Deploying to the north of the French, Charles deployed his artillery - his 6 and 12 pounders - in his center. Guarding the artillery's left were the 2nd German Grenadiers. To the right was the Friedrich Carl Battalion, and to their right were the German Fusiliers. Screening on the right flank were the Jagers of the Army of Italy. In reserve on the extreme right were Charles' Hussars, swift light cavalry.
The battle began when the Austrian artillery sounded off, aiming towards their French counterparts.
In response, Massena ordered forward his main line of two battalions, while also ordering his cavalry on his left flank forward. As they entered the range of Charles' Jagers, they opened fire.
Despite the inaccuracy of these opening shots, the French cavalry, suddenly under fire from hidden skirmishers, swung right, directly in the line-of-sight of the Austrian infantry, which immediately opened fire, hoping to cut the cavalry squadron down before it could do any damage.
However, this fire did not have the effect that the Austrians wanted. The cavalry, relatively unbloodied and undeterred, continued their run across the Austrian front, approaching the German Grenadiers on the left. Hoping to finally stop the rampant French cavalry, the Grenadiers opened fire.
This, coupled with the redirection of the Austrian artillery, which was now firing canister shot directly into the cavalry, began causing serious losses.
To prevent the continued barrage of canister into their ranks, the cavalry charged directly for the Grenadiers, who were still reloading from their previous volleys. Having been caught in the open, the regiment was too slow to form a square, and were hit directly by the charge.
Suffering massive casualties, the battalion fought back fiercely, forming a square in the middle of the melee and pouring fire into the cavalry at point-blank range. Within moments, the cavalry had been broken, but at the cost of nearly a fourth of the grenadier battalion.
With the majority of Massena's cavalry - excepting his own bodyguard - now driven from the field, Charles ordered his left and right flanks - the infantry - to create a funnel around the center of his army, the artillery. With the French infantry now unable to maneuver effectively, they received terrible casualties from the disciplined Austrian volleys.
With the French infantry now pinned down and barely able to return fire, Charles moved his hussars into action. They moved towards the undefended rear of Massena's army, and charged his single battery of artillery.
Within just moments of coming into contact with the artillery, the crew realized they were doomed, and routed, leaving their cannons behind.
Now without artillery support, the French center began to break under the immense weight of volleys the Austrians continued to deliver. Leaving behind a massive pile of bodies of their former comrades, the remains of the French line broke and ran.
However, as the French army seemed to fall apart, a single battalion of French fusiliers rallied and began moving back towards the Austrian left. The German Grenadiers moved to counter this "last stand", and began trading volleys with the heavily bruised French battalion.
However, after the French showed no signs of breaking after several volleys, Charles gave the final order of the battle: the hussars, which had just recently destroyed the French artillery, came charging towards the flank of the French infantry.
The infantry attempted to turn to face the cavalry threat bearing down on their left, but they were too slow. Disoriented, exhausted, and low on morale, they broke almost as soon as they met the tip of the cavalry's sabers.
With Massena now retreating with what remained of his army, Charles surveyed the battlefield, meeting with the wounded, the battalions, and officers of his armies, to congratulate them on the victory. Though they had a clear numerical superiority, Massena still put up quite a fight, and paid a heavy price.
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