Yet that general still took a cheerful view of his position.

On that same day he wrote from Guenzburg that, as soon as the enemy had passed over the Lech, he would cross the Danube and cut their communications at Noerdlingen.

He wrote thus when Ney's corps was striving to seize the Danube bridges below Ulm.

If Mack were to march north-east against the French communications it was of the utmost importance for him to hold the chief of these bridges: but Ney speedily seized three of them, and on the 9th was able to draw closer the toils around Ulm.
From his position at Augsburg the French Emperor now directed the final operations; and, as before Marengo, he gave most heed to that side by which he judged his enemy would strive to break through, in this case towards Kempten and Tyrol.

This would doubtless have been Mack's safest course; for he was strong enough to brush aside Soult, gain Tyrol, seal up its valleys against Napoleon, and carry reinforcements to the Archduke Charles.