dition of his troops, and partly from a hope that the enemy, finding themselves unrestrained, might venture on another battle in the field, had declined to penetrate. But Wurmser availing himself of the opportunity thus afforded him, threw a bridge of boats over the Po, and brought into the place a number of cattle and a large supply of forage. On the 20th a party of fifteen hundred Austrian horse came out as far as Castellucchio, where one of the French grand guards was posted. This retired according to orders, with a view of drawing the Austrians further out; but they hesitated, halted, and then withdrew within their lines. Four days afterwards, however, general Ott, with a strong corps principally of cavalry, passing down the right bank of the Mincio, made an effort to carry the bridge at Governolo, with intention it was thought of getting into the rear of the French, crossing the Adige, gaining the Brenta, and thus relieving the garrison of useless and expensive troops. But the French maintained themselves against a number of charges and a severe cannonade, until they were reenforced, when the Austrians were repulsed with the loss of a thousand men and six guns. After this severe check, Wurmser showed no disposition to risk a contest in the field, and Bonaparte ordering Massena to reform the army of observation, took the command of the siege from general Sahuguet whose inadequate measures had opened the way for Wurmser's escape, and conferred it on general Kilmaine who, by his firmness and address in defending Verona, had risen greatly in his esteem."

On setting out for Milan, where he was called by public duty and invited by private affection, he ordered Kilmaine to seize the first opportunity of driving in the garrison from all their outposts, and of occupying the Seraglio. This order was completely executed by the 1st of October; Kilmaine by retaining a regiment of Massena's division, having formed an army of nine thousand men, with which he entered the Seraglio, dislodged the detachments from the suburbs of Cerese and Pradella, and drove the garrison into the town. On the other side, the citadel being invested by Sahuguet, the third blockade of Mantua was complete, and Wurmser with twenty eight thousand men, his wounded and sick included, was confined within the narrow circuit of the walls. Hoping for relief, sooner or later, he took measures for holding out as long as possible, and had several thousand of his horses slaughtered and salted, thus avoiding a great consumption of fo

rage, and procuring a large stock of food. This added to the supplies which had been collected from the surrounding country, and to several convoys which, during the interruption of the investment, the regency of Modena had introduced into the place, postponed to a day more distant than the besiegers expected, the possibility of reducing the garrison by famine.

Before his departure for Milan, Bonaparte made this disposition of his victorious troops. Massena, in command of the army of observation, occupied the valley and the gorges of the Brenta, with his headquarters at Bassano, and his light troops advanced to the banks of the Piave. General Bon with the division of Augereau was stationed at Verona, and had a garrison in Porto Legnano, which he was directed to fortify (13). Kilmaine, as already mentioned, blockaded Mantua, where mindful of the easy entrance of Wurmser into that fortress, he threw up a line of circumvallation around the suburb of St. George; and Vaubois governed the Italian Tyrol, having an intrenched camp on the Lavis, and his headquarters at Trent.

During the first fortnight of September the Austrians, in the battles of Roveredo, Bassano, and St. George, and in the various preliminary and dependent combats, lost nine thousand men in killed and wounded, eighteen thousand prisoners, seventy five pieces of artillery, twenty two stands of colours, thirty general and eighty staff officers, six thousand horses, a quantity of baggage, several hundred ammunition waggons, and two bridge equipages. With about thirteen thousand men Wurmser took refuge in Mantua, the remnant of his fine army having escaped in straggling parties, or retreated under his beaten lieutenants. The loss of the French in the same period was estimated at seven thousand five hundred men, of whom eighteen hundred were slain, four thousand three hundred wounded, and fourteen hundred taken.

The honour of presenting to the directory the colours and . standards won from the enemy in these glorious actions, was conferred by Bonaparte on his aide de camp Marmont, who had distinguished himself on several occasions. The ceremony took place on the 1st of October. The minister of war, in introducing Marmont to the directory, among other things said,-"Posterity will scarcely credit the assertion of history, that in a single campaign the whole of Italy has been conquered, three armies in succession

destroyed, more than fifty colours taken by the victors, and that forty thousand Austrians have laid down their arms; that, in fine, these prodigies have been accomplished by a young warrior only twenty-five years of age, with an army of Frenchmen only thirty thousand strong." In the address of Marmont there was this passage" The army set forward; it overthrew every thing which opposed its march, and for the first time since the existence of the republic, French troops saw the sources of the Brenta, and entered the ancient walls of Trent. Then, changing suddenly its course, it reached, with the rapidity of lightning, the rear of the enemy, and general Bonaparte forced marshal Wurmser to receive battle even at his headquarters." After presenting the twenty-two Austrian colours, the aide de camp with much propriety added, "I have the honour also to present to you, two colours taken from the troops of the Pope. To these trophies, which cost us but little exertion, we attach but small value, yet they serve to attest the activity of the army of Italy, and to mark the extent of country which it has overrun."

The president of the directory, who closed the ceremony by presenting a pair of pistols to Marmont, spoke as follow-"We give thanks to the brave army of Italy, and to the superior genius which directs it. The executive directory, in the name of the republic, receive with the liveliest satisfaction the trophies of so many astonishing actions; and we charge you to convey to your brave brother soldiers this testimony of the national gratitude.

"And you, youthful warrior! to whose courage and good conduct the general testifies, wear these arms as a mark of esteem on the part of the directory; and never forget that it is as glorious to employ them at home, in maintaining our republican constitution, as to use them in the destruction of our foreign enemies."

These presentations and discourses, designed upon classical models, and associating the ornaments of the army with the chiefs of the state, were well calculated to quicken the emulation, elevate the spirit, and confirm the fidelity of the troops. From sobriety of taste, or perhaps from incipient umbrage on the part of the directors, and egoistical intoxication on that of the aide de camp, their language echoed but faintly the sentiments of the minister's address. The emphasis of their applause was converged upon the army, while but transient notes of praise were bestowed upon the general. But he, intent only on great actions and immortal

glory, was indifferent to the small distinctions of contemporary fame. Had he not been, the following inofficial letter from Carnot, dated the 19th of September, and written in answer to his despatch of the 6th from Trent, in which he had said, "You may soon expect to hear of a more bloody and decisive action," as well as to his report of the battle of Bassano, would have soothed his self-love, although it held out no hope of reenforcements from the government, nor of cooperation from the armies on the Rhine (14).

"We waited, my dear general, with an impatience which you may readily conceive, the result of the action you announced to us by your former courier. We have just received your last report, and though accustomed to the most extraordinary things on your part, our hopes have been surpassed by the victory of Bassano. What glory for you, immortal Bonaparte! what a terrible blow for haughty Austria! She could never have recovered from it, had all our armies been as successful as that of Italy. But the miserable falling back (reculade) of Jourdan, disconcerts all our projects. The army of the Rhine and Moselle, which was about reaching out its hand to you, finds itself exposed, almost surrounded, and obliged to retreat precipitately in order to defend its flank; and it will require all the ability of Moreau to extricate it from this embarrassment. Nevertheless Beurnonville, who relieves Jourdan, brings with him a considerable reenforcement. He will resume the offensive, and I hope the result of all this will be the general discomfiture of the army of prince Charles.

"It is not the less certain, however, that we shall be deprived of the resources of Bavaria, that your left is no longer supported, that we shall have great difficulty in furnishing you with succours, equivalent to the column that was to unite with you by the way of Inspruck. It is then in your own energy, that our resources must be found."

CHAPTER XVII.

From the 1st of October to the 1st of November 1796.

Armies of the Rhine-Repulse of Jourdan and retreat of Moreau—Instructions of the directory-Nullified by the victories of Bonaparte, and falsified by the retreat of Moreau—Their erroneous views of the war—' -Their abor tive and contradictory orders-Bonaparte applies for reenforcements—Increasing sickness of his troops-His absurd project for reducing Mantua— His efforts to obtain auxiliaries in Italy -The people of Lombardy anxious for independence-Popular revolution in Reggio and Modena-Seconded by Bonaparte, and discountenanced by the directors-CorrespondenceCongress of Modena-Cispadan and Transpadan republics-Bonaparte's proclamation at Bologna-Mission of cardinal Mattei-Conflicting policy of the directors-Their military and political plans, equally absurd-Operations of the archduke Charles-Incapacity of Beurnonville.

It has been already mentioned that when the destruction of Beaulieu's army and the first investment of Mantua, compelled the cabinet of Vienna to change its plan of campaign on the Rhine, and to confine itself on that frontier to the defensive, Jourdan and Moreau received orders, a second time, from the directory, to pass that river and to penetrate into Germany. In pursuance of their instructions the two generals, Jourdan opposed by Wartensleben, and Moreau by the archduke Charles, advanced from the Rhine, and after several successful but not decisive actions, succeeded in conducting their forces, into the valley of the Danube. But on the 24th of August, the archduke Charles having marched rapidly with a large part of his force from the front of Moreau, across