19 April 1809, mid-day:
St. Hilaire now reached Teugn. The first regiment sent against the Austrians was the 3rd of the line which advanced up the slope in a cloud of skirmishers, as there was no time to form for attack. Suffering from the fire of the enemy in the woods on their flanks, out of breath with the climb, which is very steep from Teugn up to the Buch Berg, the regiment was driven back in disorder, to rally half way down the hill. This attack had given time for the formation of the 57th, known in the army as the "Terrible," which, marching steadily up the Buch Berg (where it was defiladed from the enemy's fire), deployed at the top under fire from the Austrian masses farther up, and from their artillery on the Hausener Berg. The attack of the 57th allowed the 3rd to rally and take its place on the right of the 57th.
...Meanwhile, the enemy, attacking the 57th in front, had sought to turn its right through the long tongue of wood. But Davout held a battalion of the 3rd in reserve which he sent along the outside of the tongue and then turned into it, cutting off the skirmishers in it and compelling their surrender. This movement was repeated several times. The 57th and 3rd eventually got well into the wood, of which they held all the northern parts, whilst the Austrians were still in the southern, to which they had been driven in disorder. The 57th was on the summit of the ridge, with its right resting on the wood in which was the 3rd. The Austrians had made several attempts to recover their lost position, without success. A regiment of cavalry had even essayed a charge on the left of the 57th, in most unfavourable ground.
F.Loraine Petre, Napoleon and the Archduke Charles
Photo locations in the Teugn-Hausen area
Looking southeast from the Kommando Berg hill over Teugn, just before sunset.
Teug195
Looking south from the Kommando Berg hill toward the Buchberg (right) and the road to Hausen (left).
Teug194
Looking north from the Buchberg hill over Teugn and the Kommando Berg. The higher ridges in the distance are beyond the Danube.
Teug191
Looking northeast from the Buchberg hill over Teugn.
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Looking east from the Buchberg hill, up the valley of the Teugner Mühlbach toward Saalhaupt.
Teug 193
Looking north from the Hausener Berg hill over Teugn.
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Looking south toward Hausen from the edge of the woods on the Hausen-Teugn road.
19 April 1809, afternoon:
Bravely led by their officers and fighting gallantly, the Austrians were driven gradually back through the wood. Petit, on the French right, was first through the wood, followed by the artillery, which was able to open on the Austrian left on the open slopes on the Hausen side of the ridge. Hohenzollern now sent his reserve brigade (Bieber) from Hausen, into the fight, except one battalion kept as a last reserve. With magnificent courage, the Austrians once more breasted the hill north of Hausen, and, for the moment, even succeeded in driving the French back into the woods.
Teug188