At this stage of the battle fighting paused . Mortier and Gazan waited for Dupont 's arrival while Kutuzov and Miloradovich waited for Strik 's and Dokhturov 's . Schmitt 's column was expected to be the last to join the fight because it had to march the greatest distance . The timing of the respite varies , depending on whose reports are consulted : fighting paused at around 12 : 00 or 14 : 00 . Strik arrived first and immediately assaulted Gazan 's line with three battalions , pushing the French out of Dürenstein . Caught between two strong forces , Gazan attempted to push his way back through Dürenstein , to reach the river where the flotilla could evacuate his exhausted troops . Withdrawing through the narrow Danube canyon and fighting off the Russian force at their rear , Gazan and his division were trapped when more of Strik 's Russians appeared to block their retreat . The narrow defiles hampered the Russians ; Strik 's men had to march out of the canyons , form ranks and attack in waves . Despite Strik 's continuous assault in the next two to three hours , Mortier and Gazan pushed the Russians back up the narrow fissure in the hillside . At this point , Dokhturov 's column appeared behind the French line and joined the battle . The French were outnumbered more than three to one , assaulted in the front by Miloradovich 's column , in the middle by Strik 's and in the rear by Dokhturov .