Editing War of the Third Coalition (section)

==Battle of Austerlitz==
[[File:Bivouac on the Eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, 1st December 1805.PNG|thumb|Napoleon with his troops on the eve of battle, questioning local peasants on the movements of the Austro-Russian Army. Painting by [[Louis-François, Baron Lejeune|Lejeune]]]]
{{main|Battle of Austerlitz|Order of Battle at the Austerlitz campaign}}

===Preliminaries===
The main body of the {{lang|fr|[[Grande Armée]]}} followed the remains of the Austrian army towards [[Vienna]]. Following the failure of the Austrian army at Ulm, a [[Russian Empire|Russian]] army under General Mikhail Kutuzov was also withdrawing east, and reached the [[Ill (Austria)|Ill river]] on 22 October, where it joined with Kienmayer's retreating corps. On 5 November, they held a successful rearguard action in [[Battle of Amstetten|Amstetten]]. On 7 November, the Russians arrived in [[St. Pölten]], and then moved across the Danube river the next day. Late on 9 November, they destroyed the bridges across the Danube, holding the last one, at Stein, near [[Krems an der Donau|Krems]], until the late afternoon.<ref>{{in lang|de}} Rainer Egger. ''Das Gefecht bei Dürnstein-Loiben 1805''. Wien: Bundesverlag, 1986.</ref>

[[File:Wachau Valley Durnstein.jpg|thumb|alt=the town of Dürenstein lies in the floodplain of the Danube river. The river passes through the valley, between two sets of mountains on each side. The Russians emerged from the feldspar cliffs and defiles of the mountains, to attack the French column arrayed in the vineyards.|The French occupied the vineyards in the floodplain, and were surrounded by Russian troops as they emerged from defiles of the mountains. Another column of Russians approached Dürenstein from the south.]]

The following day, Marshal [[Édouard Mortier, Duke of Trévise|Mortier]] ordered General [[Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan de la Peyrière|Gazan]] to attack what they believed to be a Russian rear guard, at the village of Stein. This was a trap on the part of Kutuzov, laid for the sole purpose of convincing Mortier that he had retreated further toward Vienna, when he had actually crossed the Danube in force, and lay concealed behind the ridges above the village. In the ensuing [[Battle of Dürenstein]], three Russian columns circled around the First Division of the ''Corps Mortier'', and attacked Gazan from both the front and the rear. Not until Dupont's division arrived, after dark, was Gazan able to start to evacuate his soldiers to the other side of the Danube. Gazan lost close to 40 percent of his division. In addition, 47 officers and 895 men were captured, and he lost five guns, as well as the [[French Imperial Eagle|eagles]] of the 4th Infantry Regiment, and the eagle and [[Heraldic flag|guidon]] of the 4th Dragoons. The Russians also lost around 4,000, about 16 percent of their force, and two regimental colors.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=213}} The Austrian Lt. Field Marshal [[Johann Heinrich von Schmitt]] was killed as the battle concluded, probably by Russian musketry in the confused melee.<ref>{{in lang|de}} Jens-Florian Ebert. "Heinrich von Schmitt". ''[http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/index.html Die Österreichischen Generäle 1792–1815].'' [http://www.napoleon-online.de/ Napoleon Online: Portal zu Epoch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408223833/http://www.napoleon-online.de/ |date=8 April 2000 }}. Markus Stein, editor. Mannheim, Germany. 14 February 2010 version. Accessed 5 February 2010: {{in lang|de}} Egger, p. 29.</ref>

At the [[Battle of Schöngrabern]] (also known as the Battle of Hollabrunn) occurred a week after the battle at Dürenstein. On 16 November 1805. near Hollabrunn in [[Lower Austria]]. The Russian army of Kutuzov was retiring north of the [[Danube]] before the French army of Napoleon.

On 13 November 1805 Marshals [[Joachim Murat|Murat]] and [[Jean Lannes|Lannes]], commanding the French advance guard, had captured a bridge over the Danube at Vienna by falsely claiming that an [[armistice]] had been signed, and then rushing the bridge while the guards were distracted.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rothenberg |first=Gunther E. |title=The Napoleonic Wars |date=1999 |publisher=Cassell |isbn=978-0-304-35267-8 |series=The Cassell history of warfare |location=London |pages=88 |trans-title=}}</ref> Kutuzov needed to gain time in order to make contact near [[Brünn]] with reinforcements led by [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden|Buxhowden]]. He ordered his rearguard under Major-General Prince [[Pyotr Bagration]] to delay the French.

After Hollabrun, the armies gathered on the plains to the east of [[Brno|Brünn]]. Napoleon could muster some 75,000 men and 157 guns for the impending battle, but about 7,000 troops under [[Louis-Nicolas Davout|Davout]] were still far to the south in the direction of Vienna.{{sfn|Uffindell|2003|p=19}} The Allies had about 73,000 soldiers, seventy percent of them Russian, and 318 guns. On 1 December, both sides occupied their main positions.

===Battlefield===
The northern part of the battlefield was dominated by the {{convert|700|ft|m|abbr=off|adj=on}} Santon hill and the {{convert|850|ft|m|abbr=off|adj=on}} Zuran hill, both overlooking the vital [[Olomouc|Olmutz]]-Brno road that ran across a west–east axis. To the west of these two hills was the village of [[Bedřichovice|Bellowitz]], and between them the Bosenitz Stream went south to link up with the Goldbach Stream, the latter flowing astride the villages of [[Kobylnice (Kutná Hora District)|Kobelnitz]], [[Sokolnice|Sokolnitz]], and [[Telnice (Brno-Country District)|Telnitz]]. The centerpiece of the entire area were the Pratzen Heights, a gently sloped hill about {{convert|35|to|40|ft|m}} in height. An aide noted that the Emperor repeatedly told his Marshals, "Gentlemen, examine this ground carefully, it is going to be a battlefield; you will have a part to play upon it".{{sfn|Chandler|1966|pp=412–413}}

===Allied plans and dispositions===
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz, Situation at 1800, 1 December 1805.png|upright=1.35|thumb|right|Allied (red) and French (blue) deployments at 1800 hours on 1 December 1805]]
An Allied council met on 1 December to discuss proposals for the battle. Most of the Allied strategists had two fundamental ideas in mind: making contact with the enemy and securing the southern flank that led to Vienna. Although the Tsar and his immediate entourage pushed hard for a battle, Emperor Francis of Austria was in a more cautious mood, and he was seconded by Kutuzov, the main Russian commander. The pressure to fight from the Russian nobles and the Austrian commanders, however, was too strong, and the Allies adopted Austrian Chief of Staff [[Franz von Weyrother]]'s plan. This called for a main drive against the French right flank, which the Allies noticed was lightly guarded, and diversionary attacks against the French left. The Allies deployed most of their troops into four columns that would attack the French right. The [[Russian Imperial Guard]] was held in reserve while Russian troops under Bagration guarded the Allied right.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=416}}

===French plans and dispositions===
Days before any actual fighting, Napoleon had given an impression to the Allies that his army was in a weak state and that he desired a negotiated peace.{{sfn|McLynn|1997|p=342}} In reality, he was hoping that they would attack, and to encourage them on this mission he deliberately weakened his right flank.{{sfn|Brooks|2000|p=109}} On 28 November, Napoleon met with his marshals at Imperial Headquarters and they informed him of their qualms and fears about the upcoming battle, even suggesting a retreat, but he shrugged off their complaints and went to work.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=48}} Napoleon's plan envisioned that the Allies would throw so many troops to envelop his right flank that their centre would be severely weakened. He then counted on a massive French thrust, to be conducted by 16,000 troops of [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Soult]]'s IV Corps, through the centre to cripple the Allied army. Meanwhile, to support his weak right flank, Napoleon ordered Davout's [[III Corps (Grande Armée)|III Corps]] to force march all the way from Vienna and join General Legrand's men, who held the extreme southern flank that would bear the heavy part of the Allied attack. Davout's soldiers had 48 hours to March {{convert|110|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Their arrival would be extremely crucial in determining the success or failure of the French plan. The [[French Imperial Guard|Imperial Guard]] and [[Charles XIV John of Sweden|Bernadotte]]'s I Corps were held in reserve while the V Corps under [[Jean Lannes|Lannes]] guarded the northern sector of the battle.

===Battle is joined===
The battle began around 8 a.m. with the first allied column attacking the village of Telnitz, which was defended by the 3rd Line Regiment. This sector of the battlefield witnessed heavy action in the following moments as several ferocious Allied charges evicted the French from the town and forced them on the other side of the Goldbach. The first men of Davout's corps arrived at this time and threw the Allies out of Telnitz before they too were attacked by [[hussar]]s and re-abandoned the town. Additional Allied attacks out of Telnitz were checked by French artillery.
Allied columns started pouring against the French right, but not at the desired speed, so the French were mostly successful in curbing the attacks. In reality, the Allied deployments were mistaken and poorly timed: cavalry detachments under [[Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein]] on the Allied left flank had to be placed in the right flank and in the process they ran into and slowed down part of the second column of infantry that was advancing towards the French right. At the time, the planners thought this was a disaster, but later on it helped the Allies. Meanwhile, the lead elements of the second column were attacking the village of Sokolnitz, which was defended by the 26th Light Regiment and the ''Tirailleurs'', French skirmishers. Initial Allied assaults proved unsuccessful and General [[Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron|Langeron]] ordered the bombardment of the village. This deadly barrage forced the French out, and around the same time, the third column attacked the castle of Sokolnitz. The French, however, counterattacked and regained the village, only to be thrown out again. Conflict in this area ended momentarily when [[Louis Friant|Friant]]'s division (part of III Corps) retook the village. Sokolnitz was perhaps the most fought over area in the battlefield and would change hands several times as the day progressed.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|pp=48–49}}

==="One sharp blow and the war is over"===
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz - Situation at 0900, 2 December 1805.png|upright=1.35|thumb|right|The decisive attacks on the Allied centre by [[Louis Vincent Le Blond de Saint-Hilaire|St. Hilaire]] and [[Dominique Vandamme|Vandamme]] split the Allied army in two and left the French in a golden strategic position to win the battle.]]
Around 8:45&nbsp;a.m., finally satisfied at the weakness in the enemy centre, Napoleon asked Soult how long it would take for his men to reach the Pratzen Heights, to which the Marshal replied, "Less than twenty minutes, sire." About 15 minutes later, Napoleon ordered the attack, adding, "One sharp blow and the war is over."{{sfn|Uffindell|2003|p=21.}}

A dense fog helped to cloud the advance of St. Hilaire's division, but as they went up the slope the legendary 'Sun of Austerlitz' ripped the mist apart and encouraged them forward.Russian soldiers and commanders on top of the heights were stunned to see so many French troops coming towards them.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=425}} Allied commanders were now able to feed some of the delayed detachments of the fourth column into this bitter struggle. Over an hour of horrendous fighting left much of this unit decimated beyond recognition. The other men from the second column, mostly inexperienced Austrians, also participated in the struggle and swung the numbers game against one of the best fighting forces in the French army, finally forcing them to withdraw down the slopes. However, gripped by desperation, St. Hilaire's men struck hard once more and bayoneted the Allies out of the heights. To the north, General [[Dominique Vandamme|Vandamme]]'s division attacked an area called Staré Vinohrady and through talented skirmishing and deadly volleys broke several Allied battalions.

The battle had firmly turned to France's favor, but there was still much fighting ahead. Napoleon ordered Bernadotte's I Corps to support Vandamme's left and moved his own command centre from Zuran Hill to St. Anthony's Chapel on the Pratzen Heights. The difficult position of the Allies was confirmed by the decision to send in the [[Russian Imperial Guard]]; Grand Duke [[Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia|Constantine]], Tsar Alexander's brother, commanded the Guard and counterattacked in Vandamme's section of the field, forcing a bloody effort and the loss of the only French standard in the battle (the unfortunate victim was a battalion of the 4th Line Regiment). Sensing trouble, Napoleon ordered his own heavy [[Mounted Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard|Guard cavalry]] forward. These men pulverized their Russian counterparts, but with both sides pouring in large masses of cavalry no victor was clear yet. The Russians had a numerical advantage here but fairly soon the tide swung as [[Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon|d'Erlon]]'s Division, the 2nd of Bernadotte's I Corps, deployed on the flank of the action and allowed French cavalry to seek refuge behind their lines. The [[horse artillery]] of the Guard also unlimbered a deadly toll on the Russian cavalry and fusiliers. The Russians broke and many died as they were pursued by the reinvigorated French cavalry for about a quarter of a mile.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|pp=49–51}}

===Endgame===
[[File:Battle of Austerlitz - Situation at 1400, 2 December 1805.png|upright=1.35|thumb|right|By 1400 hours, the Allied army had been dangerously separated. Napoleon now had the option to strike at one of the wings, and he chose the Allied left since other enemy sectors had already been cleared or were conducting fighting retreats.]]
Meanwhile, the northernmost part of the battlefield was also witnessing heavy fighting. Prince [[Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein]]'s heavy cavalry began to assault [[François Etienne de Kellermann|Kellerman]]'s lighter cavalry forces after finally arriving at the correct position in the field. The fighting originally went well for the French, but Kellerman's forces took cover behind General [[Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga|Caffarelli]]'s infantry division once it became clear Russian numbers were too great. Caffarelli's men halted the Russian assaults and permitted Murat to send two cuirassier divisions into the fray to finish off the Russian cavalry for good. The ensuing melee was bitter and long, but the French ultimately prevailed. Lannes then led his V Corps against Bagration's men and after hard fighting managed to drive the skilled Russian commander off the field. He wanted to pursue, but Murat, who was in control of this sector in the battlefield, was against the idea.

Napoleon's focus now shifted towards the southern end of the battlefield where the French and the Allies were still fighting over Sokolnitz and Telnitz. In an effective double-pronged assault, St. Hilaire's division and part of Davout's III Corps smashed through the enemy at Sokolnitz and persuaded the commanders of the first two columns, generals Kienmayer and Langeron, to flee as fast as they could. [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden|Buxhowden]], the commander of the Allied left and the man responsible for leading the attack, was completely drunk and fled as well. Kienmayer covered his withdrawal with the [[Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough|O'Reilly]] light cavalry, who gallantly managed to defeat five of six French cavalry regiments before they too had to retreat.{{sfn|Fisher|Fremont-Barnes|2004|p=52}}

General panic now seized the Allied army and it abandoned the field in any and all possible directions. Russian forces that had been defeated by the French right withdrew south towards Vienna via the Satschan frozen ponds. According to popular myth, the French artillery pounded towards the men, but Napoleon redirected his gunners to fire at the ice. The men drowned in the viciously cold ponds, dozens of artillery pieces going down along with them. Estimates on how many guns were captured differ; there may have been as few as 38 or as many as over 100. Sources also differ on casualties, with figures ranging from as few as 200 to as many as 2,000 dead. Because Napoleon exaggerated this incident in his report of the battle, the low numbers may be more accurate, although doubt remains as to whether they are fully correct. Many regard this incident as one of Napoleon's cruelest acts in war.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=432}}However, only a few bodies are reported to have been found in the spring of 1806, and it is most likely the incident is a myth.