On the 30th of April, the Austrians all across the front went on to the offensive. Charles and Alvinzi attacked out of Steyr in three columns even as the French were marching to cut off the Austrian concentration at Steyr.

At Linz, the initial Austrian defenders had withdrawn into their fortress so they were unable to prevent the French from crossing the Danube to Freistadt. This would prove to be a crucial advantage to the French.

This is the first attack by the Austrians in the campaign and now it is they that are sending columns of reinforcements to battlefields. When the French first arrive at Enns, they are weak but the Austrians are little better, having only three divisions of hastily summoned Landwehr infantry there and a regular garrison. General Kollowrat, newly promoted to command the Reserve of the Austrian army, hurries from Amstetten to take charge of the defense. His artillery will follow along in a few hours.

It is a small French force that initially advances against Enns, consisting of mostly Bavarians. The Austrians, consisting almost entirely of Landwehr at this point, are content to sit on the defensive and make use of their artillery at first opportunity. Guylai's V Korps would make a modest, tentative advance. Kollowrat's disposition's are not entirely static though for he has chosen to leave his militia infantry in columns should an opportunity present itself.

Charles brings his army from Steyr and the troops make for Enns at a steady pace. They are several miles and several hours from the battle yet.

Massena is also reinforced but it is only a division of light infantry. With so few numbers, these few additional troops are enough to allow him to brave an offensive. Seeking to stretch the Austrian command and limit the effectiveness of their artillery, the Bavarians oblique to the right.

In the first clashes, the French are able to combine cavalry and infantry assaults to hurl the conscript infantry back with grievous losses at almost no cost to themselves. Already, a gap is appearing in the Austrian line. And still, more French troops arrive from Linz, including the grenadiers of the Imperial guard, seeking Vengeance for the results against the Austrian Landwehr at the Battle of Lambach.

More troops are on the road behind Archduke Charles as well.

Kollowrat's artillery arrives from Amstetten with word that the French have crossed the Danube behind them! They will be arriving at any moment behind the town of Enns.

Gerard's I Corps appears behind the Austrian positions at Enns and is immediately launched to the attack.At the same time, Lefebvre's corps press fresh attacks against the harried defenders to their front. Ney turns to face the south where Charles' divisions have begun to deploy.

Attacked from front and rear by veteran French infantry and cavalry, the Austrian conscripted infantry is swept aside. Those that do not hurl their weapons aside in their mad panic to save themselves run for the safety of the Enns fortress. Gerard links up with Massena's army from Linz.

Charles begins to deploy his army for battle. He will not be tempted into attack piecemeal to save the landwehr. Their situation appears already entirely lost.

Massena has already formed a robust line to face the Austrian reinforcements from Steyr and still has enough forces to continue chasing down the Landwehr. Twelve cannons would be abandoned and captured while others would be spiked as the gunners fled with what they could. The only significant losses for the French fell to the Bavarian cavalry. Casualties are in the hundreds while for the Austrians, fifteen thousand Landwehr would be out of the war.

At 1500 hours, Charles would order his reinforcements to turn about and return down the same road. There seemed little point in attacking the French while Massena held cavalry and artillery superiority. The Austrian commander would manage to extricate his corps without loss. There was disappointment that the militia could not be saved but the rear attack doomed them. Still, with the garrison and the remnants of the militia now holed up in the fortress, it ought to be able to hold out for a good period of time, allowing Charles to try another relief column.