and thence northwards to Bruenn, led to only one incident of general interest, namely, the filching away from the Austrians of the bridge over the Danube to the north of Vienna.  As it nears the city, that great river spreads out into several channels, the largest being on the north.  The wooden bridge further up the river having been burnt by the Russian rearguard, there remained only the bridge or bridges, opposite the city, on the possession of which Napoleon set much store.  He therefore charged Murat and Lannes to secure them if possible.

Murat was smarting under the Emperor’s displeasure for a rash advance on Vienna which had wellnigh cost the existence of Mortier’s corps on the other bank.  Indeed, only by the most resolute bravery did the remnant of that corps hew its way through overwhelming numbers.  Murat, who should have kept closely in touch with Mortier by a flotilla of boats, was eager to retrieve his fault, and, with Lannes, Bertrand, and an officer of engineers, he now approached the first part of the bridge as if for a parley during an informal armistice which had just been discussed but not concluded.  The French Marshals had disposed the grenadiers of General Oudinot, a body of men as renowned as their leader for fighting qualities, behind some thickets that spread along the southern bank and partly screened the approach.  The plank barricade at the southern end was now thrown down, and the four Frenchmen advanced.  An Austrian mounted sentinel fired his carbine and galloped away to the main bridge; thereupon the four men advanced, called to the officer there in command as if for a parley, and stopped him in the act of firing the gunpowder stored beneath the bridge, with the assurance that an armistice was, or was about to be, concluded.

Reaching the northern end they repeated their tale, and claimed to see the commander.  While the defenders were hesitating, Oudinot’s grenadiers were rapidly marching forward.  As soon as they were seen, the Austrians prepared once more to fire the bridge.  Again they were implored to desist, as peace was as good as signed.  But when the grenadiers had reached the northern bank, the mask was dropped:  fresh troops were hurrying up and the chance of saving the bridge from their grasp was now lost.  By these means did Murat and Lannes secure an undisputed passage to the northern bank, for which four years later the French had desperately to fight.  Napoleon was delighted at Murat’s exploit, which greatly furthered his pursuit of the allies, and he at once restored that Marshal to high favour.  But those who placed gentlemanly conduct above the glamour of a trickster’s success were not slow, even then, to express their disapproval of this act of perfidy.[37]