XXX. 1800. the town retired precipitately towards Turin. They CHAP. took post behind the Chinsella, spreading themselves out, according to custom, over a long line, to cover every approach to the capital of Piedmont. They May 26. were there attacked on the following day by Lannes, and a warm contest ensued. The Imperialists, confident in the numbers and prowess of their cavalry, vigorously charged the Republicans; but though they led up their horses to the very bayonets of the infantry, they were in the end repulsed, and the bridge over the river was carried by the assailants. After this check the Austrians retired towards Turin, and Lannes, pursuing his successes, pushed on to the banks of the Po, where he made himself master of a May 28. flotilla of boats, of the greater value to the invading army, as they did not possess the smallest bridge equi- ' Nap. i. page. The whole army, 36,000 strong, was assem- Dum. iii. bled at Ivrea, with all its artillery, on the 28th, while 185, 187. the advanced guard pushed its patrols to the gates 193, 195. of Turin.1 266, 267. Jom. xiii. the St Go Mont Cenis While the centre of the army of reserve was thus surmounting the difficulties of the St Bernard, the Passage of right and left wings performed with equal success thard and the movements assigned to them. Thureau, with by the wings 5000 men, descended to Susa and Novalese, while of the army. Moncey, detached with 16,000 choice troops from the army of the Rhine, crossed the St Gothard and began to appear in the neighbourhood of the Lago Maggiore. At the same time General Bethencourt, with a brigade of Swiss troops, ascended the Simplon, and forcing the terrific defile of Gondo, appeared at Duomo d'Ossola, and opened up the communication with the left of the army. Thus above 60,000 men, Jɛm. xiii. converging from so many different quarters, were Dum. iii. assembled in the plains of Piedmont, and threatened 187, 192. 2 190, 192. XXX. CHAP. the rear of the imperial army engaged in the defiles of the Apennines from Genoa to the mouth of the Var. 1800. Melas, in haste, conthe army. centrates No sooner did Melas receive certain information of the appearance of this formidable enemy in the Italian plains, than he despatched couriers in all directions to concentrate his troops. He himself, as already mentioned, broke up from the Var with the greater part of his forces, and orders were despatched to Ott to raise the siege of Genoa, and hasten with all the strength he could collect to the Bormida. The orders arrived at Genoa just at the time when the capitulation was going forward, so that the advance of the army of reserve was too late to raise the siege of that fortress; but still an important and decisive operation awaited the first consul. To oppose him in the first instance, the Austrians had only the corps of Wukassowich, Laudon, and Haddick, who could hardly muster 18,000 men in all, and not above 6000 in any one point; so widely were their immense forces scattered over the countries they had conquered; while the concentration 1 Jom. vie of their troops from the Var and the coast of Genoa would require a considerable time.' de Nap. i. 134. Different plans which In these circumstances the French commander had the choice of three different plans, each of which I promised to be attended with important results. Napoleon. The first was to incline to the right, form a junction with Thureau, and in concert with Suchet attack the Austrian army under Melas; the second, to cross the Po by means of the barks so opportunely thrown into his power, and advance to the relief of Massena, who yet held out; the third, to move to the left, pass the Ticino, form a junction with Moncey, and capture Milan, with the stores and reserve parks XXX. 1800. Milan. of the Imperialists. Of these different plans the first appeared unadvisable, as the forces of Melas were superior to those of the first consul without the addition of Moncey, and it was extremely hazardous to run the risk of a defeat while the fort of Bard still held out and interrupted the retreat of the army. The second was equally perilous, as it plunged the invading army, without any line of communication, into the centre of the Imperial forces, and it was He resolves doubtful whether Genoa could hold out till the Re- to occupy publican eagles approached the Bocchetta. The third had the disadvantage of abandoning Massena to his fate, but to counterbalance that, it offered the most brilliant results. The possession of Milan could not fail to produce a great moral impression, both on the Imperialists and the Italians, and to renew, in general estimation, the halo of glory which was wont to encircle the brows of the first consul. The junction with Moncey would raise the army to 50,000 effective men, and secure for it a safe retreat in case of disaster by the St Gothard and the Simplon; the magazines and parks of reserve collected by the Austrians, lay exposed to immediate capture in the unprotected towns of Lombardy, while by intercepting their communications with Germany, and compelling them to fight with their rear towards France and the Maritime Alps, the inestimable ad- 268, 270vantage was gained of rendering any considerable disaster the forerunner of irreparable ruin.' 1 Nap. i. Jom. xiii.. 190, 196. The Advance inthey dy, and cap to Lombar Moved by these considerations, Napoleon directed his troops rapidly towards the Ticino, and arrived May 31. on the banks of that river on the 31st May. arrival of so great a force, in a quarter where were totally unexpected, threw the Austrians into city. the utmost embarrassment. All their disposable ture of that 1 XXX. CHAP. infantry was occupied at Belinzona to oppose the advance of Moncey, or had retired behind the Lago 1800. Maggiore, before Bethencourt. The only troops which they could collect to oppose the passage were the cavalry of Festenberg, with a few regiments of Laudon, a force under 5000 men, and totally inadequate to maintain the line of the Ticino from Sesto-Calende, where it flows out of the Lago Maggiore, to Pavia, where it joins the Po, against an enemy 30,000 strong. Unable to guard the line of the river, the cavalry of Festenberg was drawn up in front of Turbigo, when Gerard, with the advanced guard, crossed the river under cover of the French artillery advantageously posted on the heights behind, and instantly made himself master of the bridge of Naviglio, by which the infantry of the division began to defile to his assistance. He was immediately and warmly attacked by the imperial cavalry, but though they at first had some success, yet the French having retired into a woody position deeply intersected by canals, they succeeded in maintaining their ground, until the Republicans had crossed over in such numbers as to enable them to carry Turbigo with the bayonet, and effectually establish themselves on the left bank of the river. At the same time Murat effected a passage at Buffalora, on the great road from Turin to Milan, with hardly any opposition; the Austrians retired on all sides, and Napoleon, with the advanced guard, made his triumphant entry into Milan on the 2d June, where he was received with transports of joy by the democratic party, and the same applause by the inconstant populace which they had lavished the year before on June 2. i. Nap. 271, 272. Dum. iii. 265, 268. Jom. xiii. 208, 210. Suwarrow.' Nothing could exceed the astonishment of the XXX. Milanese at this sudden apparition of the republican CHAP. hero. Some believed he had died near the Red Sea, and that it was one of his brothers who commanded 1800. over Lom a proclama troops. the army; none were aware that he had so recently He spreads crossed the Alps, and revisited the scenes of his for- his forces mer glory. He instantly dismissed the Austrian bardy, and authorities, reestablished, with more show than sin- addresses cerity, the republican magistrates; but, foreseeing tion to his that the chances of war might expose his partisans to severe reprisals, wisely forbade any harsh measures against the dethroned party. Taking advantage of the public enthusiasm which his unexpected arrival occasioned, he procured, by contributions and levies, large supplies for his troops, and augmented their numbers by the regiments of Moncey, which slowly made their appearance from the St Gothard. On the 6th and 7th June these troops were reviewed, and the French outposts extended in all directions. They were pushed to Placentia and the Po, the principal towns in Lombardy being abandoned, without resistance, by the Austrians. Pavia fell into their hands, with 200 pieces of cannon, 8000 muskets, and stores in proportion. At the same time the following animated proclamation was addressed to the troops, and electrified all Europe, long accustomed only to the reverses of the Republicans :—" Soldiers! when we began our march, one of our departments was in the possession of the enemy: consternation reigned through all the south of France. The greatest part of the Ligurian republic, the most faithful ally of our country, was invaded. The Cisalpine republic, annihilated in the last campaign, groaned under the feudal yoke. You advanced, and already the French territory is delivered: joy and hope have succeeded in our country to consternation and fear. You will restore |