Editing Battle of Wagram (section)

=== Casualties ===
With more than 300,000 combatants, Wagram was the largest battle in European history up to its time. With at least 72,000 casualties on both sides, it was also the bloodiest military engagement of the [[French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars]] thus far. The unusually high casualty rate was due mainly to an unprecedented concentration of artillery, on a flat battlefield, where the deadly [[roundshot]] – each army fired at least 90,000 during the two days of battle – was most effective.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=218–220}}

Napoleon used his usual propaganda to minimise his losses, stating in the Bulletin of the {{lang|fr|Grande Armée}} that Wagram cost the army only "1,500 dead and 3,000 to 4,000 wounded". In reality, losses had been horrendous.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|pp=218–220}} French medical services were completely overwhelmed, although [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|imperial guardsmen]] were given priority and were quite well cared for. Of the total 1,200 guardsmen of all arms wounded at Wagram, half were able to return to the ranks within a few days and only 145 died from their wounds. The troops of the line were not so lucky. Most of the wounded on both sides had been hit by cannon fire, which caused horrendous injuries, often requiring amputation. The shock of the surgery, massive loss of blood, poor after-care and the risk of infection meant the chances of survival following amputation were not good.<ref>Arnold 169–170.</ref>

Globally, since neither army provided a complete tabulation of their losses, the exact number of casualties is hard to establish. One author suggests that French casualties of all sorts approached 40,000 men, greatly surpassing those of the Austrians.<ref name="Arno171" /> More conservative estimates place overall French losses at between 25,000 or 28,000 men<ref>Naulet 73.</ref> and either 31,500{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|p=218}}or 33,000 men. Five generals ([[Jean Étienne Benoît Duprat|Duprat]], [[Nicolas-Hyacinthe Gautier|Gautier]], [[Nicolas Bernard Guiot de Lacour|Guiot de Lacour]], [[Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle|Lasalle]] and von Hartitzsch)<ref>Pigeard, Dictionnaire des battailles de Napoléon, 924.</ref> and another 238 officers, as well as 7,000 men were killed. Additionally, 37 generals, 883 officers and over 25,000 men were wounded and 4,000 men were taken prisoner, many of them wounded.{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|p=218}}{{ref label|Aspern-Essling|Note 10|10}}

On the Austrian side, losses had also been heavy. An official tabulation established that there were 51,626 officers and men missing on 11 July 1809, compared to the overall complements on 5 July 1809. This figure thus accounts not only for the Battle of Wagram, but also for losses during the many minor engagements and skirmishes that took place after the battle, as well as the losses suffered during the [[Battle of Znaim]].{{sfn|Rothenberg|1995|p=218}} Many of these men were simply missing in action and were subsequently able to return to the colours. Nevertheless, conservative estimates of the Austrian losses at Wagram numbered some 30,000 men, of whom 24,000 were killed or wounded, and the rest taken prisoner.<ref name="Arno171"/> According to historian, Ian Castle, Austrian casualties were as follows: 41,250 total, of which 23,750 killed or wounded, 10,000 missing, 7,500 captured, while French and Allied casualties amounted to 37,500, with 27,500 killed or wounded and 10,000 missing or captured.<ref name="cas">Castle, I. ''Aspern/Wagram (1809)'', Osprey (1990)</ref> Four Austrian generals were killed or mortally wounded during the fighting: [[Armand von Nordmann|Nordmann]], [[Josef Philipp Vukassovich|Vukassovich]], [[Peter von Vécsey|Vécsey]], and [[Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré|d'Aspré]].<ref>Petre, F. Loraine. ''Napoleon and the Archduke Charles''. New York: Hippocrene Books, (1909) 1976. 379</ref>