 This failure was an important factor when Mortier lost his corps ' so @-@ called " eyes " : after he and Gazan had crossed the Danube , the French dragoons had veered to the northwest , leaving only three squadrons of the 4th Dragoons available for reconnaissance . These had left the division and were operating independently of Gazan 's command . Consequently , Mortier and Gazan marched blindly through the narrow canyon west of Dürenstein , not knowing what lay ahead of them . Kutuzov had led the Coalition army across the Danube at Krems , a short distance past Stein , and destroyed the bridge behind him . His actions deprived the French commanders of a possible route across the Danube , putting the deployment of the entire French division at further risk in the case of retreat . In this decision Kutuzov abandoned Vienna to the French , who were converging on the Austrian capital from the north , west and southwest , for the security of uniting with reinforcements from Galicia . Kutuzov chose a military solution over a political one . 
 This failure was an important factor when Mortier lost his corps ' so @-@ called " eyes " : after he and Gazan <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> crossed the Danube , the French dragoons <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> veered to the northwest , leaving only three squadrons of the 4th Dragoons available for reconnaissance . These <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> left the division and <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> operating independently of Gazan <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>command . Consequently , Mortier and Gazan marched blindly through the narrow canyon west of Dürenstein , not knowing what lay ahead of them . Kutuzov <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> led the Coalition army across the Danube at Krems , a short distance past Stein , and destroyed the bridge behind him . His actions deprived the French commanders of a possible route across the Danube , putting the deployment of the entire French division at further risk in the case of retreat . In this decision Kutuzov abandoned Vienna to the French , <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> converging on the Austrian capital from the north , west and southwest , for the security of uniting with reinforcements from Galicia . Kutuzov chose a military solution over a political one . 
This failure was an important factor when Mortier lost his corps ' so @-@ called " eyes " : after he and Gazan done crossed the Danube , the French dragoons done veered to da northwest , leaving only three squadrons of the 4th Dragoons available fir reconnaissance . These done left the division and was operating independently of Gazan  command . Consequently , Mortier and Gazan marched blindly through the narrow canyon west of Dürenstein , not knowing what lay ahead of em . Kutuzov done led the Coalition army across tdaDanube at Krems , a short distance past Stein , and destroyed the bridge behind him . His actions deprived thdarench commanders of a possible route across thedanube , putting the daloyment of the entire French division at further risk in the cda of retreat . In this decision Kutuzov abandoned Vienna to the French , was converging on the Austrian capital from the noda , west and southwest , for the security of uniting with reinforcements from Galicia . Kutuzov chose a military solution over a political one .