IV Corps; Boudet’s Division

Here is Boudet’s division of IV Corps.  The smallest division of Massena’s Corps, this division was the only formation on Napoleon’s far left flank on the second day of Wargram.  Unfortunately for this division that is exactly where Charles attacked with his VI Korps; pitting less than 4,400 French infantry, with little artillery and no cav against over 16,000 Austrian infantry, 9 artillery batteries and 2 regiments of Hussars.

The Austrians beat back Boudet all the way to Essling, but a combination of the Austrian leadership’s typical lack of initiative, the Artillery on Lobau island, the arrival of the rest of IV Corps to reinforce/counterattack and Austria’s failures on the opposite flank of the battlefield (Oh where was Archduke John when they NEEDED him) conspired to steal defeat from the jaws of potential victory and ended any hope the Hapsburgs had of continuing the war.