Planning Aspern and Austerlitz

Our first visit to Austerlitz in 1998 had been over shadowed by the poor weather, but it was such an interesting battlefield that we promised we would return again and “do” it properly. After our earlier visit we felt that a whole week would be too long, so we decided to combine it with a visit to Aspern-Essling and Wagram.

We decided that we would fly to Vienna and hire a car. We would then spend three days exploring Aspern-Essling and Wagram, drive to Austerlitz and spend a further three days there.

We knew Austerlitz very well, and could plan the three days with ease. Austerlitz is a compact battlefield, and we had already decided that we would stay at the Post House which is right in the middle of the battlefield.

But we had never been to Aspern or Wagram, and the area to be covered looked pretty large on the map. We wanted to explore Aspern and Essling plus the whole of Lobau Island.

map of Aspern-Essling-Wagram battlefield

From Aspern to Wagram is about ten miles. The battlefield from Wagram to Markgrafneusiedlung about four miles. We could use the car, but we decided that cycles would be best. We could use the mass of poor quality farm tracks, stop where we wanted and go as slow as we liked.

In early 2002 I contacted the Vienna tourist information office, who proved very helpful. I wanted a hotel close to Aspern who could arrange cycle hire. I also wanted a detailed map of the area. They provided contacts for both.

Our hotel was in Aspern itself, a short walk from the famous church which featured in the fighting. They specialized in cycling holidays, so hire would be no problem.

David Chandler’s “The Campaigns of Napoleon” is without doubt my favourite book to prepare for a visit to any of Napoleon’s battlefields. Despite the complicated subject, it is easy to read and the maps are excellent. I always photo copy sections to take with me.

I had bought “With Eagles to Glory” when it was first published, and found it one of the best introduction to, and description of, the 1809 campaign. The maps are not the most professional, but the text more than makes up for that.

Osprey’s “Aspern and Wagram 1809” has great maps, diagrams and photographs, but I find the description of the battle hard going. It also has a short description of the battlefield today.

Hourtoulle’s “Wagram” has excellent uniform plates, unusual prints and illustrations pretty useless maps. Being translated from French it is also very hard work to read.

Scott Bowden’s “Napoleon and Austerlitz” is the most detailed, and easiest to read, book I have read on the campaign. I also photocopied sections to take with me.

Osprey’s “Austerlitz 1805” is much better than “Aspern and Wagram 1809”. It follows the same format. Great maps, diagrams and photographs. But this one is written by David Chandler, so it’s not surprising that the text is easy to follow as well. And I found the battlefield today section very useful.

Hourtoulle’s “Austerlitz” is very similar to “Wagram”. Again superior uniform prints and less well known prints. Again useless maps and difficult text.

At 0725 on 20 July 2002 we departed Heathrow for Vienna and the start of our last battlefield tour.