Those who had served with Napoleon on his Italian campaigns smiled in amusement at the comment as the Emperor continued.

‘If Mack tries to retreat we should still have time to cut across his line of march, and destroy each of his columns in turn. Either way, we will compel him to fight on our terms, and most likely on ground of our choosing.With luck, the Russians will arrive just in time to witness the surrender of Austria.’

Soult raised his eyebrows and said mildly, ‘That assumes that the Russians won’t reach the Danube for at least another six weeks. Can we be sure of that, sire?’

‘As sure as we can be of anything,’ Napoleon responded dismissively. ‘Time and surprise are on our side, gentlemen. Even the weather seems to favour our cause, for now. I sense that the Grand Army is about to take its place in history.’

At dawn the following day, Napoleon sat with his staff on a hill above the Rhine watching the dense columns of Lannes’s infantry cross the river and climb up the slope on the eastern bank. The air was cool and overhead the sky was clear, promising fine conditions for the advance of the Grand Army. Away to the north, downriver, Napoleon knew that the other corps would also be on the move, tramping east behind a screen of Murat’s cavalry, who were tasked with preventing the Austrians from discovering the vast army sweeping across Bavaria.

Over two hundred thousand men and fifty thousand horses were involved in the vast strategic manoeuvre, and with them went several hundred cannon, engineer columns, pontoon detachments and medical staff, together with the vast supply trains carrying ammunition and food. The latter would only be distributed when the French columns closed on their enemy and foraging became too dangerous. It was a vast enterprise, and not without its risks should the enemy discover the ruse, yet Napoleon felt confident that every detail that mattered had been accounted for. Even so, he turned to Berthier and quietly asked, ‘Any news from Murat?’

‘No, sire. I would imagine that he has little enemy contact to report at this stage.’

That was true enough, Napoleon reflected. Murat’s light cavalry would only be sparring with the Austrian scouts for a few days yet. Not until the two armies approached each other would more substantial actions be fought and more definite intelligence gathered. Nevertheless, the whereabouts of the Russian armies marching to Austria’s aid concerned Napoleon greatly. Everything depended on dealing a mortal blow to General Mack before he could be reinforced.

‘Very well, but I want to know the moment we hear from Murat.’

‘Yes, sire.’ Berthier nodded and hurriedly scribbled a line in his notebook.