left resting on the Danube, was to
attack the Austrian center at the village of Gerasdorf, while
Bernadotte and Eugene were to throw themselves on Charles's left,
which stretched behind the Russbach from Wagram to Markgrafneusiedl.
Napoleon waited for some hours while scouts reconnoitered toward
Presburg. Being assured about five that John had not left that city
nor given any signs of moving, he prepared his columns, and about
seven in the evening ordered the onset.

Massena made a vigorous effort to hold the enemy's center and right,
while Napoleon launched his own center and right against the positions
held by his opponent's left. For some hours there was vigorous
fighting, but Charles saw the Emperor's manoeuver, and swiftly
throwing his reserve from behind Gerasdorf into his left, gained time
to call up reinforcements from his right at the Bisamberg. Bernadotte
moved slowly, and did not render his force effective at the crucial
moment. Napoleon was much incensed by his apparent sluggishness. An
attack made at seven against Wagram by Oudinot failed. This hamlet was
the key of the Austrian position, forming as it did the angle of their
line, and the fighting there was desperate. By nine o'clock the French
were thrown back all along, and compelled to resume the positions they
had held in the morning. At eleven a last attempt was made by Eugene
and Bernadotte on Wagram, but like the other it was bloody and
useless. At the council-fire that evening the leaders of the French
left and center were ordered to move farther to the right, and to
concentrate next morning on the positions behind the Russbach. About
dawn the change was made, and before sunrise all was ready, the
Emperor having passed a sleepless night on his tiger-skin behind the
bivouac fire in front of his tent.

[Illustration: Battle of Wagram. Positions July 5th 1809.]

But Charles did not wait to be attacked. With new courage and added
confidence he ordered his right, under Klenau, to follow down the
Danube against the enemy's weakened left, which might thus be turned,
while with the break of day his center advanced against Massena. For a
time the Austrians carried all before them, and Massena retreated step
by step until it appeared as if the tables would be turned and
Napoleon overwhelmed by his own tactics. Both Aspern and Essling were
taken, and then, turning north, the united Austrian center and right
entirely surrounded the French left and attacked