No. 3 To the Empress, at Strasburg
Saint-Polten, May 9, 1809.
My Dear,—I write you from Saint-Polten. To-morrow I shall be before Vienna; it will be exactly a month to the day after the Austrians crossed the Inn, and violated peace.
My health is good, the weather splendid, and the soldiery very cheerful; there is wine here.
Keep well.—Yours ever,
Napoleon.
May 13th.—French occupy Vienna, after a bombardment of thirty-six hours.
May 17th.—Roman States united to the French Empire.
May 18th.—French occupy Trieste.
May 19th.—Lefebvre occupies Innsbruck.
May 20th.—Eugène reaches Klagenfurt.
May 21st-22nd.—Battle of Essling. A drawn battle, unfavourable to the French, who lose Marshal Lannes, three generals killed, and 500 officers and 18,000 men wounded. The Archduke admits a loss of 4200 killed and 16,000 wounded.
May 22nd.—Meerveldt with 4000 men surrenders at Laybach to Macdonald.
May 25th.—Eugène reaches Leoben in Styria, and captures most of the corps of Jellachich.
May 26th.—Eugène joins the army of Germany, at Bruck in Styria.