the Austrians the impression that our force was stationed in that
direction. A thin drizzly rain, cold enough to be sleet, was falling;
and as the ground had been greatly cut up by the passage of artillery
and cavalry, a less comfortable spot to bivouac in could not be
imagined. It was difficult, too, to obtain wood for our fires, and
our prospects for the dark hours were scarcely brilliant. The soldiers
grumbled loudly at being obliged to sit and cook their messes at the
murky flame of damp straw, while the fires at our left blazed away
gaily without one to profit by them. Frenchmen, however, are rarely
ill-humoured in face of the enemy, and their complaints assumed all the
sarcastic drollery which they so well understand; and even over
their half-dressed supper they were beginning to grow merry, when
staff-officers were seen traversing the lines at full speed in all
directions.

'We are attacked--the Austrians are upon us!' cried two or three
soldiers, snatching up their muskets.

'No, no, friend,' replied a veteran, 'it's the other way--we are going
at them.'

This was the true reading of the problem. Orders were sent to every
brigade to form in close column of attack--artillery and cavalry to
advance under their cover, and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.

Moosburg lay something short of two miles from us, having the Iser in
front, over which was a wooden bridge, protected by a strong
flanking battery. The river was not passable, nor had we any means of
transporting artillery across it; so that to this spot our main attack
was at once directed. Had the Austrian general, Heller, who was second
in command to the Archduke Louis, either cut off the bridge, or taken
effectual measures to oppose its passage, the great events of the
campaign might have assumed a very different feature. It is said,
however, that an entire Austrian brigade was encamped near Freising, and
that the communication was left open to save them.

Still it must be owned that the Imperialists took few precautions for
their safety; for, deceived by our line of watch-fires, the pickets
extended but a short distance into the plain; and when attacked by our
light cavalry, many of them were cut off at once; and of those who fell
back, several traversed the bridge, with their pursuers at their heels.
Such was the impetuosity of the French attack, that although the most
positive orders had been given by Massena that not more than three guns
and t