Mack was not ignorant of the course of events, though his news generally came late.

The mischief was that his brain warped the news.

On October 6th he wrote to Vienna that the enemy seemed about to aim a blow at his communications: on October 7th, when he heard of the loss of Donauwoerth, he described it as an unfortunate event, which no one thought to be possible.

The Archduke now urged the need of an immediate retreat towards Munich, and marched in an easterly direction on Guenzburg: another Austrian division of 8,000 men moved on Wertingen, where, on October 8th, it was furiously attacked by the troops of Murat and Lannes.

At first the Imperialists firmly kept their ranks; but the unequal contest closed with a hasty flight, which left 2,000 men in the hands of the French Then Murat, pressing on through the woods, cut off Mack's retreat to Augsburg.