by horseback; under normal weather conditions a semaphore system
conveyed intelligence at a rate of 120 m.p.h. The Russians began their
great enveloping move at 4 a.m. and, after some confusion in the mist,
attained their initial objectives by taking the villages of Sokolnitz and
Tel�itz. At 8 a.m. the surprise force of Davout's 7,000 men counter
attacked, causing a bewildered Buxhowden to summon reinforcements
from the Pratzen heights. In response Napoleon ordered Oudinot's
grenadiers to further strengthen the right, then checked that Lannes and
Bernadotte were holding their own on the left. Satisfied on that score
Napoleon next unleashed Murat's cavalry against the Russian horse. A
massive encounter embroiling 10,000 horsemen ensued, from which
Murat emerged triumphant.
Now seemed the moment to release Soult's two divisions (still
concealed by the fog) a gainst the Pratzen, but such was Napoleon's
superb sense of timing and his sublime confidence, that he held off
awhile. 'How long will it take you to storm the heights?' he asked Soult.
'Twenty minutes, sire,' replied the marshal. 'Very well,' said the
Emperor. 'We will wait another quarter of an hour.' Napoleon's military
genius was never more evident. By intuition he knew the exact
equilibrium point at which the Pratzen would be sufficiently clear of
allied troops to make Soult's task easy, but not yet so denuded that
reinforcements from the heights were likely to overwhelm the hard
pressed French right.
At last, at 9 a.m. he gave the signal. The sun came out and out of the
fog came Napoleon's trump card, their bayonets glistening in the
sunlight. Too late Kutusov realized what was about to happen and
frantically tried to recall his men from the left. To make absolutely sure
there was no hitch, Napoleon called Bernadotte over from the left and
sent him in Soult's wake. After heavy fighting the French were again in
possession of the heights by midday, and had beaten off a succession of
frenzied attacks from the Russians, commencing around 10.30. In
desperation Kutusov asked his elite troops for one last effort. r,ooo men
of the Russian Guard Corps streamed up the hill at 1 p.m. At first they
made ground, but were soon outflanked by a combination of the cavalry
of Bessieres's Imperial Guard and one of Bernadotte's divisions.
Crushed, the Russians scurried away down the hill, leaving Napoleon the
master of Pratzen and the battlefield. He had effectively cut the Allied
army in half.
As the shades of a winter evening began to appear, victory turned to
rout. Napoleon moved the Imperial Guard on to the Pratzen and swung
Soult's men south to the edge of the heights. He then brought up cannon
marcin
(Marcin)
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