The French would have gained the victory with 25,000 men less than they had, which is a subject of reflection for military men, and sufficiently shows the influence which the being well commanded has over the operations, of war.] The 3d and 4th of December. The Austro-Russian army had experienced so many difficulties in regard to its subsistence, on the line of operations it had followed previous to these offensive movements, that it was abandoned, during the retreat, in order to direct its march upon Hungary. The allies quitted the position of Hodiegitz at 12 o'clock at night, and marched upon Czeitsch, where they arrived on the morning of the third of December. The column under General Dochtorow arrived at Niskowitz, on the road to[17]Hungary, where it found General Kienmayer then forming the rear-guard of the allies. This Russian column continued its march, for the purpose of rejoining the army at Czeitsch; but lost a considerable number of men during the night, who had straggled and lost themselves in the woods and villages. The Austrian cavalry, which had protected the retreat of these wrecks of the left wing of the combined army, and which was a part of the corps under M. de Kienmayer, halted at Niskowitz. Lieut.-General Prince Bagration was a league in rear of this Austrian corps, occupying the heights of Urschutz. Between Niskowitz and Urschutz is a large wood, under cover of which, the French had it in their power to surround and cut off the corps under M. de Kienmayer, which was thus too much pushed forward. He therefore remained in this position no longer than was necessary to give time to the stragglers of the army, and to some baggage to fall back upon Urschutz, and to obtain some knowledge of the enemy's movements. As soon as the French, who had entered Austerlitz in the morning, began to advance, General Kienmayer fell back upon General Bagration, and in front of Saruschitz formed the support of that Prince's corps. A detachment of O'Reilly's light cavalry, and some Cosacks, were sent to Stanitz, to watch that road. The corps under M. de Merveldt had received orders to retire from Lunenbourg, in the direction of Goeding, to observe the country on the left, and principally the two roads of Auspitz and Nicolsbourg. On the third of December, the French army advanced in the following manner: The cavalry, under Prince Murat, which had pushed forward detachments upon Rausnitz and Wischau (on the evening of the same day on which the battle was fought) pursued that route, and made immense booty: it advanced beyond Prosnitz, and then sent out strong detachments upon Kremsir.