On December 2, 1805, Napoleon achieved what many consider his greatest success. Outnumbered by the combined armies of the Russian Tsar Alexander I and the Austrian Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, he won a stunning victory at the Battle of Austerlitz.
Why was he so successful?
The Corps System
One of Napoleon’s greatest assets was the way in which he organized his army. It was divided into corps, each one capable of acting independently under its commander. These bodies of troops were large enough to be strategically significant but less cumbersome than an entire army. They could march separately through enemy terrain, progressing better than if they were in one group. Once united, they acted as a single army, with each corps providing a useful unit on the battlefield.
This system allowed Napoleon to carry out his tactics at Austerlitz.
Corps Commanders
The men in charge of these corps were also important. Marshals of France such as Bernadotte, Davout, and Soult were skilled and courageous commanders who Napoleon could trust to carry out his orders. The post-revolutionary system of officer recruitment and advancement gave Napoleon a huge pool of talent. Experienced aristocratic officers worked alongside gifted men of humbler background.
A Strategic Bluff
In the days leading up to the battle, Napoleon took a huge risk to bluff his opponents. Withdrawing from the Pratzen Heights and Austerlitz itself, he gave up the best defensive ground available to him. Pulling his troops back in a disorderly fashion, he created the impression of an army in retreat. This was reinforced on November 29 when he pretended to be timid and uncertain when meeting with a Russian envoy.
Meanwhile, he was calling up his First Corps under Marshal Bernadotte and his Third Corps under Marshal Davout, both of which marched 60 miles from Vienna to join him.
Napoleon now had troops his opponents had not seen. They had been tricked into thinking Napoleon’s army could be beaten. It led to them advancing from the Pratzen Heights once the battle began, making themselves vulnerable.
Deployment
Careful deployment created a trap for the Austrians and Russians. Marshal Soult’s Fourth Corps, strung out thinly to the south, created a vulnerable looking target. Meanwhile, Bernadotte and the First Corps lay concealed to the north, Davout and the Third Corps were also hidden.
Using the Terrain
Despite giving up the high ground before the start of the battle, Napoleon made excellent use of the terrain on which he fought. He hid the forces he was holding in reserve behind a hill to lure the enemy into his trap. Rough terrain was used to slow down his opponent’s advance. During the battle, he seized the heights and used this position to split the enemy in two, bringing victory for his army.