attempt to rally his troops and defend
that city, on the 23rd; but the French stormed the walls and drove the
Austrians through the streets: and their general immediately retreated
into Bohemia: thus; in effect, abandoning Vienna to the mercy of his
conqueror.

Napoleon was wounded in the foot during the storming of Ratisbonne, and
for a moment the troops crowded round him in great alarm; but he
scarcely waited to have his wound dressed, threw himself again on
horseback, and restored confidence by riding along the lines.

Thus, in five days, in spite of inferiority of numbers, and of the
unfavourable manner in which his lieutenants had distributed an inferior
force, by the sole energy of his genius did the Emperor triumph over the
main force of his opponent.

He reviewed his army on the 24th, distributing rewards of all sorts with
a lavish hand, and, among others, bestowing the title of Duke of Eckmuhl
on Davoust; and forthwith commenced his march upon Vienna. The corps
defeated at Landshut had retreated in that direction, and being
considerably recruited, made some show of obstructing his progress; but
they were defeated again and totally broken at Ehrensberg, on the 3rd of
May, by Massena, and on the 9th Napoleon appeared before the walls of
the capital. The Emperor had already quitted it, with all his family,
except his daughter, the Archduchess Maria Louisa, who was confined to
her chamber by illness. The Archduke Maximilian, with the regular
garrison of 10,000 men, evacuated it on Napoleon's approach; and though
the inhabitants had prepared for a vigorous resistance, the bombardment
soon convinced them that it was hopeless. It perhaps deserves to be
mentioned, that on learning the situation of the sick princess,
Buonaparte instantly commanded that no fire should be directed towards
that part of the town. On the 10th a capitulation was signed, the French
troops took possession of the city, and Napoleon once more established
his headquarters in the imperial palace of Schoenbrunn.

In the meantime, the Archduke Ferdinand had commenced the war in Poland,
and obtaining the advantage in several affairs, taken possession of
Warsaw; but the news of Eckmuhl recalled this division to the support of
the main army, under the Archduke Charles; and the Russian troops not
only retook Warsaw, but occupied the whole of the Austro-Polish
provinces. Alexander, however, showed no disposition to push the war
with vigour, or to adva