In the Battle of Essling, 1809, Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians. That was the first time Napoleon had been personally defeated in over a decade.
During this famous action, Napoleon everywhere exposed himself to danger like a subaltern officer, animating the troops and offering consolations to the wounded. General Walter, perceiving that the enemy's bullets swept away many officers and privates in the environs of the spot where the emperor stood, and terrified at the imminent danger to which he exposed himself, addressed him thus: "Sire, if your majesty does not think fit to move off this instant, I will cause you to be forcibly borne away by my own grenadiers."
一八零九年埃斯林之役，拿破崙要在維也納附近強渡多瑙河，但法軍及其盟軍遭奧地利軍隊擊退。這是拿破崙十多年來第一次親征失利。
在這場著名戰役之中，拿破崙像個低級軍官那樣，處處以身犯險，激勵士氣，撫慰受傷將士。沃爾特將軍眼見這個國王站立之處，附近將士紛紛遭敵軍子彈擊中倒地，擔心他隨時招來不測，就對他說：「陛下，假如你認為你不必馬上離去，我會叫手下近衞步兵把你強行帶走。」