290

THE LIFE OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON. [CHAP. XIV.] of a multitude of warlike and well disciplined troops, equal in number to his own entire army. Yet throughout this toilsome and sanguinary period, his manner, though animated, was never vehement, and his mind, though intensely employed, seemed neither absorbed by affairs, nor oppressed by solicitude, nor agitated with hope, nor tumultuous with elation (28).

CHAPTER XV.

From the 25th of August to the 1st of September 1796.

Blockade of Mantua renewed-State of the public mind in LombardyFirmness of the French party in Milan-Letter of Bonaparte-Revolt of Casal Maggior-Bonaparte's order-Public sentiment south of the PoThe jesuits of Bologna-Proceedings of the Pope-Cardinal Mattei— Leghorn-Good conduct of general Vaubois-Naples-Lucca-The Barbets-Murder of general Dujard-Pusillanimity of the paymasters-Letter of Bonaparte-The expedition to Corsica-Bonaparte's correspondence while at Brescia-His opinon of his generals-His soothing letter to general Sauret-Colours presented to the directory-The addresses and answers on that occasion-Progress of Jourdan and Moreau-Efforts of Austria to raise a new army-Bonaparte prepares for fresh operations— Arrives at Verona.

The garrison of Mantua, as soon as the siege was raised, had applied themselves to completing the demolition of Serrurier's halfdestroyed works and batteries, and to conveying within the walls the immense train of artillery which he left behind. Wurmser had revictualled the place on his first arrival, and during the halt which he made on the left bank of the Mincio in retreating, had introduced in lieu of the diseased and enfeebled corps of Wukassowich and Roccavina, two fresh divisions from the Rhine, raising the garrison to fifteen thousand men (1). But his precipitate flight to the mountains was soon followed by the unwelcome return of the besiegers to the suburbs, and the painful beginning of a new in

vestment. For although in the short interval of its absence, the division of Serrurier had lost at least a third of its strength, it bad gained a full equivalent in reputation, and therefore struck the dispirited Austrians with dismay (2).

If the want of artillery had not rendered an immediate renewal of the siege impracticable, the increasing malignity of the climate around Mantua would have induced Bonaparte to decline it. Wherefore instead of exposing the troops to service in the trenches, he ordered general Sahuguet, to limit his operations to the maintenance of a strict blockade.

This officer lost no time in executing the directions of the commander in chief. As soon as he was joined by general Dallemagne, whose brigade was ordered to reenforce him, he dislodged the Austrians from Governolo and Borgoforte, the two angles of the Seraglio which rest upon the Po; and having succeeded by the 24th of August, in regaining possession of that island and all the exterior posts, he laboured diligently in fortifying his line of countervallation, and in keeping the garrison restricted to their works. Thus situated, the contest subsided from the bloody assaults and combats of a siege, into a trial of patience under the inflictions of the season, which, as the besiegers were the exposed party, fell with more fatal influence on the French (3).

The entrance of Wurmser's columns into Verona and Brescia, and the sudden disappearance of the French from the line of the Adige and the trenches before Mantua, brought into view the latent dispositions of the people of Lombardy. A marked division of parties was perceptible; but the preference of a precarious freedom under the protection of France, to a hopeless subjection to the despotism of Austria, clearly prevailed. In Pavia, Cremona, and Casal Maggior, an important town near the mouth of the Oglio, the imperial party had the ascendancy; but in the country generally, and in the capital particularly, a great majority of the inhabitants manifested a decided attachment to the cause of the French, and professed to regard it as their own. This sentiment was strongly and honourably displayed by the people of Milan, among whom Bonaparte had been oftenest seen, and to whom he was best known. When it was ascertained that the Austrians had taken Brescia, and when it was rumoured that, after defeating the French, they had entered Cassano and were approaching the gates of Milan, a large concourse of citizens,

headed by the municipal officers, waited on the French commissaries, and eagerly demanding arms, announced their firm resolution of sharing the fortune of the French army. And although, during an interval of several days, no intelligence was received from Bonaparte's headquarters, the quiet of the city was not disturbed, nor the authority of the French officers checked by the slightest disobedience. Indeed the hostility of the people to Austria appeared to increase as the fortune of France seemed to decline; so much so that, upon a report being spread that Bonaparte's army had been routed, and that Wurmser was advancing upon Milan, the citizens assembled in crowds, and made the streets, squares, and theatres resound, with stanzas translated from the Marseilles' hymn (4).

These demonstrations of zeal and attachment, Bonaparte was too sagacious and too just to disregard, and on the 9th of August, he addressed to the municipality of Milan, the following letter from his headquarters at Verona-"When the army retreated, and the partizans of Austria, and the enemies of liberty, believed its destruction inevitable; when it was impossible for you yourselves to suspect that this retreat was only a stratagem; you displayed an attachment for France, and a love of liberty; you exhibited a zeal and firmness, which deserve the esteem of the army, and will ensure you the protection of the French republic.

"Every day your fellow citizens render themselves more worthy of freedom; they acquire every day new energy, and will appear no doubt, at no distant period, with glory on the theatre of the world. Receive this testimony of my satisfaction, and of the sincere wishes of the French people to see you free and happy" (5).

This letter, though evidently guarded in its terms against the conveyance of promises which the author might not be authorized to make or able to fulfil, contributed nevertheless to strengthen the dependency of the people of Lombardy upon the support of France; and coinciding with their consciousness of having incurred the resentment of their former rulers, promoted the public anxiety for the establishment of an avowed and definitive independence of Austria.

The punishing the revolt of Casal Maggior, where the populace, not satisfied with overpowering the slender French garrison, had murdered several soldiers and pillaged the baggage of the army, was a graver and more necessary operation. Having issued a pro

clamation, requiring of the municipality the arrest of all persons concerned in these outrages, and imposing on the town a fine of a million of francs, Bonaparte ordered general Murat to take command of a light column, and enforce the execution of these measures. His order prescribing the movement of Murat, enters into details which afford another proof of his intimate acquaintance with the constitution of his army, and his personal attention to its minutest operations. The order is addressed to Berthier.

“You will instruct the general of brigade Murat to depart for Casal Maggior, and take command of the moveable column destined to enforce the execution of the requisition, relative to that

town.

"You will appoint a military commission to accompany him, whose duty it shall be to bring to trial the assassins of the French soldiers, and the authors and instigators of the revolt. A commissary of the army, and a military agent will attend him, for the purpose of collecting the contribution of a million. He is to effect an entire disarming of the citizens, and he will take care to cause the different articles of the proclamation to be executed in the space of three or four days. His column will be composed of one hundred men of the 21st chasseurs, two pieces of light artillery, and the 51st regiment."

In the towns and states south of the Po, the evidences of popular feeling were not less favourable to the French army, than they were at Milan. At Bologna, Ferrara, Modena and Reggio if a deep regret was expressed for their reverses, the tide of public sentiment rose to enthusiasm at the news of their victories. The government to which these two last towns were subjected, exhibited sentiments of the opposite character, joy for their disasters, and chagrin at their successes. For while the duke of Parma, guided doubtless by the influence of the Spanish court, maintained faithfully the neutral position he had lately taken (6); the regency of Modena, the members of which had been recently protected by Bonaparte's countenance, manifested openly their hostile intentions. The Jesuits of Bologna were equally infatuated and equally ungrateful. Forgetting that, on his first entrance into Bologna, he had screened them from the effects of popular odium, they seized the occasion of his retreat, to agitate the public mind, and to stir up their flocks to insurrection. The good faith and authority of