Outside Mafnie Town, thousands of French Army soldiers formed several lines, glaring menacingly at this small town.
Seven or eight cannons had been relentlessly shelling the Austrian Army inside the town since dawn.
Count Radetsky was driven to irritation by the incessant cannon fire but still personally inspected the defensive arrangements.
As the vanguard corps of the Prince of Coburg, not only had he failed to capture Wavre, but nearly half of his troops had been wiped out by the unexpectedly appearing French Army.
This small town was the only foothold north of Wavre; if it were lost, the Prince would likely have him court-martialed.
Fortunately, he still had nearly 6,000 soldiers under his command, and after extensive reconnaissance throughout the day, he confirmed that the attacking French Army was likely also just over 6,000 strong.
