No. 6
May 29th.—The date is wrong; it should be May 19th or 24th, probably the latter. It sets at rest the vexed question how the Danube bridge was broken, and seems to confirm Marbot’s version of a floating mill on fire, purposely sent down by an Austrian officer of Jägers, who won the rare order of Maria Theresa thereby—for performing more than his duty. Bertrand gained his Emperor’s lifelong admiration by his expedients at this time. Everything had to be utilised—anchors for the boat bridges were made by filling fishermen’s baskets with bullets; and a naval contingent of 1200 bluejackets from Antwerp proved invaluable.