Napoleon watched them go with a satisfied smile. His offer was generous, and acceptable to General Mack, who was desperate to buy time as he awaited his Russian allies.The Austrians no doubt assumed that Kutusov would reach them within ten days. But the latest report from placed at least two weeks’ march from Ulm. So, Napoleon mused, let the Austrians have their armistice, as long as they agreed to his surrender date.
The next morning, representatives of both armies met on open ground and signed the truce. General Mack declined to be there in person so Napoleon sent Berthier to complete the agreement in his own place. If the Russians failed to relieve their allies by the expiry of the armistice then the Austrians agreed to surrender to the Grand Army. Once the document had been signed the men of both armies stood down and settled into their camps while their pickets continued to watch each other warily. As the enemy toiled to repair their defences the French soldiers, exhausted by the rapid advance of the previous month, rested and repaired their uniforms and equipment. Napoleon saw to it that they were kept supplied with wine and the best food that could be looted from the surrounding towns and villages. As the autumn evenings drew in the French lines were alive with the sounds of good-humoured banter, song and laughter. On the other side the Austrians sat and quietly waited for word of the approach of their Russian saviours.
In the days that followed, at the country estate chosen for the headquarters of the Grand Army Napoleon spent long hours with Berthier planning the next stage of the campaign. The daily reports from Bernadotte told of the plodding advance of General Kutusov’s army, and as Napoleon scrutinised the maps spread over the floor of his quarters he knew there was no question of the Austrian army’s being relieved before the armistice expired. Kneeling on the map and measuring the distance with his dividers Napoleon nodded with satisfaction. Then his eyes flicked to the area representing the lands of Prussia and he stared fixedly at it for a moment before addressing Berthier, who was sitting on a stool to one side taking notes.
‘What’s the latest news from Prussia?’
Berthier pursed his lips as he hurriedly recalled his examination of the morning’s despatches. ‘According to our ambassador the war party is still trying to goad Frederick William into joining the coalition, but he’s reluctant to take the risk.’
‘Risk?’ Napoleon sniffed with contempt. ‘What risk could there possibly be if he joined forces with the Tsar and the Emperor of Austria? They would outnumber us three to one. The man is a coward and a fool.’
‘Just as well for us, sire.’
‘Yes,’ Napoleon replied quietly. ‘So . . . It is imperative that we keep our enemies divided.That means we must end this war swiftly, with the kind of annihilating victory that will crush the very idea of further opposition to France.’ He shuffled round and tapped his dividers on the Austrian capital. ‘It will not be sufficient to occupy Vienna. We cannot dictate terms until we have destroyed their army.’
Berthier nodded. ‘Indeed. But the loss of Vienna would still be a heavy blow to them, sire.’
Napoleon shook his head. ‘It is only a city, Berthier. Bricks and mortar. It can do us no harm. Still, in some ways it is a shame that old niceties of war have perished. It would be far more convenient if our enemies gave in once their capital cities had fallen. But this is a new age for warfare. Only the swift and the ruthless will prevail.That is why we win, Berthier.’
‘Yes, sire.’
The sound of heavy boots echoed down the corridor outside the room and both men turned towards the door as there was a sudden sharp rap.
‘Come!’ Napoleon called out as he heaved himself up and stepped carefully off the map. The door swung open and Marshal Lannes entered, his face flushed with excitement.
‘Sire, you’d better come and see this at once!’
‘See what?’
‘It’s the Austrians, sire.They are breaking the armistice.There are two columns advancing out of the Ulm defences.’
‘Treachery,’ Napoleon growled.‘This is what you get when you trust the word of an Austrian aristocrat. Come on, Berthier!’
Snatching up his hat, Napoleon strode from the room. With Lannes and Berthier following, he hurried outside and gestured to one of the grooms to bring their horses.The small party galloped out of the stable yard and across the open countryside towards the observation point atop a low hill overlooking Ulm and its defences. All around them drums were beating and trumpets shrilled out, calling the men of the Grand Army to take up their arms and form in their regiments ready to face the enemy. On the hill, a handful of officers was watching the enemy positions fixedly and were only aware of the Emperor’s arrival when he dismounted and snatched a telescope from a young lieutenant. He trained it in the direction of Ulm and took a breath to steady the view as he panned across the lines of defences. Sure enough, there were two vast columns advancing from the town. Away to the north a dense mass of cavalry, perhaps several thousand strong, was riding hard towards the French lines and already puffs of smoke were blossoming from the French batteries facing the Austrian lines.To the south-east of the town, a huge column of infantry was tramping out of the gates.
Lannes slapped his hands together.‘Damn fools are marching straight towards our guns.They’ll be cut to pieces.’
‘Maybe,’ Napoleon replied softly, then fixed his attention on the head of the Austrian column.There was no glitter of bayonets there, and then he understood. The enemy were holding their muskets upside down. Quickly he scanned the banners at the front of the column and saw that most were furled. The rest were plain white. He lowered the telescope and smiled.
‘They’re surrendering.’ He turned to Lannes and offered him the telescope. ‘See for yourself.’
‘What?’ Lannes looked astonished and then hurriedly trained the telescope on the enemy. ‘You’re right, sire. Surrendering, by God. Five days before the end of the armistice. But why?’
‘They must have heard news of the Russian army’s location,’ Napoleon mused.‘General Mack has realised that he could not be saved in time.That has to be it.’
‘What about the other column, sire?’ Lannes lowered the telescope and gestured to the distant cavalry charging through the French lines to the north.
‘A break-out force. I imagine Mack is hoping that he can at least save his horsemen. Well, we’ll see about that. Berthier, send word to Murat at once. Tell him what is happening and order him to pursue the enemy’s cavalry. They are not to escape. We cannot afford to let them join the other Austrian armies, or Kutusov.’
