or GROSS ASPERN, a village of Austria on the left bank of the Danube, a few miles below Vienna. This village and the neighbouring one of Essling are celebrated as the scene of a tremendous conflict between the French army commanded by Napoleon, and the Austrians under the Archduke Charles. After two days hard fighting (21st and 22d May 1809), with great loss on both sides, the French were obliged to take refuge in Lobau, a small island in the Danube; but Napoleon speedily retrieved his losses on the field of Wagram.