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

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French position was far from secure. The Austrians began to receive more reinforcements as Prince Alois Lichtenstein's division arrived. This gave the Austrians an even greater numerical advantage. The Austrian artillery was also taking a particular heavy toll on the French in their exposed positions. The situation called for resolute, bold and audacious actions on the part of Davout. He had already demonstrated these traits by initiating the attack earlier in the day. Now he would have to take similar actions to prevent the Austrians from overrunning his position. Hohenzollern then released the elite Manfredini Infantry into the attack. He sent them through the woods on the eastern side of the battlefield. Prince Alois Liechtenstein personally led this attack into the flank of the 57th Ligne. To counter this threat Davout launched the 72nd Ligne with General Compans, Chief of Staff for I11 Corps, at its head. It was commofi practice for commanders to send units into action with aides or chief- of-staff's at their.head. They would do this in critical situations when it was imperative that they achieve victory. The timing of this attack was critical. Davout and comp&ns timed it perfectly, the 72nd Ligne hit the Austrians just as they were emerging from the woods prior to their full deployment. The Austrians fell back in confusion.
The remainder of the Austrians then pushed forward. These white-coated infantry moved directly into the mouth of the "Url that Davout had created. They were caught in a ferocious cross fire and forced to retreat. Prince Liechtenstein again organized another counter attack force. This force pressed against one of the prongs of theWtl forcing St Hilaire's men to retreat. They were backed up against a swamp in total disorganization when Davout calmly rode over to their location. In his normal confident manner he rallied these men stating, I1Today, our lot is to conquer or to die on this ground. Other than this there is neither salvation nor glory for us.lt5 They immediately rallied and attacked forward once again. At 3:00 in the afternoon Colonel Seruzier, Davoutls Chief of Artillery, arrived dragging forward a battery of guns. Davout positioned these guns against the Austrian flank and launched the 57th and 72nd Ligne in a diversionary attack. Simultaneously Friant's fresh division began to arrive and they were immediately committed to the battle. The effect on the Austrians was conclusive. They soon retreated through Hausen beaten again by the French. A thunderstorm combined with the fatigue of the French and Austrians alike ended the fight. Charles had failed in his original objectives for the day and Davout now held the field, and more important,
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ABSTRACT MARSHAL LOUIS N. DAVOUT AN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ?&%slsAPPROVALPAG
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CHAPTER 1 BUT WHAT ARE WE TO UNDERS
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the study of simple strategy and ta
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This fact becomes even more obvious
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the grand tactic. Operational warfa
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Burgundian countryside. He was born
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In1803 Davout was given command of
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then launch a major offensive into
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This attack'then ensured victory fo
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would actually go to war. However,
Page 25 and 26: Bluecher made four unsuccessful att
Page 27 and 28: fight entirely on his own. The batt
Page 29 and 30: title until two years after the bat
Page 31 and 32: Without hesitation Davout pushed fo
Page 33 and 34: most of his marshals, generals, the
Page 35 and 36: CHAPTER 3 THE AUSTRIANS ARE OUR WOR
Page 37 and 38: Finally, with Davout's information
Page 39 and 40: Austrian influence in Germany and I
Page 41 and 42: organization, always slow to act. M
Page 43 and 44: course of action. They now had a be
Page 45 and 46: elieved Prince Eugene and Marshal A
Page 47 and 48: 22 March Davout had sent a message
Page 49 and 50: were designated VII Corps and consi
Page 51 and 52: and intelligence at the strategic l
Page 53 and 54: across the Danube. The Austrians al
Page 55 and 56: transmitted from Napoleon to Berthi
Page 57 and 58: Normally, the message dispatched by
Page 59 and 60: me that the best maneuver would be
Page 61 and 62: Berthier chose to overlook this cor
Page 63 and 64: Landshut were only one corps and no
Page 65 and 66: destroy him. On the eighteenth Char
Page 67 and 68: critical for the French. Napoleon r
Page 69 and 70: Throughout these ten days before th
Page 71 and 72: CHAPTER 5 YOU ONLY HAVE A CURTAIN O
Page 73 and 74: Gudin to support the movement of hi
Page 75: well. They bought Davout the necess
Page 79 and 80: His tactical leadership was at its
Page 81 and 82: Napoleon's vision of the battlefiel
Page 83 and 84: against the French. His troops succ
Page 85 and 86: to surrender at 5:00 P.M. Now Charl
Page 87 and 88: pursuit on two parallel roads leadi
Page 89 and 90: important part in Davout's decision
Page 91 and 92: orders and directions. While Davout
Page 93 and 94: Corps. He received no reply from th
Page 95 and 96: convinced he was being attacked by
Page 97 and 98: CHAPTER 6 THE DUKE OF AUERSTAEDT IS
Page 99 and 100: eginning to feel the fatigue of con
Page 101 and 102: Just as the Austrians began to move
Page 103 and 104: effect, Davoutfs forces became the
Page 105 and 106: The French carabiniers fired a volZ
Page 107 and 108: Charles would lose his desire to st
Page 109 and 110: The ~re'nch prevailed over the Aust
Page 111 and 112: CHAPTER 7 IN BATTLE MEN ARE NOTHING
Page 113 and 114: counter orders did nothing but conf
Page 115 and 116: doctrine, and most importantly the
Page 117 and 118: The art of war on land is an art of
Page 119 and 120: Maintaining this vision or coup d'o
Page 121 and 122: internal fears rather than obstinac
Page 123 and 124: who never made a mistake. The key i
Page 125 and 126: too seemed only to be small diversi
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helped to provide definition to the
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Figure 1.Theater of Operations.
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INITIALACTIONSABOUT 1500Counteratta
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Figure 5.Davout's Running Fight on
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N1- 'LABER RIVER' SCHlERLlNGLANNESI
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Reserve Division: Demont' (3,215) 2
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APPENDIX C ORDER OF BATTLE CHANGES
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ll~avidG. Chandler, The Cam~aians o
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3~hisis noted in Napoleon's corresp
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20~his is from correspondence numbe
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WORKS CITED Primarv Sources Bonapar
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Arnold, James R. Crisis on The Danu
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ackground material and specifics on
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secondary source but all informatio
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INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 1. , Comb
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STATEMENT A: Approved for public re
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