All the languages of Europe were spoken.

posted by LockeProposal on TheGrittyPast

On the evening of July 4, 1809, the crossings [of the Danube River] began.

Napoleon had now amassed 130,800 infantry, 23.300 cavalry and no fewer than 544 guns manned by 10,000 artillerymen, three times his force at Aspern-Essling. Captain Blaze recalled that ‘all the languages of Europe were spoken’ on Lobau Island – ‘Italian, Polish, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, and every kind of German’.

Through intense planning and preparation, Napoleon got this enormous polyglot force – roughly the same number as attacked Normandy on D-Day – across one of Europe’s largest rivers into enemy territory on a single night, with all its horses, cannon, wagons, supplies and ammunition, and without losing a single man. It was an astonishing logistical achievement. As soon as his men reached the far bank they crossed over the Marchfield to face Archduke Charles’s army numbering 113,800 infantry, 14,600 cavalry and 414 guns.

The battle [of Wagram] they were about to fight was the largest in European history up to that point.

Source:

Roberts, Andrew. "Wagram." Napoleon: A Life. New York: Penguin, 2014. 518. Print.

Original Source(s) Listed:

Esdaile, ‘Recent Writing’ p. 21.

Gill, Thunder on the Danube III p. 223.

Further Reading:

Danube River

Napoleone di Buonaparte / Napoléon Bonaparte / Napoleone I°, per la grazia di Dio e le costituzioni Imperatore de' Francesi e Re d'Italia (Napoleon I, thanks to God and the Constitutions, Emperor of the French and King of Italy) / Napoleon I

Battle of Aspern-Essling

Normandy Invasion / D-Day

Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen / Karl Ludwig Johann Josef Lorenz of Austria

Battle of Wagram

>On the evening of July 4, 1809, the crossings [**of the Danube River**] began. >[Napoleon]( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Jacques-Louis_David_-_The_Emperor_Napoleon_in_His_Study_at_the_Tuileries_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg) had now amassed 130,800 infantry, 23.300 cavalry and no fewer than 544 guns manned by 10,000 artillerymen, three times his force at Aspern-Essling. Captain Blaze recalled that ‘all the languages of Europe were spoken’ on Lobau Island – ‘Italian, Polish, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, and every kind of German’. >Through intense planning and preparation, Napoleon got this enormous polyglot force – roughly the same number as attacked Normandy on D-Day – across one of Europe’s largest rivers into enemy territory on a single night, with all its horses, cannon, wagons, supplies and ammunition, and without losing a single man. It was an astonishing logistical achievement. As soon as his men reached the far bank they crossed over the Marchfield to face [Archduke Charles]( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Anton_Einsle_-_Erherzog_Carl_von_%C3%96sterreich.jpg)’s army numbering 113,800 infantry, 14,600 cavalry and 414 guns. >The battle [**of Wagram**] they were about to fight was the largest in European history up to that point. ___________________________________ **Source:** Roberts, Andrew. "Wagram." *Napoleon: A Life*. New York: Penguin, 2014. 518. Print. **Original Source(s) Listed:** Esdaile, ‘Recent Writing’ p. 21. Gill, *Thunder on the Danube* III p. 223. ____________________________________ **Further Reading:** [Danube River]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube) [Napoleone di Buonaparte / Napoléon Bonaparte / Napoleone I°, per la grazia di Dio e le costituzioni Imperatore de' Francesi e Re d'Italia (Napoleon I, thanks to God and the Constitutions, Emperor of the French and King of Italy) / Napoleon I]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon) [Battle of Aspern-Essling]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Aspern-Essling) [Normandy Invasion / D-Day]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy) [Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen / Karl Ludwig Johann Josef Lorenz of Austria]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Charles,_Duke_of_Teschen) [Battle of Wagram]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wagram)

4 comments

[–] LockeProposal [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

Wow! Any historical landmarks from that time period that you've been to?

[–] Skyrock 1 points (+1|-0)

Edited

There are no memorials for that war I am aware of.

A lot of the first-hand accounts of the war are freely available now, but only in German. I could look if I could track down some short, descriptive passages that could be translated for the Gritty Past.

Off the top of the head I recall complaints about lack of food, as the rearguard was always last to reach camp, and about Russian peasants congregating in the army's way to steal everything in passing they could. Of over 7,000 soldiers only some 150 made it back alive.

[–] LockeProposal [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

That's amazing. And yeah, if you ever come across anything worth posting, we certainly wouldn't complain, but don't put a lot of work into it for our account! :P

All the languages of Europe were spoken.

4 comments

/s/TheGrittyPast