the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

6 th Jagers at Holubitz before dislodging it. 131 Prince Peter dispatched Count Nikolay
Kamensky II with Arkhangelogod Regiment to relieve the Jagers. Kamensky found
himself facing superior French infantry and artillery. After almost an hour of bitter
fighting, he had lost over 1,600 killed and wounded, and barely survived a cannonball
that killed his horse. 132 Bagration, meantime, deployed his forces along the Olmütz
road. 133 He had three infantry regiments across the road with cavalry on the flanks. He
directed the 5 th Jager Regiment, supported by the Mariupol Hussars and Khanzhenkov
Cossacks, towards the heights near Siwitz, including Santon Hill, which “bristled with
earthworks and artillery.” 134 Prince Peter wanted to make a flanking movement on the
French left flank, while his main forces attacked Lannes in front. 135 The 5 th Jagers pushed
through the French positions to Siwitz and then turned to Bosenitz and Santon Hill,
where Lannes had deployed 17 th Légère. 136 One of the participants described, “The
French outposts were overthrown in short order, and only the artillery fire from the
[French] left wing on [Santon Hill] prevented the fugitives from being totally wiped out
by the Cossacks and Mariupol Hussars, which came hurrying up. The Jagers and
Cossacks pressed into Bosenitz itself and surprised a mob of marauders, some of whom
131 From Documents of General Uvarov, RGVIA, f. 846, op. 16, d. 3154, l.13-14; Colin,
“Campagne de 1805,“ Revue Historique, 78 (1907): 545; Dumas, Precis de evenemens militaries,
XIV, 181-85; Duffy, Austerlitz, 129; Thiers, Histoire de Consulat et de l’Empire, VI, 317-18.
Stutterheim also described Lannes setting up an eighteen-gun battery “between Lesch and
Kowalowitz: to the left of the causeway leading to Brunn.” It was protected by 27 th Line. Battle
of Austerlitz, 112-13.
132 Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, Campaign of 1805, 165.
133 An Austrian participant noted, “The Terrain on either side of the Olmütz highway was
advantageous to the [French], in that the plateau, on which Prince Bagration’s corps stood,
descended in a broad and gentle slope towards the Leschner inn (on the Bosenitze stream), which
prevented the movements of the enemy from being discovered from the front of this corps. From
the Santon [Hill], however, the [French] could make out the smallest motions of [Bagration].” KA
Ausführliche Relation, in Duffy, Austerlitz, 127.
134 Thiébault , Memoirs, II, 150.
135 Stutterheim, Battle of Austerlitz, 109; Duffy, Austerlitz, 127; Bowden, Austerlitz, 405.
136 Chrisawn, The Emperor’s Friend, 122.
286