Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Eagles of Europe by Ian Castle

from Strasbourg to the Bavarians’ position at Bamberg, all ready to descend on the Danube. Behind them a further 14,000 of Augereau’s VII Corps made steady progress across the breadth of France. Unaware of the strength of the storm gathering against him, Mack attentively watched the exits of the Black Forest for the emergence of the leading elements of the French army. He estimated they could muster no more than 70,000 men and remained confident that his army of 72,000 could hold them until the Russians arrived. But on 26 September, the day that Kaiser Francis left Landsberg to return to Vienna, Napoleon arrived at Strasbourg and his vast army began to cross the Rhine.
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    * Napoleon’s Proclamation to La Grande Armée, 30 September 1805.

Chapter 6
    Refuge in Ulm
    ‘Ulm – the Queen of the Danube
and the Iller, the fortress of Tirol,
the key to one half of Germany.’ *
    As La Grande Armée marched towards the Rivers Rhine and Main, Napoleon began to plan the second stage of the campaign. This plan, finalised on 10 September, required the army to cross the Rhine on 1 October, then swing down to the Danube, arriving along a 40-mile stretch of the river between Ulm and Donauwörth by 9 October. Three days later, on 13 September, Napoleon learned from the first of Murat’s reports that the Austrians had crossed the Inn. Then, on 18 September, he received a further report from Murat informing him that the Austrians had crossed the Lech and were pushing forward towards the Iller. This was a development Napoleon had not expected, but it presented him with a great opportunity. If he moved quickly and interposed his army between those of Austria and Russia, he had a chance to defeat his opponents separately before they could unite.
    On 20 September he realigned his line of march further to the east, allowing more space in which to get behind the Austrians. With Donauwörth now selected as the central point of the advance, he directed the army against a 65mile stretch of the Danube between Günzburg, about 9 miles east of Ulm, and Ingolstadt. The French army commenced crossing the Rhine on 26 September. The Austrians’ rapid advance to the Iller made it clear to Napoleon that his opponents expected him to attack through the Black Forest. To maintain this impression for as long as possible, a feint was prepared through that difficult terrain. The longer he could hold the Austrians in this advanced position, the greater his chance of getting behind them.
    One other important decision was made at this time too. On 17 September Napoleon received a communication from his aide in Berlin, Général de divisionDuroc, who had been engaged in persuading Prussia to commit to an alliance with France. Duroc, fearing the failure of his mission, strongly recommended to the emperor that he should avoid sending Bernadotte’s command through the Prussian territory of Ansbach. Instead he advised that Bernadotte march via Würzburg and Bamburg, avoiding Ansbach completely. Duroc sensed that any violation of Prussian territory could bring the vacillating King Frederick William firmly down on the side of the coalition, crucially adding at least 150,000 men of the Prussian army to those of Austria and Russia. But Napoleon remained firm in his conviction. He recognised the danger posed by a belligerent Prussia, but also accurately concluded that any physical opposition would be slow to materialise. In the meantime, speed was of the utmost importance if he was to gain the advantage over the isolated Austrians in Bavaria. Accordingly, Bernadotte received orders to proceed through Ansbach. Other aides were despatched to Baden and Württemberg to win over support for the emperor’s cause, and gain approval for the advance of the army through these lands.
    On 25 September Murat, now back on the Rhine after his exhausting spying mission, crossed the river at Kehl, near Strasbourg, with three dragoon divisions and a division of heavy cavalry,