Defended especially by middle-class men, peasants and monks, Saragossa resisted for two months all the attacks, the bombardment, the fires, the famine, the plague; it had to be carried attack, street by street, house by house, and when the French were Masters of the city, they had lost more than 3 000 men; on 100 000 inhabitants, more than 50 000 had perished (February 1809).

The day of Eckmühl finishes by a terrible fray of cavalry: the Austrian cuirassiers made a load despaired to cover the retirement of the infantry, but the French cavalry turned them skilfully and sprang with their continuation: the enemy riders, which had of armour only on the chest, were not protected from the blows which they received in the back; their rout was soon complete (April 22, 1809).

Vienna, after a bombardment of a few hours, directed only against the fortifications, opened its doors with Napoleon: it had been hardly a month that the war was started (May 1809).

Lannes, duke of Montebello, one of best lieutenants de Napoléon, were with the number of the brave men who fell in Essling; two legs crushed by a ball: "I would like to live, says it to the Emperor, to still be useful to you, like our France, but I believe that before one hour you will have lost your best friend" the death of Lannes tore off long sobs with Napoleon and was a mourning for all the army.

The Austrians, cut off behind the Danube, believed themselves impregnable, but Napoleon crosses the river during the night with the favour of a violent one storm.

At the point of the day the enemy saw with stupor on his left the French Army arranged in battle; the French, seized of admiration for the genius of Napoleon, pushed a great cry of "Sharp the Emperor", and the attack started.

The Austrians, more of 25 000 men, defended themselves during two days, but they were inserted, turned and put in rout; 24 000 of them remained on the battle field and 12 000 were taken (July 5, and 6 1809).