were greater, Legrand
being sent in toward nightfall. The Archduke intended to take and hold
the village if possible, and the fighting continued there until
midnight. Weakened and inferior in numbers though the French were,
they understood better than their foes the defense of such a place,
and when firing ceased they still held half of the long main street.

[Illustration: Battle of Aspern or Essling. 21st of May 1809.]

[Illustration: Battle of Aspern or Essling. 22nd of May 1809.]

By midnight the French bridge was again repaired, and Davout, in
response to Napoleon's urgent orders, began to bring up
reinforcements, especially artillery, holding them on the south shore
of the main stream in readiness for crossing. At two in the morning
the Austrians made still another effort to drive out the enemy from
Aspern; soon afterward they again attacked Essling. Massena called in
Carra Saint-Cyr to Aspern; within an hour both attacks had been
repulsed, and the latter hamlet was entirely cleared of the enemy.
While the desperate struggle again went on, the Emperor once more
surveyed the field; and when at seven in the morning Davout sent word
that a portion of the reinforcements was already on the Lobau,
Napoleon determined to break through the enemy's center, and for that
purpose threw forward the troops already on the ground. But once more
the weakened and patched structure over the Danube gave way, and the
arrival of reinforcements was stopped; the available French force was
immediately drawn back, and stationed to hold the line from Aspern to
Essling. The enemy was encouraged and pressed on to the attack with
renewed vigor; in the former village the scenes of the previous day
were repeated, first one and then the other contestant holding it for
a time. In the center, where the Austrians almost broke through the
line, Napoleon quickly brought together his recently arrived artillery
and Bessieres's cavalry; after terrific struggles they succeeded in
holding the Austrians in check. On the right Essling, after being
captured and recaptured several times by each side, was taken and long
held by the enemy's left; it was then retaken at about three in the
afternoon, by a portion of the French reserve, Napoleon's "young
guard." Thereupon, from the sheer exhaustion of both sides, the
conflict ceased, nothing being heard but desultory discharges of
artillery. The French were in possession of both Aspern and Essling.
At seven the