La Bataille d’ Austerlitz 1805© Marshal Enterprises

able to defeat a far larger group of Russians and Austrians in the capture and holding of the Telknitz and Sokolknitz. Davout, who had never commanded a corps for any length of time prior to the Ulm-Austerlitz campaign, had been considered an unproven entity. His cool direction of both the forced march and the battle was just the start of success for the III commander, who would become both the Duke of Auerstadt and the Prince of Eckmuhl in just a few years after his extraordinary accomplishments. Consider next: Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult. This son of a baker had had solid career prior to Austerlitz with exemplary service in Switzerland and in Genoa with Massena. However, what made his career was his work at Austerlitz. As commander of the IV Corps, Soult held off the frenzied Coalition attack on the southern part of the battlefield until Davout was able to march his forces onto the battlefield from Austria. Then, with the French right stabilized, Soult took his corps and smashed the Coalition center at the Pratzen Heights, and the battle was won for the French. After Austerlitz, Soult went on to be a featured commander throughout the remainder of the Napoleonic wars, and continued to serve France with distinction in both political and military affairs up until his death in 1851. Consider next: Marshal Jean Lannes. This son of a farmer had been apprenticed to be a dyer when the Revolution broke out. Elected as a volunteer sergeant early in the Revolution, he quickly raised ranks due to his bravery and skill as a commander. He served with Bonaparte in Italy and Egypt, and led the advance guard over the Alps before Marengo. After winning the Battle of Montebello in 1800, Lannes had a number of military and diplomatic duties before becoming a marshal in 1804. At Austerlitz, he again leads the advance guard as it held the northern part of the battlefield. While his forces are relatively small, he is able to engage the Russian advance guard leader, Prince Pyotr Bagration, and holds him off for the entire battle before Lannes is finally able to overcome him. His skill in parrying with Bagration allowed the rest of the French army to have their way with the Coalition forces. Lannes was a favorite of Napoleon. For the next four years, Lannes would often be called upon to do much of what might be called Napoleon’s desperate assignments---taking on a powerful adversary and pinning them down while Napoleon’s other forces could focus on destroying various Coalition armies. Lannes’ death at Aspern-Essling took away one of Napoleon’s great weapons and certainly one of his favorite marshals. Consider finally, General Jean Rapp: He was the son of a janitor and an Alsatian, whose French language skills always had a Teutonic lilt. His parents wanted him to become a Protestant clergyman. As one of Napoleon’s aides de camp, he would take on a variety of duties, but among his many accomplishments was his brave charge at Austerlitz with the French Guard cavalry that destroyed the far larger Russian Guard.

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