the prisoners, instead of becoming a burden on the state, contributed not only to their own support, but to the support of the community. So far as regards treatment and the mode of living, the Austrian prisoners were probably benefited by this regulation; but as tending to introduce a species of slavery, and to put Europe, so far as respects prisoners of war, upon a level with the states of Barbary, and to bring it back to what it was in its most savage and uncivilized ages, this regulation cannot be too strongly reprobated.

The archduke having failed in his attempts to intercept Bonaparte before he reached Vienna, had fixed his headquarters at Ebersdorf. The French emperor resolved to cross the Danube and attack the Archduke Charles in his position: for this purpose he marched his army along the south bank of the river till it had reached the distance of about six miles from Vienna. At this place he determined to effect his pas

the situation was extremely favourable. The breadth and rapidity of the stream of the Danube are here broken by two islands: from the south bank to the smaller island on that side, the distance is about 1900 toises: the island itself is 140 toises in circumference: from this smaller island to the larger called In-der-Lobau, or the isle of Lobau, the distance is 120 toises: in this part the river runs with the greatest force and rapidity: from the isle of Lobau to the north bank of the Danube the distance is about 70 toises. As soon as the French engineers had thrown two bridges across, from the south side to the smaller island, Bonaparte fixed his head-quarters in the latter, and prepared to throw a bridge from it to the north bank. This bridge, consisting of 15 pontoons, was thrown over the branch of the river in less than three hours.

As the Archduke Charles had formed the resolution not to interrupt the passage of the French troops, but to attack them on the following day, he retreated as they advanced, and permitted them to extend themselves along the north bank of the river. Bonaparte, meeting with no interruption

fixed on the field of battle, posting the right wing of his army on the village of Esling, and the left on the village of Aspern. The archduke having retired so far as to allow of the unchecked and complete passage of the French, halted when he came to a favourable position. On the 21st, at break of day, he ordered his army under arms; it was formed in two lines on the rising ground behind Gerasdorf, and between the small rivulet where his cavalry had been formerly posted, and the Bisam-hill. The right wing stretched towards Stammersdorf, and was commanced by General Hiller: it was joined and supported on the left by the corps of Count Bellegarde; and in the line of the village of Wagram the division of Prince Hohenzollern took up its position: the corps of Prince Rosenberg, formed in columns, was stationed along the rivulet already mentioned and in the village of Wagram. A corps de reserve occupied the heights above the village, for the purpose of securing and strengthening the left wing.The vacant space which, by this arrangement, was left behind the left wing under Prince Hohenzollern, and the right of Prince Rosenberg, was filled by the whole cavalry, drawn up in two lines, under the command of Prince John of Lichtenstein. Between the Austrian army and the Danube was an extensive plain, which, from the level and unobstructed nature of its surface, appeared destined to become the theatre of a general engagement.

As soon as the Archduke Charles was informed that the French had gained possession of the villages of Esling and Aspern, were rapidly accumulating in the town of Enzersdorf, and were advancing towards Heischstettin, he formed his plan of attack. He had most formidable obstacles to overcome, arising partly from the nature of the ground, and partly from the positions occupied by the enemy. The angles formed by the windings of the Danube were highly favourable to the complete developement of the enemy, and enabled them both to cross the river with safety, and to arthemselves in a strong situation. Their passage was range

covered and protected by the villages of Esling and Aspern, composed chiefly of brick houses, and surrounded by heaps of earth which answered the purpose of bastions: a double line of trenches formed for the purpose of drawing off the water served as a curtain, and sheltered the troops as they crossed from the isle of Lobau to the north bank of the Danube. Both the villages communicated with the low and bushy ground immediately adjoining the river, and thus afforded the French an opportunity of dispatching unseen fresh reinforcements from the island. The island itself served as a place of arms, while on the side of it nearest the north bank of the Danube, it was fortified in such a manner as to answer all the purposes of a tete de pont. A strong tete de pont was also erected at the north end of the bridge from this island, which necessarily protected and strengthened the rear of the French army. Their front was covered by the deep ditches immediately before Aspern, which carried the superabundant waters from the fields to the rivers; while their right was protected by a battery, and their left by the bushy ground which has already been mentioned. The Danube at this time had risen to an unusual height: this circumstance, in an important respect, was advantageous to the French. A ditch, extremely broad and deep, which carried off the waters of the river when it overflowed, lay on their left: this it was necessary to pass before an attack on that part of the enemy could be commenced; but on acccount of the freshes in the river it was impossible to cross this ditch, unless by means of the bridge; and the passage of the bridge was defended by a strong division and several pieces of cannon.

The Archduke Charles having duly considered the position of the French army, the advantages they derived from it, and the difficulties which he had to surmount, ordered the attack to be made in five columns. As the recapture of Aspern was essentially necessary, in order to enable the Austrian artillery to play with effect upon the centre of the enemy's line, the first and second columns were ordered to attack this village,

The conflict here was most obs:ipate and murderous every street, every house, and every barn was the scene of it: scarcely had the Austrians succeeded in gaining possession of part of the village, when the French poured in strong reinforcements and regained it: at last, the second column, combining its movements and attacks with those of the first, made itself master of the upper part of the village, and maintained its position during the whole of the first day's combat.

In the mean time, the enemy having formed his left wing, which he refused, towards Aspern, and his right upon Esling, advanced in columns, supported by a heavy cannonade, upon the main army of the Austrians. He succeeded in driving back part of the cavalry, which were drawn up in front, and fell upon the infantry. The latter, reserving their fire till the French were within ten paces of them, then opened upon them with so much effect, as completely to rout them. In consequence of their retreat, the whole line of the Austrian army, entirely disengaged from the enemy, obtained possession of the remainder of the village of Aspern.

The third column endeavoured to take advantage of the rout of the enemy by advancing against them in close battalion supported by their artillery; but the French cavalry rushing forward in great numbers, rendered it necessary to withdraw the artillery, and to leave the first line of this column to defend itself by its own valour. The enemy's cavalry succeeded in turning both the wings; but the very moment when they had summoned the battalions to throw down their arms and surrender, a destructive and tremendous fire well directed and incessantly kept up, compelled them to retire.

The object of the fourth and fifth columns of the Austrian army was to drive the French out of the village of Esling, which was of equal importance to the right of the enemy, that Aspern was to his left: the latter secured their centre from the attack of the Austrian artillery: the former protected it on the opposite flank, and at the same

time would enable them, if they found it necessary, to retreat in safety. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, if the French here fought with still greater obstinacy and courage than they displayed in the defence of Aspern. The Austrians, indeed, succeeded in driving back the corps which were posted in front of the village; but they could not, during the first day's engagement, obtain possession of the village itself. The Austrian cavalry under Prince John of Lichtenstein, was of great service in covering the movements of the fourth column, and enabling it to form a junction with the fifth in the attack upon Esling: they afterwards received and repulsed an attack made by the French cavalry upon the right wing of the Austrian main army. After this repulse, the enemy's cavalry, to the number of 3000, endeavoured to penetrate between the left wing and the corps of reserve; but by the intrepid and steady attack made on their flank by two Austrian regiments, they were again compelled to retreat.

The battle of the 21st was terminated only by the night: the French had been driven from Aspern; they still retained possession of Esling; but the general position of their army was nearer the Danube than it was at the commencement of the engagement. The Archduke Charles passed the night on the ground which he had gained from the enemy: he expected the renewal of the combat on the following day, and he made every preparation and arrangement to carry it on in such a manner as should render complete the repulse and ⚫ defeat of the enemy. The known character of Bonaparte left no doubt, that on the morrow all his military talents would be on the stretch to retrieve the glory he had lost, and to compensate for the disappointment he had sustained. He had still large bodies of troops on the south side of the Danube; but the archduke had rendered their passage tedious, difficult, and dangerous. During the battle of the 21st, he had ordered fire-ships to be sent down the river, and they had been so well managed and directed, as to have burnt down the two bridges that connected the isle of Lobau with