MARSHAL LOUIS N. DAVOUT AND THE ART OF COMMAND A ...

Although the French had won every encounter thus far with the Austrians, Charles was still able to retreat in fairly good order. Charles managed to get most of his forces across the Danube, leaving a force of about 6,000 men to conduct a rear guard action at Ratisbon. The city, encircled by a large wall, was well suited for defense. Napoleon would have to take the town and the bridge in order to continue his pursuit on the next day. He recognized that he could not conduct a siege because that would allow Charles time to escape. Ratisbon had to be taken by storm. On the twenty-third, Napoleon pushed forward with Lannes' corps in the lead. Charles1 rear guard manned the walls of Ratisbonand repulsed every attack that the French threw at them.The attackers had to traverse a few hundred meters of openground, cross a large ditch then scale forty foot walls toget at the Austrians. Artillery used against the wallsdid little to help the French efforts. Finally, in ascene eloquently described in Marbot's memoirs, Lannesgrabbed a scaling ladder and headed for the wall .himself.I4Two of the Marshal Is aides stopped him andattempted to take the ladder away. Seeing this, hissoldiers stormed the walls and carried the city within thenext hour.