached Donauworth on the 17th to find his army widely spread. He planned to concentrate and then move against Charles's left flank and rear, but misjudged both Austrian strength and his corps commanders' ability to move quickly enough. On 20-2 April Davout and Lefêbvre had the better of difficult fighting at Abensburg and Eckmühl, and Charles fell back through Ratisbon towards Bohemia. Lannes took Ratisbon by storm, and Napoleon advanced on Vienna, which fell without a fight.
He now found himself facing Charles's army across the Danube east of Vienna, and knew that Austrian reinforcements were on their way. He determined to cross the river to deal with Charles, and took Lobau island to secure Aspern and Essling on the far bank. On 21 May Charles counter-attacked and after two days of bitter fighting the French fell back onto the island. Each side had lost more than 20, 000 men: Lannes was among the dead.
Napoleon was badly shaken by Aspern-Essling, but two months later renewed his attack, this time crossing the Danube from the eastern edge of Lobau island. Early on 5 July the French crossed and secured a bridgehead, and on the 6th fought the campaign's deciding battle around the village of Deutsch-Wagram. Napoleon rose brilliantly to the numerous crises of the day. Davout took the village of Markgrafneusiedl, key to the Austrian left, but when Macdonald attempted to roll up the Austrian right with a huge column his men were slaughtered. The French were too exhausted to pursue Charles when he fell back. The French lost at least 30, 000 men and the Austrians rather more. An armistice was agreed on the 12th, and the peace treaty, signed on 14 October, was much to Austria's disadvantage.
Bibliography
- Epstein, Robert M., Napoleon's Last Victory and the Emergence of Modern War (Lawrence, Kan. 1994)
— Richard Holmes
