Editing Battle of Wagram (section)

=== Rosenberg's attack ===
Positioned on the left of the Austrian army, in and around the strategic village of Markgrafneusiedl, ''Feldmarschalleutnant'' Prince Rosenberg-Orsini was in command of the 18,140 men and 60 cannons of the IV Korps. In addition, attached to his force was the much-battered Advance Guard, under ''Feldmarschalleutnant'' Nordmann, reduced to around 6,000 infantrymen and some cavalry support,{{ref label|Advance Guard|Note 6|6}} as well as the 3,120 cavalrymen from ''Feldmarschalleutnant'' Nostitz's division.{{sfn|Castle|1990|pp=20–21}} Receiving his orders in due time, Rosenberg began to organise his attack, forming the IV Korps into three large columns, preceded by an advance guard. The first column was formed by Hessen-Homburg's brigade, 6 battalions strong, which was directed towards the village of Grosshofen. The second column was 16 battalions strong (12 regular and four ''Landwehr'' battalions) and included the brigades of Swinburn and Weiss, with the orders to move on to [[Glinzendorf]]. The second column was preceded by an advance guard under ''Feldmarschalleutnant'' [[Joseph Radetzky von Radetz|Radetzky]], 10 battalions and 10 cavalry squadrons strong. The third column, under Nostitz, was 30 squadrons strong and was directed to outflank the French, towards Leopoldsdorf. Setting these troops in motion towards 4:00, just as his orders stated, Rosenberg instructed his commanders to maintain absolute silence among the rank and file as they advanced but, despite this, the troops moved forward in some disorder and with a lot of noise.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=175–176}}{{sfn|Castle|1990|p=68}}

[[File:Prince Franz Rosenberg-Orsini.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Feldmarschalleutnant'' [[Prince Franz Seraph of Rosenberg-Orsini|Prince Rosenberg-Orsini]]. At the battle of Wagram, the 47-year-old Prince Rosenberg was in command of the Austrian IV Korps.]]
Opposite to them lay the III Corps, perhaps the finest of the French army, under the command of ''Maréchal'' Davout.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=176–177}} Davout was in command of 31,600 infantry (divisions of Morand, Friant, Gudin and Puthod), 6,200 cavalry (divisions of [[Emmanuel de Grouchy|Grouchy]], [[Charles Joseph de Pully|Pully]] and [[Louis-Pierre Montbrun|Montbrun]]) and 120 cannon.{{sfn|Castle|1990|p=22}} Davout was unaware that the Austrians were moving to attack him, but he was himself preparing his attack, and thus his troops were ready for action. Puthod's leading elements, one regiment strong, were at Grosshofen, with Gudin positioned between this village and Glinzendorf, which was held by Friant, supported by Morand. The entire cavalry was positioned to protect the right flank of the Corps. To the French surprise, towards 05:00, the Austrians attacked, with Radetzky's leading elements pushing the French outposts out of Grosshofen, and then attacking Glinzendorf. Davout immediately ordered a counterattack on Grosshofen, with Puthod attacking frontally and Gudin from the flank, and made sure that the defenders of Glinzendorf steadfastly hold their ground, while releasing heavy musketry upon the slowly advancing enemy columns. Grouchy's [[dragoon]]s rode to face the enemy cavalry column, while Montbrun sent a part of his [[light cavalry]] division towards [[Obersiebenbrunn|Ober Sieberbrunn]], in a bid to outflank the Austrians. The sound of the cannon coming from Davout's sector interrupted Napoleon's breakfast, with the Emperor thinking that Archduke John must have arrived on the field of battle with his forces.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=176–177}} The threat of Archduke John's arrival was overestimated, since French intelligence inaccurately placed the strength of this army at 30,000 men, instead of its actual 13,000 men.{{sfn|Castle|1990|p=68}} Napoleon immediately ordered [[Etienne de Nansouty|Nansouty]]'s and [[Jean-Toussaint Arrighi de Casanova|Arrighi]]'s [[heavy cavalry]] divisions from the Cavalry Reserve to that sector, followed by the Imperial Guard.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=176–177}} Nansouty's horse artillery was the first to arrive and deployed on the right flank of the advancing Austrians, opening [[enfilade|enfilade fire]].<ref>Petre Lorraine 365.</ref>

Meanwhile, Archduke Charles was observing the entire operation. With Archduke John's reinforcements failing to materialise from the east and no sign of the III and VI Korps approaching from the west to take their intended positions, Charles realised that the unsupported Rosenberg was now too exposed and in an increasingly dangerous position. Charles thus ordered Rosenberg to fall back to his initial position at Markgrafneusiedl and assume a defensive posture there.{{sfn|Castle|1990|p=68}} This was no easy task and it took all the determination and skill of ''Feldmarschalleutnant'' Radetzky in coordinating a combined-arms operation to slow down the French onslaught, while the rest of Rosenberg's troops retreated. By 06:00, Rosenberg was finally back to his initial positions, but his two-hour action had cost him no less than 1,100 casualties.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=177–178}}

Napoleon, who was by now present alongside Davout, reconnoitered the situation and, seeing that Archduke John's army was nowhere near the battlefield, ordered the reserves back to Raasdorf, leaving only Arrighi's [[cuirassier]]s and a battery of [[Canon de 12 Gribeauval|12-pounders]] with III Corps. The Emperor reconfirmed that he wanted Davout to take Markgrafneusiedl, but, instead of a massive frontal attack, he instructed the Marshal to launch a part of his men frontally against the position and a part in an enveloping move from the east, in order to take advantage of the gentle slope there. These new orders meant that Davout could not start his attack right away, as he needed to send a part of his troops east, where he had to bridge the Russbach stream, in order to allow his artillery to cross.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=177–178}} Napoleon then issued orders to Oudinot and Eugène, instructing them to support Davout by pinning down the Austrian forces on the Russbach, once the IIIrd Corps began its attack.{{sfn|Castle|1990|p=68}}