I^er BULLETIN OF THE GRANDE ARMÉE

PARIS, Oct. 1805

The Emperor Napoleon left Paris on the 24th of September, and arrived at Strasburgh on the 26th.

Marshal Bernadotte, who, at the moment that the army set out from Boulogne, advanced from Hanover towards Gottingen, marched by Frankfort for Wurtzburgh, where he arrived on the 23rd of September.

General Marmont, who had arrived at Mainz, passed the Rhine by the bridge of Cassel, and advanced to Wurtzburgh, where he formed a junction with the Bavarian army, and the corps under Marshal Bernadotte.

The corps under Marshal Davout, crossed the Rhine on the 26th at Manheim, and marched by Heidelberg and Necker-Eltz, on the Necker.

The corps under Marshal Soult passed the Rhine on the same day on the bridge that was thrown over it at Spire, and advanced towards Heilbronn.

Marshal Ney's division passed the Rhine the same day by the flying bridge opposite Durlach, and marched towards Stuttgard.

Marshal Lannes' corps crossed the Rhine the 25th at Kehl, and advanced towards Louisburg.

Prince Murat, with the cavalry of reserve, passed the Rhine at the same place, and on the same day, and remained for several days in position before the defiles of the Black Forest. His patrols, which often showed themselves to the enemy's patrols, induced them to believe that it was our intention to penetrate by these defiles.

The great artillery park crossed the Rhine at Kehl, on the 30th of September and advanced towards Heilbronn.

The Emperor crossed on the 1st of October at Kehl, slept at Ettlingen, the same evening, received there the Elector and Princes of Baden, and went to Louisburgh to the Elector of Wurtemberg, in whose palace he took up his abode.

On the 2nd, the divisions of Marshal Bernadotte, General Marmont, and the Bavarians that were at Wurtzburgh, formed a junction, and began their march for the Danube.

Marshal Davout's corps marched from Necker-Eltz, by the route of Meckmuhl, Ingelfingen, Chreilshem, Dunkelsbuhl, Frembdingen, Oettingen, Haarburgh, and Donauwerth.

Marshal Soult's corps, marched from Heilbronn, by the route of Ochringen, Hall, Gaildorff, Abstgmund, Aalen and Nordlingen.

Marshal Ney's corps marched from Stutgard, following the route of Elklingen, Goppingen, Weissenstein, Heydenheim, Nattheim, and Nordlingen.

The corps of Marshal Lannes advanced from Louisburgh, taking the road from Gross-Beutelspach to Pludershausen, Gmund, Aalen, and Nordlingen.

The following was the position of the army on October 6th:

The corps of Marshal Bernadotte, and the Bavarians, were at Weissenburgh.

The corps of Davout was at Oettingen, and on the banks of the Rednitz.

That of Marshal Soult at Donauwerth, in possession of the bridge of Munster, and repairing that of Donauwerth.

The corps of Marshal Ney was at Koessingen.

That of Lannes at Neresheim.

Prince Murat, with his dragoons, stood on the banks of the Danube.

The men were in perfect health, and burning with desire to engage the enemy.

The enemy had approached the entrances into the Black Forest, where it seems they intended to make a stand, and prevent our entering.

They had fortified the Iller.  Memmingen and Ulm were also fortifying in great haste.

Our patroles assert, that the enemy has stopped their proceedings, and appear dismayed at our unexpected movements.

The French and Austrian patrols have frequently met; in those engagements we have taken prisoner forty men of the Latour cavalry regiment.

This grand and extensive movement has brought us, in the course of a few days, into Bavaria, it has enabled us to avoid the Black Mountains; the line of those rivers, which, running parallel, flow into the valley of the Danube; the difficulties of a state of operations which would always have been flanked by the entrances into the Tyrol; finally, it has placed us several marches in the rear of the enemy, who has no time to lose, to avoid his total destruction.