The French Marshals had disposed the grenadiers of General Oudinot, a body of men as renowned as their leader for fighting qualities, behind some thickets that spread along the southern bank and partly screened the approach.

The plank barricade at the southern end was now thrown down, and the four Frenchmen advanced.

An Austrian mounted sentinel fired his carbine and galloped away to the main bridge; thereupon the four men advanced, called to the officer there in command as if for a parley, and stopped him in the act of firing the gunpowder stored beneath the bridge, with the assurance that an armistice was, or was about to be, concluded.
Reaching the northern end they repeated their tale, and claimed to see the commander.

While the defenders were hesitating, Oudinot's grenadiers were rapidly marching forward.

As soon as they were seen, the Austrians prepared once more to fire the bridge.