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him and the French republic. The people of. Ferrara seemed extremely unwilling to be again put under the papal dominion.

The victories of Wurmser placed the French armies in a very delicate situation. On the Ist of August the army advanced, while the Austrians detached a force to Castiglione, where General Valette had been left with 1800 men to defend that important post, and to keep the division of Wurmser at a distance; but Valette was completely defeated, and escaped with only half his troops to Monte-Chiaro. Bonaparte, vexed by the issue of this affair, instantly suspended General Valette. The two armies faced each other on the morning of the 3d. The hostile armies joined battle on the 5th, and fought with the most obstinate perseverance. The imperialists, not waiting the attack of the French, surrounded the advanced guard of General Massena, near Castiglione, and took General Pigeon prisoner, with three pieces of flying artillery. The French had hopes of penetrating the Austrian line, and the latter extended it in order to surround the French; the imperialists were thrown into disorder, and retreated to Salo; but that place being in the hands of the French, they wandered through the mountains, and many of them were taken. Meantime General Augereau took Castiglione, and during the day maintained several obstinate actions with the enemy, who fought with great bra

very.

General Wurmser assembled the remains of his army, and drew up between the village of Scanello, which supported his right, and La Chiesa, which covered his left. Bonaparte hastened in person to Lonado, to be certain of the number of troops he could detach from it; but on arriving there, a messenger summoned the commandant at Lonado to surrender, which was completely surrounded. Bonaparte had recourse to stratagem; there were but a few hundred men at Lonado, and the place must have surrendered; he ordered the messenger to be brought before him, and his eyes uncovered. Bonaparte told him, that if his general indulged the hope of taking the commander-in-chief of the army of Italy, he had only to advance; that he ought to know that officer was at Lonado, as every one knew the republican army was at that place; and that all the officers belonging to the division should be responsible for the insult he had been guilty of towards the general-in-chief. He then told the messenger, that if his division did not, within eight minutes, lay down their arms, he would have no mercy. The officer was confounded at seeing the general, and returned with his answer. Preparation was affected to be made for attacking the enemy, when the whole column of 4000 men, with four pieces of cannon, and three standards, laid down their arms.

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CHAP. VI.

1796.

The French commander, when convinced of the BOOK II. destruction of all the hostile corps from Corona and Salo, on the 5th of August, instead of tarrying for repose, ordered the whole army to make a retrograde movement, whilst General Serrurier's division advanced from Marcaria, in order to turn General Wurmser's left. This movement had, in some degree, the desired effect, and Wurmser extended his right wing to observe their rear. General Augereau attacked the enemy's centre, while Massena attacked the right; the cavalry, under General Beaumont, proceeded to the right, to support the light artillery and infantry. The French were victorious, and obtained 18 pieces of cannon and 120 ammunition waggons. The Austrians lost 500 men killed, 8 pieces of cannon, and 2000 prisoners.

One portion of the Austrians was driven as far as Trent, while another retired to the banks of the Brenta, on which Bonaparte resumed his former position on the Adige, and sat down once more before Mantua.

While General Satruguet conducted the operations of the siege, the main body of the French advanced against the Austrians, who had already burned part of their flotilla on the lake of Garda; and after being driven from the camp of Mori, retired to Roveredo, where Wurmser had established a most formidable line of defence, with the centre of his army supported by the castle of Colliano, his left strengthened by a steep mountain, and his right by the Adige. Bonaparte determined on an immediate attack, apprehensive that if he suffered this opportunity to escape him, the position of the Austrians would be rendered more formidable. Accordingly the troops, though greatly fatigued, were instantly formed into columns, (August 6,) and while General Dommartin commenced the battle of Roveredo with eight pieces of artillery, Massena advanced at the head of the grenadiers, who penetrated to the entrenchments, and cut down the barriers with their hatchets. On this the Austrians gave way, and were pursued by the republicans, who immediately took possession of Trent.

Generals Augereau and Massena forced the Austrians to raise the siege of Peschiera, and to abandon the line of the Mincio. On the 7th, Augereau passed the Mincio at Peschiera, while General Serrurier advanced to Verona, and got there at ten at night, the very moment the division under General Massena had recovered its former position; the rear-guard of the Austrians was yet at Verona, the gates of which were shut, and the draw-bridges raised. The proveditor of the Venetian republic being summoned to open them, answered, that he could not comply within two hours; Bonaparte ordered the gates to be burst open with cannon-shot. The French seized all stores in the place, and resumed their former po

BOOK II. sition, while the imperialists retreated through the
Tyrole.

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The gallant Wurmser, notwithstanding the loss of 6000 of his troops, displayed equal constancy, and after abandoning the banks of the Arisio, occupied the borders of the Brenta; but being pursued by the enemy, his rear-guard was overtaken and defeated at the village of Primolano, (August 9,) after which, Bonaparte immediately passed the defiles of the mountains and commenced an attack on the main body. The Austrians, encouraged by the presence of Wurmser, fought bravely, but unfortunately their centre was pierced by the fourth demi-brigade of the line, and the fifth demi-brigade of light infantry; while Augereau, forcing a bridge, in spite of the opposition experienced on the part of a body of grenadiers posted there, entered Bassano, August 10, nearly at the same time, but in a different quarter from Massena, who had marched through the suburbs.

Mantua, gave orders to Field-marshal Alvinzy to collect an army on the borders of the Tyrole, descending from thence in two divisions along the Adige and Piava to Verona, where the French army had established its head-quarters. The latter division was commanded by Alvinzy in person, who having crossed the Piava and Brenta, engaged the van of the French army, conducted by Bonaparte in person, who forced his veteran opponent to repass the Brenta, after a smart engagement. But as the Tyrole division vanquished the enemy under General Vabois, Bonaparte found it necessary to retreat, for the purpose of defending the passes of the Adige.

As the Austrian general believed that it was now impossible to prevent the junction of the two divisions, he hoped he would soon be able to raise the blockade of Mantua; but General Bonaparte, clearly perceiving the dangerous consequences of such an event, instantly determined to hazard an The intrepid field-marshal, finding himself cut engagement with Alvinzy's army, which had off from the main body of the army, immediately again proceeded as far as the Adige. Hayassembled some horse, which had suffered but ing passed that river, on the 14th of November, little during the action, and with great difficulty during the night, the republican general advanced rejoined a division of 5000 cavalry, and an equal to the village of Arcole at an early hour of the number of infantry in the neighbourhood of Mon- morning, as the execution of his plan could not tebello. With these poor remains of his army, he be accomplished without forcing his passage proceeded with remarkable celerity, by mounting through it. Its natural strength was very great, his foot-soldiers behind the dragoons, and having being situated in the midst of morasses and cacrossed the Molinella, and defeated General Char-nals, and the bridge leading to it was defended ton, who attempted to oppose his progress, he at length entered Mantua, August 27, to the great joy and surprise of the garrison, who had destroyed the works of the French, and carried into the place 140 pieces of heavy artillery, which the latter had left in their trenches, with provisions for a considerable period.

To conclude a final settlement with the Pope was found to be a matter of considerable difficulty, as the conditions exacted of him were much too severe. He was desired to liberate all persons, of whatever country, who were confined for their political sentiments; to decline prosecuting any for their religious opinions; to abolish the infernal inquisition; to renounce all claim upon Avignon and the Venaissin; to advance monthly the sum of 300,000 livres (12,5007. sterling) during the war; to leave Ferrara and Bologna, with their legislations, at the disposal of France; to yield different specified commercial advantages; and to agree, without any reserve, to all those conditions. A meeting of cardinals was summoned by his holiness, in order to deliberate on the terms thus offered by the republicans, who declared with one voice, that they were destructive of the rights of religion and sovereignty; and they were in consequence immediately rejected.

The Emperor of Germany, in the mean time, being deeply concerned for the fate of Marshal Wurmser, and the numerous garrison shut up in

by the utmost display of military skill. The conflict during the whole day was clearly in favor of the Austrians, the French having lost many of their best officers, and a very considerable number of men.

A detachment of the republicans, however, took a circuitous route, and at last carried the village by a dreadful assault in the rear, before which the Austrians had conveyed away their baggage and artillery. The way being thus fairly opened, the French began a general action on the 16th of November, at the dawn of day; the centre of the Austrian army was soon vanquished, but as the wings were secured by the strong nature of their position, no impression of any consequence could be effected. Bridges, by order of Bonaparte, were thrown over the impracticable parts of the morass during the night, and next day the battle was renewed with tenfold obstinacy; but the flanks of the Austrian army were turned by a number of skilful manœuvres, their rear being attacked by a corps in ambuscade, which created a general confusion, and the Austrians fled on all hands, the French gaining a complete but bloody victory. Bonaparte, in his dispatches to the directory, declared, "Never was field of battle so variously disputed as that of Arcole." The battle of Arcole had continued for three days, with remarkable and persevering obstinacy on each side.

In the mean time, the left wing of the French army had been forced by General Davidowich, who seized on the important post of Rivoli, and advanced to Castello-Nuovo, within eight leagues of Mantua; but Bonaparte, taking advantage of his late victory, ordered a body of troops, under General Massena, to repass the Adige and attack the successful division, which was forced, November 22, to retire behind the Arisio; while General Alvinzy, after losing about 6000 men in killed and wounded, eighteen pieces of cannon, and four standards, took refuge on the other side of the Brenta, leaving Mantua to its fate, which was gallantly defended by the veteran Wurmser.

Although the expedition of Alvinzy had a very unfortunate issue, it did not dispose his holiness to agree to the terms which were offered him by the French. Prior to the battle of Arcole, General Bonaparte had sent a letter to Cardinal Mattei, written with his own hand, requesting that he would go to Rome, using every exertion to prevail with his holiness to consider the genuine nature of his situation, and the imperious necessity of consulting his true interest, declaring that peace was the anxious wish of the republic. It was not till the expiration of six weeks that the cardinal's answer was received, which stated, "that his "that his holiness, as sovereign pontiff and depository on earth of the precepts promulgated by the Saviour of mankind, had ever been solicitous for the preservation of harmony in the great family of Christians; that he had felt the extremest sorrow in seeing France delivered up to such wild excesses, and the children of the church plunging themselves into such horrible disorders; that the gentleness with which he had treated these wanderers from the fold of Christ, was so far from having its due effect, that, blinded by the success of their arms, the French government had exacted from him the overthrow and total destruction of religion, the gospel, and the church; that his holiness, after devoutly asking counsel from God, and re

calling to mind the example of the ancient mar- BOOK II. tyrs, was decided to try the chance of war."

1796.

Various opinions prevailed on the different suc- CHAP. VI. cesses of the contending parties. When the Austrians were triumphant, it was thought that victory had abandoned the republican standards. Much agitation was produced at Cremona, Casal Maggiore, and two villages in the environs of this last town. At Cremona, after the surprise of Brescia, it was suggested to preserve the tree of liberty, to hang on it those who had assisted in planting it. At Casal Maggiore, the commandant, as he was going to embark, was insulted. His embarkation was strongly opposed, and, in trying to escape, he rushed into the river, and there met death. The French garrison in the citadel of Ferrara suddenly left it, having spiked their cannon, and thrown into the river what ammunition they could not carry off; tranquillity was maintained until the arrival of the vice-legate, as before mentioned, which caused as much surprise as the departure of the French troops. His entry was modest, but having replaced the Papal arms, the municipality and national guards repaired instantly to the place, when they were again pulled down, and replaced by those of the republic. On the news of the victories of the French, the vice-legate returned to Rome; and, by the armistice concluded at Bologna, that city and Ferrara were to continue in the possession of the French.

The republican writers have not failed in warmly eulogising the juvenile career of Bonaparte in this campaign; but be it recollected, that the French general had fame and fortune to seek at this period, temptations which could not have induced Marshal Wurmser to take the field, as former victories had long established his reputation. When we impartially consider the deeds of the young commander and the veteran German, the contrast will certainly appear more striking in favor of the latter.

CHAPTER VII.

Campaign in Germany.-General Kleber's Victory and Defeat.-Various Engagements.—Successes of the Republicans.-Gallantry of the Archduke Charles.-Moreau crosses the Rhine.-Freiburgh carried.—Actions at Renchen, Rastadt, and Ettlingen.—Movements of the hostile Armies.—Battle of Sultzbach.—Battle of Teming.-Jourdan put to flight.-Again defeated.-Death of Marceau. Battles of Biberach and Schliengen.-Siege and Surrender of Fort Kehl.

HOLLAND having been totally subdued by the armies of France, military operations were for a while extinguished in that quarter; but the war

raged in other parts with increasing fury. The armies of Austria were placed under the direction of the Archduke Charles, the emperor's

BOOK II. brother, a popular and gallant prince. The command of the army of the Sambre and Meuse was CHAP. VII. given by the Directory to Jourdau, instead of Pichegru, though the former was reckoned the worst general that the republic of France produced; having been always beaten, except at Maubeuge, where his numbers, not his talents, procured him the victory.

1796.

May 23, 1796, the Austrian commander-in-chief informed General Jourdan, that the armistice was to cease, and that hostilities would commence on the last day of that month. General Jourdan accordingly marched with the army of the Sambre and Meuse, when General Marceau repulsed the Austrians on the right bank of the Nahe, and the French general Championet was equally successful at Nidder Diebach. General Kleber, on the same day, marched towards the Sieg, and on the 1st of June obtained a victory over the Austrians, who lost 2400 men, including wounded and pri

soners.

On the 16th, the archduke pursued Lefebvre, and General Kray, with thirty-two squadrons of light horse, and ten battalions of infantry, a corps of riflemen, and a number of artillery horse, marched towards Cologne and Dusseldorf. Gen. Kleber was defeated, but passed the Sieg in the night, and continued his route to Dusseldorff, while Jourdan crossed at Neuwied with the rest of his army, the archduke having given him but little trouble during his retreat.

Marshal Wurmser, who was stationed between Frankendal and the Rehut, his front protected by a canal, and his left wing by the Rebach, was attacked by General Moreau, the leader of the army of the Rhine and the Moselle. The French passed the fortifications, with the water up to their chins, in defiance of a tremendous fire of musketry and cannon. They engaged the Austrians with impetuosity, took their front works, and made bridges for the passage of their cavalry; the Austrians were defeated, and obliged to take shelter under the cannon of Manheim. The most part of the Austrian forces having gone towards the Lower Rhine, to pursue General Jourdan, orders were sent by the Directory to General Moreau, to cross the river. Such was the gallantry of the Archduke Charles, that Jourdan retreated with great difficulty, having suffered a defeat at the Lahn. Hereupon the French resumed the positions they before occupied. Gene ral Moreau, pretending preparations for an attack of a serious nature, drew off his troops with the greatest privacy, and arrived at Strasburgh by forced marches; and although the waters of the Rhine were raised to an uncommon height, in consequence of an inundation, he accomplished the passage of the river, June 24, and reduced the fortress of Kehl by a sudden assault, which was situated on the opposite bank. The French

carried all the works in the islands of the Rhine with the bayonet, and with such rapidity, that the Austrians could not destroy the bridges which kept up their communication with their different divisions; and they fell into the hands of the French.

The French army was at first put in motion with the view of besieging Mentz, but another plan was suddenly projected by Carnot: and, in pursuance of his romantic scheme, a powerful army was to penetrate into the circle of Suabia, seize on the country adjoining the lake of Constance, march through the passes of Bregentz, and, after scaling the Rhetian Alps, enter the Tyrole.

General Laroche made himself master of the mountain of Knubis, said to be the highest of the groupe called the Black Mountains, taking two standards, two pieces of canuon, and 400 prisoners. Next day Freiburgh was carried by General St. Cyr, with the bayonet. The march of the republican left wing was always interrupted by conflicts with the enemy; but at Ost, the imperial general La Tour made a vigorous opposition, but without effect. On the same day, Bibrach, in the valley. of Kintzig, was taken possession of by General Ferinot. Possessed of Freibur, General Moreau could act against the left wing of the archduke's army, and cut off his communication with the Prince of Condé. It also laid open to him the territory of the Duke of Wirtemberg, and the roads which led to the. Austrian magazines at Villengen and Rothwiel.

On the arrival of his artillery, General Moreau attacked and carried the camp of Wilstedt. On June 28, an action took place at the village of Renchen, when the republican army succeeded, having taken a number of prisoners and a quan-tity of light artillery.

General Desaix had orders to engage the Austrians at Rastadt on the 4th of July. To oblige them to abandon Rastadt by turning their left, General Lecourbe attacked them between Olbach and the mountains, while General Decaen was ordered to seize, if possible, on the bridge of Kuppenheim, and dislodge them from the mountaius; and, after an obstinate conflict of three hours, the republicans forced them to abandon Kuppenheim. The left side of the river was still possessed by the Austrians near Olbach; the passage was forced by the French infantry, who also attacked the wood of Nidderbichel, and after a contest of three hours they were successful, while another demi-brigade of infantry took possession of the woods near Ottersdorff. Both wings of the Austrian army being nearly surrounded, were under the necessity of seeking shelter by repassing the Murg. The French made 1300 prisoners, but their own loss was perhaps more considerable, as the Austrians, from their position, could act. with greater advantage.

As General Wurmser, the gallant and veteran commander in this quarter, found himself far from adequate to the task of resisting such dreadful impetuosity, he instantly applied to the archduke for assistance, who, deeply sensible of the importance of giving the French a timely check in the Brisgau, marched to his aid in person, with a large body of troops; but before he could reach the place, the Austrians had been vanquished in different actions, and the French had forced the passes of the Black Forest in various parts. A junction being at length effected between the archduke and Wurmser, the Austrians took a most advantageous position near Ettlingen, waiting for the attack of the French. Here a sanguinary battle was fought on the 9th of July, in which the hostile armies exhibited the most desperate valor. The French began a bombardment, when many parts of the city being suddenly in flames, the garrison agreed to surrender, and the republicans, on the next morning, entered in triumph.

The Archduke Charles was eagerly pursued by the republicans, and upon learning that the French meant to cut off his communication with General Frolich and the Prince of Condé, who were marching to Stutgard, the archduke deemed it expedient to retire to Vahingen. Moreau posted some troops at Bruchsal, to watch the motions of the enemy in Philipsburg and Manheim. General St. Cyr, after an obstinate conflict, drove the Austrians from Stutgard. His next object was to make them abandon their posts in the rear of that town; the attack commenced at four in the afternoon with uncommon severity, against General Baillet and Prince John of Lichtenstein. The former defended himself most gallantly till evening, when, as the republicans could occupy the ground on the right flank of the Prince of Lichtenstein, the fire of their musketry crossed in their ranks, orders were sent to General Devay, then on his march, to come forward with the utmost dispatch. He arrived when the troops under the command of the Prince of Lichtenstein were in danger of being totally destroyed, and compelled the republicans to retire. The prince gallantly effected the passage of the Necker on the 19th of July, and encamped his troops at Felbach, that he might keep up a communication with Ulm, without experiencing any important opposition.

The Archduke Charles, with a considerable part of his army, marched from Nordlingen, crossing the Eger, to guard the roads to Donawert. The republicans compelled General Hotze to abandon his position, on the 8th of August; but the attempts against General Riese were defeated. The Prince of Condé had retired to Manheim, where his royal highness was informed of the critical situation of Wartensleben, who durst not hazard an engagement with General Jourdan, to

1796.

which the republican commander wished, if pos- BOOK II. sible, to force him. General Moreau arrived on the 9th, and next day came to an engagement CHAP. VII. with the left wing of the army of General Hotze, which they fought with the utmost fury, obliging his advanced posts to give way. On the 11th the archduke made preparations for a general attack on the republicans; his principal army was in three columns or divisions, the centre being commanded by the Prince of Furstenberg, the right wing by General Hotze, and the left by La Tour. The centre and left were to engage the same divisions of the republican army, while the division under General Riese repulsed them in the vicinity of Laningen, continuing its route with a view to reach the rear of Moreau's station. It was settled that a strong advanced guard should manœuvre on the left wing of the French army, to compel them to abandon the heights of Umenheim. The battle took place on the 10th, at seven in the morning, when the Austrian army repulsed the advanced guard of the republicans; but the division which proceeded to Umenheim was under the necessity of retiring. By this the right flank of General Hotze being exposed, he was obliged to fall back to Forcheim; but the Prince of Furstenberg and General La Tour were enabled to maintain the advantages they had acquired. The conflict was most desperate, and continued seventeen hours; but when the archduke was strengthening his right wing to bring it again into action, he received intelligence that Wartensleben was obliged to retreat towards Amberg, and that a division of General Jourdan's army had reached Nurnberg, with the intention of uniting its strength with the forces under General Moreau; this made the archduke conclude, that if he should be finally defeated the consequences might be alarming. He therefore reluctantly determined to decline an attack, although General Riese had proceeded successfully to Haydenheim, by obliging the French etat-major-general to retreat to Konigsbron, and got possession of four leagues of country in the rear of the French army. At the approach of day the Austrians began their retreat towards Donawert.

August 13, the archduke arrived at Donawert; and having passed the Danube, he encamped his army at Rain, behind the Acha, eight miles east-

south-east of Donawert.

The French general brought his troops to Dillingen and Laningen, to pass the Danube, as the Austrians had made it impracticable to cross at any other place. Meanwhile General Ferinot took the route to Bregantz, where he seized a number of mortars, one howitzer, twenty-two pieces of cannon, forty large barges, and 40,000 sacks of oats, flour, and barley. By these wonderful movements the republicans established a communication between the armies of the Sambre

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