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Campaign toward Ulm
The capture of Pierre Wagener
On the 2nd of October, the 4th division Bourcier
is located in Rastadt, and is advancing slowly toward Stuttgart, where
they arrive on the 4th of October. On the 5th of
October, the pass Esslingen in the direction of Süssen, Grenzen, Kuchen,
Altenstadt, und Geislingen. The gather position in Heidenheim on the on
the 7th of October, and march toward Neresheim where they
arrive on the 8th of October around 6:00 p.m. In the morning
of the 9th of October, they pass Heidenheim and move into
Bolheim at 4:00 p.m. Here, they receive the command to march toward
Nerenstetten, where they arrive at 1:00 a.m. Pierre Wagener, as part of
the 19th dragons, arrives at 6:00 a.m. in Lipheim on the
right bank of the river Donau. The crossing of the torrential river ends
tragically. Several soldiers and 20 horses lose their lives as they
perish in the river.[57]
Studying the map, one can see that surrounding the city of Ulm was the
goal of the 4th division who circled northward around the
city. On the 10th of October, the 19th
dragon-regiment reached Holzheim and Steinheim and in the evening of the
same day they are located west of Languenau. A day later, we find them
in Buckesheim, Scheckenhof. On the 12th of October, the
division leaves Leipheim and moves forward to Holzheim. Trying to detect
any enemy movement on their way, they reach the bridge of Elchingen on
the 14th of October. This is where Pierre Wagener is thought
to have made his first battle experience.
The 18th dragons storm the bridge. As soon as the following 19
th regiment crosses the intactly won bridge, it is able to fully support
the actions of the 18. The 19th dragons receive the command
to move toward the right flank of the division. Colonel Caulaincourt
throws his 3 squadrons against the Austrian infantry which starts to
retreat in a north-westerly direction. The 19th
dragon-regiment, under Lt. Pihard takes 250 hostages.
Thereafter, the regiment retreats toward Nerenstetten. The dragons are
received by a horrible canonade. When they head back in broken-up rows
to Albeck to reach the division in the proximity of Gottingen, Pierre
Wagener, along with 23 of his comrades march in the wrong direction and
lose their way. Near a forest around Ulm, they are taken hostage by
Austrian soldiers on horseback. Three days later they manage to escape.
Night after night, they wander about and finally reach Strasbourg. From
there, Wagener sets forth on his way and arrives in Tétange in the
middle of March. To avoid being thought of as a deserter, his friend
Dominique Wilhelm writes the following letter to the administration of
the Department of Forests:
This march 1806
The Mayor of the community and township of Kayl, canton of
Bettembourg, declares that on this day, the said Pierre Wagener, native
of this community, soldier of the 19th regiment of dragons, 4
th company, he has declared that at the time that his regiment was at
Landrecies, he was on horseback from the time of his departure of this
location until the 6th location at the other side of
Strasbourg. At this stage, he was reduced to be a dragon à pied (foot
soldier). From then on, they descended with the Grande-Armée to the
outer surround of the city of Ulm, where he was taken prisoner together
with 23 of his comrades from different corps.
Having lost his way and falling into the hands of the avant-garde of
the Austrian army, being hidden in the woods for three days, after which
they were unable to make their way back to the cavalry, and after having
sustained a fourth day in the woods, they managed to escape from the
hands of their captors. This proved very difficult because they had to
hide in the forest for two days before being able to leave freely and
returned walking at night and hiding during the day, they finally
arrived in Strasbourg. From there, the young man, Pierre Wagener, came
here. He requests to return to his corps, and is making himself
available to go to the city (Luxembourg) with me tomorrow, to reacquaint
himself with his regiment and subsequently obtain a route map as soon as
he returns to France.[58]
On the following day, Wagener and D. Wilhelm head to the city of
Luxembourg where the following decision was made about P. Wagener:
To Monsieur Major of the 19th regiment of dragons, member
of the Legion of Honor.
Monsieur Major,
I have the honor to inform you that I have come to deliver a route
map for the location of headquarters of your regiment to the so named
Pierre Wagener. He will depart from here tomorrow. According to his
statement made to me, he has escaped from the hands of the Austrians who
took him prisoner near Ulm. His qualifications as a replacement and the
urgency he expresses to rejoin leads me to believe that he is not a
deserter. I ask you then to please accommodate him and inform me of his
re-entry into the corps.[59]
On that same day, Pierre Wagener realizes the opportunity of his stay in
Luxembourg to give to Mayor Wilhelm, via deed by notary Jean-Joseph
François, the power of attorney over the management of his funds. The
following is the literal content of this document:
Before me, Jean-Joseph François, Imperial Notary of the Department of
Forests, resident of Luxembourg, undersigned and the witnesses named
below stands Pierre Wagener, born in Tétange, community of Kayl,
district of Luxembourg, currently dragon of the 19th
regiment, passing through this city, and who, by the present event and
form for his special and general prosecutor Mr. Dominique Wilhelm, Mayor
of Kayl, to whom he gives power of attorney of the for him constituting,
and, to carry out in his name, amicably or in justice to the division,
and divide up moveable goods and real estate, and all other goods and
rights being of such nature that they might be included into the
constituent's being or ownership, by indivisible alienation the said
goods either co-owned or owned separately by persons or other clauses,
charges and conditions that the public defender deems suitable and
receiving the earnings, giving all receipts and liquid assets, passing,
signing all the documents and generally do all that circumstances might
emcumber, promising the constituent to have and agree upon everything
that one's said constituent would do and manage under obligation and
renunciations such as the law...[60]
Two days later, on the 17th of March 1806, Pierre Wagener is
already on his way back to his regiment. In Rumelange, he hands over the
following certificate to Dominique Wilhelm:
Tétange, the 17th of March 1806,
I, the undersigned below, Pierre Wagener, dragon of the 19th
regiment and fourth Bastelgen (read: batallion), certify that today I have
passed by here in Rumelange with a marching-route from the commisari
(read: commissioner) of Luxembourg of the 15th Marty (read:
of March), to go to Diedenhofen and to my corps in Dorlisheim, certify
and testify today and here, and having received a sum of money from the
honorable Dominique Wilhelm, mayor of Kayl, and residing in Tétange, the
sum of 300 Francs in cash and giving Dominique Wilhelm a receipt stating
such. This signed before witnesses. Thus occurred in Rumelange on the
day above. Hand "X" marked.[61]
[57] Sauzey: History of the 19th dragons regiment.
[58] Laux Archiv.
[59] AEL B584.
[60] AEL B584.
[61] Laux Archiv.
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