The reenactment of the Wagram bicentenary looked difficult to put on, but the organisers made their guests welcome and far more reenactors came than expected.
As it could not be held at Wagram, the small town of Marchegg hosted us, on the right wing of the battle, closer to where Davout and our regiment had fought. Our first battle was setting up camp, under clouds of mosquitoes from the marshes of a tributary of the Danube.
On the Saturday, the rain kept us off the battlefield; we made the most of it to make friends with the Russians, particularly those in the uniform of the French 6th Hussars. On the Sunday, the army set off at 2 p.m.: our mission was to take the village and then hold it, but the Austrians took it back and held it until Oudinot arrived and forced them to retreat.
