A
DETAILED ACCOUNT
OF THE
BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ
BY THE
AUSTRIAN MAJOR-GENERAL,
STUTTERHEIM.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
BY
MAJOR PINE COFFIN,
ASSISTANT QUARTER-MASTER-GENERAL TO THE BRITISH ARMY,
Tout cela, prouve, qu'il y a beaucoup d'hommes, capables de fairemanœuvrer, quinze a vingt mille hommes, et qu'il en est peu, quipuissent tirer tout le parti possible, d'une armée de quatre-vingtmille hommes.
Note par un officier François.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. GODDARD, MILITARY BOOKSELLER,
NO. 1, PALL-MALL, CORNER OF THE HAYMARKET.
1807.
W. Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-street, Holborn.
TO THE PUBLIC.
The fatal consequences that resulted from the battle of Austerlitz,to the cause of Europe, and of humanity, render it an object of toodeep an interest with the statesman and the soldier to make an apologyrequisite for introducing to the public, what may be considered as theAustrian official account of that action. It is hardly probable, that,under a government so constituted as that of Austria, a general officerwould have ventured to publish the particulars of an action, in whichhe himself bore a conspicuous part, (at least with his name attached toit,) unless he felt himself sanctioned by the highest authority in sodoing.
However that may be, the work bears evident internal marks ofauthenticity, while the events daily passing under our eyes, with suchdazzling, and unprecedented rapidity, give an additional interest tothe cause which has been productive of such direful effects.
Scarcely have twelve months elapsed since this disastrous battlewas fought, and already have we seen new dynasties created, and theproudest empires levelled in the dust.
We have seen one of the most powerful monarchies of Europe, whether itbe considered as to its military resources, or its well replenishedtreasury; as to its well disciplined army, or the glorious recollectionof its past achievements: we have seen the armies of Prussia, whichwere wont to be considered as the patterns of military excellence,dissipated and annihilated, like chaff before the wind, by thewell-trained legions of the modern Alexander.
The present state of Europe affords ample scope to the reflections ofthe statesman. For, though the soldier may account for the loss of abattle, by reasoning on what was done, and what was left undone, thesubjugation of states is to be looked for in causes far remote from thescene of action. These are times which not only require superiorityof intellect in those who govern, but the conviction on the part ofthe governed, that they are not mere spectators of the fray; thatit is not a mere squabble for power; but that the happiness of eachindividual, that the preservation of all he holds most dear, in short,that the liberties of his country are at stake, and depend upon theissue of the contest.
Has this been, or could it be, the feeling of those nations of theContinent we have seen overrun?
In the answer to this simple question, we may perhaps find the realcause of all the disasters of the coalition, and subject of muchcontemplation for ourselves. The cloud which has been long gatheringover Europe has begun to burst; we have seen the storm fall where leastexpected, and bury whole empires, and their people, in one common ruin.When the demon of destruction is abroad, let us not be unmindful ofourselves. Are we