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1800,

BOOK IV, ing of that day a conference was held by the opposite parties, in a small chapel, situated in the CHAP. V. middle of the bridge of Cornegliano, and between the posts of the Austrians and the French. Here Lord Keith, commander of the combined naval forces in the Mediterranean, General Ott, commander of the blockade of Genoa, with General St. Julien, who was charged with the political part of the negociation, were met by General Massena, cominander-in-chief of the French army in Italy. Each of these parties was accompanied by only two or three gentlemen.

In this conference Massena displayed much finesse, under the cloak of an apparent gaiety, which formed a complete contrast with the gravity of the other contracting party, and was attended with this advantage, that it did not look as if he were greatly alarmed for the situation of his army. It is, perhaps, owing to that ease and gaiety of manner that he obtained, in the end, all that he had demanded.

A degree of misunderstanding had taken place for some time between the English, as individuals, and the Austrians: the former reproached the latter with the great length to which the siege had been protracted. Massena endeavoured to widen and to take advantage of this want of harmony, by flattering the pride of one party at the expense of the self-love of the other. He said to Lord Keith, "Do you, my lord, only permit a little grain to be carried into Genoa, and I give you my word that these gentlemen (looking at the Austrian generals) shall never set foot there."

Toward the end of the conference he again addressed Lord Keith, personally:-" My lord, if France and England could only understand one another, they would govern the world." In the whole of this conference, Lord Keith treated Massena, as the general often acknowledged, in a very civil and handsome manner. His lordship. disclaimed all hard conditions. He always said, "General, the defence you have made has been so heroic, that it is impossible to refuse you any thing that you ask." At length, at seven o'clock at night, Massena signed the treaty for the evacuation of Genoa, and the contracting parties mutually gave hostages. The substance of the treaty was, that the right wing of the French army, charged with the defence of Genoa, and the commander-in-chief, with his staff, should go out of Genoa with their arms and baggage, in order to rejoin the centre of the said army by land. The same liberty was granted to 8,100 men, who had permission to enter France by Nice. The rest were transported by sea to Antibes, and were duly provided with provisions. Due attention was also paid to the hospitals and the prisoners. Passports were granted to the Genoese patriots. The Austrians took possession of the gates of the city, and the English of the entrance into the harbour. French commissioners remained at Genoa to see the articles, that had been agreed on respecting the sick and the hospitals, duly executed. Massena was allowed to send a courier with a passport, to Bonaparte, to announce the evacuation of Genoa,

CHAPTER VI.

Bonaparte determines to march the Army of Reserve to Italy.-Motions of the Army.—Joined at Martigny by the First Consul.-Description of the Mount St. Bernard and its Monastery.—Universal Benevolence of the Monks.-The Army pass St. Bernard.—Difficulties encountered by the French.-Capture of the Town of Aoste.-Description of the Fortress of Bard.-Its difficult Capture.-The Towns of Ivrea and Romagna taken.—Bonaparte enters Milan.—Battles of Montebello and Maringo.-Death of Dessaix.—An Armistice.

It has been mentioned, in the preceding chapter, that the army of reserve, formed at Dijon, was to be commanded by the first consul. Volunteers of all descriptions were invited to repair to Dijon, and the names of the ten departments which should send the greatest number were to be solemnly proclaimed as most attached to the glory of the nation.

Bonaparte had determined, in consequence of

the distressed situation of Massena, then shut up in Genoa, to march his army to Italy with the utmost expedition; and in order to attack the rear of the Austrian army, he was resolved to surmount every difficulty in the passage of the Alps. Fortunately, about this time, General Des saix had arrived at Paris from Egypt, and Bonaparte requested his assistance in this enterprise.

The army of reserve (declared to be at that

time above 50,000 strong, and receiving reinforcements every day,) was ordered to Geneva through the Pais de Vaud and the Lower Valais to Marligny, a village six leagues from the Great St. Bernard, under the command of Berthier.

It was determined that the principal part of the army should pass by Mount St. Bernard: other divisions were to cross by Mount Cenis, the Simplon, and Mount St. Gothard.

Early in the month of May, the army began to move in seven columus by the way of Geneva to the foot of the Great St. Bernard on the frontiers of Switzerland and Savoy.

The first consul, after nominating Carnot minister at war, left Paris suddenly, May 6, and joining the army at Martigny, at the expiration of six days reviewed his troops in the neighbourhood of Lausanne. Bonaparte promised his army that in two decades he would lead them to Milan. He is said to have performed his journey from Paris to Dijon in twenty-five hours. During a stay of three days at Martigny, preparations were made for the ascent of the mountain.

The sides of the terrific mountain of St. Bernard were, even at this advanced season of the year, covered with ice, and seemed to defy all Inuman efforts to force a practicable passage for a numerous army, with its necessary carriages and artillery.

On the summit of this famous mountain there is a monastery, founded for the generous purpose of granting relief to unfortunate and bewildered travellers, who might otherwise be doomed to perish in the snows. The cold is excessive, even in summer, with scarcely a vestige of vegitation to be discerned; the imagination is affrighted by a perpetual silence, and the view astonished by an almost endless perspective of mountains. The monks who dwell in this monastery are the victims of melancholy, which is the more to be lamented, as they are the friends and advocates of universal benevolence. The monastery looks like an inn: Bonaparte entered it, and staid there about an hour. It contains many comfortable things, which money cannot procure so well as articles of barter. These monks take great pains in instructing the canine species, to reduce the accidents peculiar to the place. Morning and evening the dogs are sent out; and if in their journies they hear the cries of any unfortunate creatures, they run to the spot, and use all the power of instinct to make them hope for assistance; then they run quickly back and announce what they have seen. A small basket, filled with refreshments, being put round a dog's neck, proper people are sent with him to give every necessary assistance.

When General Melas was made acquainted with the preparations on the part of Bonaparte

for the speedy invasion of Italy, he treated the 300K IV. idea with sovereign contempt: and the Austrian general entertaining not the most distant idea of CHAP. VI. a passage into Lombardy in such a direction, the French met with no enemy to obstruct their march, where a single troop might have opposed a numerous army. The fact being at length ascertained, the Austrians made great expedition

to show themselves.

On the 15th of May, Bonaparte passed St. Bernard, and at Remi, distant six leagues from the monastery, first saw the Austrians, who, though inferior in numbers, disputed the ground step by step with the republicans, until they saw another part of the army descending, as if with intent to attack them in the rear.

No part of the artillery of the French army had at that time crossed the mountains. It had been collected at the village of St. Pierre, and, as it may be supposed, was a work of no small difficulty to transport it across the Alps. It was, however, essentially necessary that such a transport should be made, and the following means were used to effect it:-every piece of cannon was dismounted, and placed in troughs hollowed out of trees cut down for the purpose. These were drawn by 5 or 600 men, according to the size and weight of the piece. The wheels, fixed to poles, were borne on men's shoulders; the tumbrils were emptied and placed on sledges, together with the axle-trees. The ammunition, packed up in boxes, was carried on the backs of mules. To encourage the men, from 4 to 500 franks were allowed for every piece of artillery thus transported. One half of a regiment was employed in drawing a cannon, whilst the other half bore the necessary baggage belonging to their corps. The men proceeded in single files, it being impossible for two to draw abreast, or to pass each other without danger of falling down the precipices on the side. The man who led, stopped from time to time, when every one took the refreshment of biscuit moistened in snow water.. It was the labour of five hours to reach the monastery of St. Bernard, when each man was refreshed with a glass of wine. They had then eighteen miles of descent, by far the most difficult and hazardous, which they did not accomplish till nine the next night, being ten hours in performing it. Bonaparte and his staff marched on foot, and were in several places obliged to slide down seated on the snow.

On the 16th, the vanguard reached Aoste, garrisoned by an Hungarian battalion, which, after some loss, evacuated the place, when a deputation from the town waited upon the consul to surrender it.

The van-guard now proceeded to the attack of Chatillon, near which place General Lasnes was informed the Austrians were preparing to oppose

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BOOK IV. his passage over a bridge thrown across a precipice; but the Austrians were so vigorously atCHAP. VI. tacked by a body of hussars, that they were soon driven off the bridge with a considerable loss, and shut themselves up in the fortress of Bard, by some called Fort de Barre. This fort, from its situation in a narrow neck, appeared to stop the progress of the whole army; and, if it could not be reduced in four days, every soldier must have perished through hunger, as the provisions were nearly exhausted, and no means left of procuring an additional supply. Had General Melas foreseen this obstacle, he might, by a timely opposition, have frustrated the success of Bonaparte's expedition.

The rock on which the fort is built, is in the shape of a sugar-loaf; the pass at its foot is skirted by a deep and rapid river, called the Doria; on the opposite side of which is a steep inaccessible rock. There was no alternative; the fort must either be taken or another passage sought. Each had its difficulties. At length the suburb was taken possession of by three companies of grenadiers, previous to an attack on the fort, which was defended by 500 men, and twenty-two pieces of cannon. The attack was made at night, when the republicans climbed up the rocks and over the pallisade amidst a shower of balls, and drove the Austrians from the works, but were in the end obliged to retreat themselves. This check made the consul resolve to find out another passage, when a way was discovered up the rock Albaredo; which ascent gained, might with a like difficulty be dea like difficulty be descended. As the artillery could not possibly be transported this way; it was resolved, at every hazard, to pass the carriages through the suburb. Every means was used, by setting out in the dark, and by spreading litter along the way to deaden the sound, and prevent suspicion in the garrison; yet these precautions did not prevent the Austrians from discovering their design, and the men were fired upon and killed by every discharge. At length, Bonaparte ordered a cannon to be raised, and placed upon the top of the church, which so effectually battered the tower over the gate, that the garrison, fearing a second assault, surrendered at discretion.

A passage was now opened to the republican army, which experienced no farther obstruction until it reached Ivrea, a town between Aoste and Turin, from both which places it is distant about eight leagues; and whither the army proceeded as soon as the soldiers had refreshed themselves with the provisions found in Bard. This place was escaladed and taken, with fourteen pieces of cannon, on the 23d of May, by a division under General Boudet, before the main army

reached it.

Bonaparte, instead of continuing his course

southwards to Turin, turned off to Romagna, eastwards, having received intelligence of a force collected there of 6,000 men, partly composed of Austrian troops which he had driven before him, and a number drawn from Turin. This body had taken a position at Romagna, and was entrenched behind the Sesia, a deep and rapid river. They appeared to be ignorant as well of the strength of the French army, as that it had Bonaparte with it, and treated its designs with contempt, but were the next day convinced of their mistake, when General Lasnes forced their entrenchments and cut them to pieces, notwithstanding their cavalry made some show of resistance.

On the 26th of May, Bonaparte gave orders for two divisions to march towards Turin, whilst his van-guard bore upon Chiusella and the Po. This was done in order to deceive the Austrians, who thereupon crossed that river, and took a position on the right bank. Whilst the attention of the Austrians was taken up with this manœuvre, General Murat, at the head of a division of cavalry, entered Vercelli the next day, on the road to Milan. Other divisions, about the same time, took possession of Suza and Brunette, and Ariolo.

The Austrians, finding themselves not in sufficient force to defend Milan against the republican army, evacuated that city on the 2d of June, after a slight opposition.

Bonaparte now issued two proclamations: the first to the army, pompously stating, "that consternation was in the south of France; the territory of the people of Liguria, faithful friends to the republic, had been invaded, and the Cisalpine republic was the sport of the federal system; but they had marched, and the French territory was delivered: they would restore liberty and independence to Genoa, and deliver it from its enemies." The second, though dictated by the consul, appeared to be from the provisional government of Milan, congratulating their fellow-citizens on the happy change effected by the first consul.

The city of Milan was built by the Gauls in the 395th year of Rome; its principal strength is a wall and rampart, and a citadel of six bastions. There is a small hill near the town, the Bochetta, which overlooks the surrounding country, and the best part of the interior and exterior works. It is well fortified, yet cannot stand above a few days of open trenches, because nothing prevents the enemy from battering in breach. The city is large and handsome, being near ten miles in circumference; the streets are wide, and its churches, especially the cathedral, deserve admiration. The cathedral, among its ornaments, has several lamps of pure gold and silver, and two, pulpits of massy silver. The metropolitan church of Milan is next to St. Peter's at Rome; the work

of the outside is surprising, the number of marble statues of all sizes with which the walls are charged, from top to bottom, is immense. The chief theatre is so large as to allow 400 performers and forty horses to appear at once; its number of spectators may be conceived from this. The shops are like the French, and the dresses are not unlike. All in Milan gives an idea of splendour. The inhabitants are sociable and friendly, and not so faulty as Italians in general. The view from the lofty parts of this city is immense; the whole of the Alps are seen; the Grisons are also visible, and the defiles of the Tyrole; nearer may be seen the whole of Piedmont, and a part of Liguria.

After a short stay at Milan, the van-guard of the army marched and took possession of Pavia, on the 4th of June, on which day Genoa surrendered to the allies; and on which very day orders were sent to General Ott to raise the siege. At Pavia, the republican army found considerable magazines, and 500 pieces of cannon, with a large quantity of ammunition.

During this time, General Melas was at Turin, and the greatest part of his army in the Genoese territory, a position which he preserved too long; perhaps, partly owing to orders he had received from Vienna, and partly to his ignorance of Bonaparte's real strength. To this security the miscarriages and misfortunes of the Austrian army, which followed, may be attributed.

In order to make a powerful diversion, Melas detached General O'Reilly to Placentia, and General Ott upon the Tessino. A detachment of 6,000 men was likewise sent to Chiavasso, upon the Po, which, turning off to Vercelli, retook 300 Austrian prisoners. The manoeuvre of advancing as far as Chiavasso, which is within fifteen miles of Turin, was a feint for misleading the Austrians, by seeming to threaten that city. The concentration of the Austrian forces seemed to discover an intention of offering battle. Gen. Murat defeated O'Reilly, and made himself master of Placentia, from whence O'Reilly fell back upon Ott, at Stradello and Montebello.

The French army had now taken a position on the Po, where it is joined to the Tessino, and becomes then of equal depth with the Rhine. The republicans had no longer to do with small detachments, but were met by the Austrian advanced-guard of 18,000 men.. The French army was now increasing, and was joined by a division of the army of the Rhine, which had separated at Ulm, and had passed the Alps by Mount St. Gothard. The French van-guard crossed the Po suddenly, and on the 9th of June made a vigorous attack upon the Austrian army, which they drove before them into the marshes, until night put a stop to the pursuit, which was followed the next day by the battle of Montebello.

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The battle of Montebello was very sanguinary; BOOK IV. that place was taken and re-taken by the contending armies. The van-guard, under General CHAP. VI. Lasnes, had suffered considerably, when it was reinforced by General Watrin's division, which decided the battle in favor of the republicans; and the Austrians having lost 6000 prisoners, and 12 pieces of cannon, with several officers of distinction killed or wounded, were forced to retreat to Voghera.

On the 11th, the French army marched through Voghera, and took some positions before Tortona, which city the van-guard surrounded without opposition. The Austrian army had now arrived from Genoa, and had fixed its head-quarters at Alexandria. As a general engagement appeared to be unavoidable, every preparation was made for it. The French army quitted its position near Tortona, and advanced into the plain betwixt that city and Alexandria, forming in order of battle, as the several divisions arrived. Meanwhile Bonaparte carefully examined the plain and village of Maringo, or Marengo; but, the day proving wet, nothing was done until the following, (the 16th of June,) which was ushered in by several discharges of cannon; and the preparatives on the side of the Austrians appeared to be decisive for battle before noon.

Bonaparte and Berthier had entered the plain, and the fire of cannon and musketry began to be brisk. The Austrian line extended six miles in length, and steadily preserved its positions, particularly at the bridge over the Bormida; but, the principal point of action, and whereto they directed their chief attention, was at Sans-Stefano, from which point the Austrians could gain Voghera before the French. The Austrians being in great force, gained upon the French, when Bonaparte ordered the body of reserve to come up; but Desaix, with his corps, had not yet arrived. The left wing of the French, commanded by Victor, now began to give way, and some cavalry and infantry retreated in disorder. About the same time the centre and right wing did the same. Bonaparte, in front, rallied the troops, and led them on again to the battle. Notwithstanding this, the French army still continued to retreat, and the Austrians followed up their advantage. At this juncture of time, the_garrison of Tortona, seeing the disorder of the French army, made a sally, and had nearly surrounded them. Bonaparte, still in front, encouraged the corps, which defended a defile, flanked by the village of Maringo, on which thirty pieces of Austrian artillery continually played, making terrible slaughter. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the French army was so pushed on all sides, that one-third of it was in confusion, and knew not where to rally. There was a defile behind the centre of the French army, with a wood on one

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BOOK IV. side, and a chain of vineyards on the other, extending to the village of Maringo. Here the CHAP. VI. first consul formed the resolution of making his final stand, and defending the entrance of this defile to the last extremity.

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The Austrians, seeing the impossibility of forcing the defile, drew up more artillery, under the protection of which they sent forward a body of infantry to dislodge the French from the wood and vineyards, whilst their cavalry watched the opportunity of cutting them down as they quitted that position. Had this manoeuvre succeeded, the French army had been totally destroyed.

At this instant the fortune of the battle began to take a new turn. The divisions of Monnier and Dessaix coming up, insured victory to the republican army, by inspiring it with renewed courage. To this, an unfortunate mistake, which Melas committed about the same time, did not a little contribute. That general, finding he could neither force the defile nor make any impression on the centre of the French army, perhaps, presuming too far on his success, and being moreover ignorant of the reinforcements which the republican army had received, weakened his line, by extension, in order to surround it. Bonaparte saw the error Melas had been guiliy of, and instantly availed himself of it, by the orders he gave. The troops of the republic quitted the defile, and, as they left it, formed in order of battle, and presented a fresh and formidable front to the Austrians, now nearly exhausted and fatigued with success.

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The Austrians having been vigorously charged, fell back in their turn: their numerous cavalry was thrown into disorder, and the French hussars, hitherto inferior, charged and dispersed the fugitives. On the right, Dessaix bore down all before him, while Victor, on the left, carried Maringo, and bore down rapidly on the Bormida; where, getting possession of the bridge, he cut off the retreat of the Austrians on that side. At the moment that Dessaix, gaining Sans-Stefano, cut off the Austrian left wing, the younger Kellerman made prisoners of 6000 Hungarian grenadiers. The Austrian general, Zach, was made a prisoner, and Dessaix, in the very instant of victory, received a wound, of which he died. Night by this time approached, and found the Austrians everywhere retreating before the republicans.

The morning of June 15 presented a field of battle covered with the wounded and the slain, and gave both armies an armistice, and an opportunity to bury the dead, to attend the wounded, and to recover the wearied and harassed soldier from his late fatigue. It was computed by the French that the campaign of Bonaparte, from the time of his descending from Mount St. Bernard till the close of the day of Maringo, cost the Austrians above 50,000 men. In the morning of

that day, the French force amounted to about 50,000 men, of whom 3000 were cavalry, and two companies of light artillery, with thirty pieces of cannon: the Austrian force, to about 60,000, of which 15,000 were cavalry. In artillery, the Austrians were still more superior to the French. The loss of the latter could not be less than

15,000. Bonaparte, in the battle of Maringo, had his clothes pierced with balls in different places. General Melas had two horses killed under him, and received a contusion in his arm. General Dessaix, before he received the mortal wound, had a horse killed under him. When the commander-in-chief was informed of the death of this officer, he is said to have exclaimed, "Why am I not permitted to weep for him?"

An Austrian officer arrived early on June 16, to treat respecting an armistice; and General Berthier, to whom the negociation was committed, concluded articles the same day with General Melas, by which an armistice was established between the contending armies, until an answer should be received from the court of Vienna. The imperialists were to occupy all the country comprised between the Mincio and Fossa-Maestra, and the Po; that is to say, Peschiera, Mantua, Borgoforte, and thence the whole left bank of the Po; and on the right bank, the city and the citadel of Ferrara. The imperialists were also to occupy Tuscany and Ancona. The French army was to occupy the country comprised between the Chiesa, the Oglio, and the Po. The country between the Chiesa and the Mincio was not to be occupied by either of the two armies. The imperial army to draw subsistence from those parts of that country which made part of the duchy of Mantua. The French army to draw subsistence from those parts of that country which made part of the province of Brescia. The castles of Tortona, Alexandria, Milan, Turin, Pizzighetone, Arona, and Placentia, were to be put into the hands of the French army, between the 16th and 20th of June. The place of Coni, the castles of Ceva, Savona, and the city of Genoa, to be put into the hands of the French army between the 20th and 24th of June; and the fort of Urbino on the 26th. The artillery and the provisions of the places evacuated to be divided. The garrisons to march out with military honors, and repair with arms and baggage, by the shortest route, to Mantua. No individual to be ill-treated on account of any service rendered the Austrian army, or for any political opinions. The Austrian general, on his part, also engaged to release all persons in the strong places under his command, who might have been taken up in the Cisalpine republic for political opinions. Whatever might be the answer from Vienna, neither of the two armies was to attack the other without ten days previous notice. The

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