XX. 1796. viii. 64. 2 iii. 139. Battle of CHAP. ing the offensive, and directing his columns also towards his own left at Genoa, with a view to establish a connexion with that important city and the Jomini, English fleet.' He left his right wing at Dego, pushed his centre, under D'Argenteau, to the ridge of MONTENOTTE, and himself advanced with his left, by Bocchetta and Genoa, towards Voltri, along the sea-coast. The two armies, respectively defiling towards the sea-coast through the higher Alps, came into contact at Montenotte: the Austrian general having advanced his centre to that place, in order to cut asunder the French force, by falling on its left flank, and intercept, by occupying Savona, the road by the Cornichè, which they were * Napoleon, pursuing, from Provence to Genoa. 2 The Imperialists, 10,000 strong, encountered at Montenotte only Colonel Rampon, at the head of 1200 men, whom they forced to retire to the Monte Prato and the old redoubt of Monte Legino; but this brave officer, feeling the vital importance of this post to the whole army, which if lost would have been cut in two, defended the fort with heroic courage, repeatedly repulsed the impetuous attacks of the Austrians, and in the midst of the fire made his soldiers swear to conquer or die. With great Thiers, viii. difficulty he maintained his ground till nightfall, and Botta, i. by this heroism saved the French army. The brave 306. Roccavina, who commanded the Imperialists, was 226. severely wounded in the last assault, and forced to Hardenberg, be removed to Montenotte. Before retiring he strenuously urged his successor D'Argenteau to renew the assault during the night, and gain possession of the fort before the distant aid of the Republicans could advance to its relief; but this advice that officer, not equally penetrated with the value of time and the vital importance of that position, declined to 3 Jomini, viii. 69. 226. Thiers, viii. iii. 311, 312. 3 follow. If he had adopted it, and succeeded, the fate of the campaign and of the world might have been changed. CHAP. XX. 1796. the French. When this attack was going forward, Napoleon was at Savona; but no sooner did he receive intelligence of it, than he resolved to envelope the Austrian force, which had thus pushed into the centre of his line of march. With this view, having stationed Success of Cervoni to make head against Beaulieu in front of Voltri, he himself set out after sunset from Savona with the divisions of Massena and Serrurier, and having crossed the ridge of Cadibone, occupied the 12th April. heights in rear of Montenotte. The night was dark and tempestuous, which entirely concealed their movements from the Austrians. At daybreak they found themselves surrounded on all sides. La Harpe and Rampon attacked them in front, while Massena and Joubert pressed their rear; they resisted long and bravely, but were at length broken by superior force, and completely routed, with the loss of five pieces of cannon, 2000 prisoners, and above 1000 killed and wounded. This great success paralysed the movements of Beaulieu, who had advanced unopposed beyond Voltri; he hastened back with the bulk of his forces to Millesimo, but such was the circuit they were obliged to take, that it was two days before he arrived at that place to support the ruined centre of his line. This victory, by opening to the French the plains Theirs, viii. of Piedmont, and piercing the centre of the Allies, completely separated the Austrian and Sardinian 73. armies; the former concentrated at Dego to cover the road to Milan, and the latter around Millesimo to protect the entrance into Piedmont. Napoleon, in Napoleon, possession of a central position, resolved to attack Thiers, viii. 1 2 1 Napoleon, iii. 141. 227. Jomini, viii. 70, iii. 142. 228. CHAP. 1796. Action at Jomini, viii. 76. 2 Thiers, viii. 229. them both at once, although by drawing together their detachments from all quarters, they had more than repaired the losses of Montenotte. On the 13th, Augereau, on the left, assailed the forces of Millesimo, where the Piedmontese were posted, Millesimo. while the divisions of Massena and La Harpe descended the valley and moved towards Dego. With such fury was the attack on the Piedmontese conducted, that the passes were forced, and General Provera, who commanded, was driven, with 2000 men, into the ruins of the old castle of Cossaria.1 He was immediately assaulted there by superior forces; but the Piedmontese, skilled in mountain warfare, poured down upon their adversaries such a shower of stones and rocks, that whole companies were swept away at once, and Joubert, who was in front animating the soldiers, was severely wounded.2 After many ineffectual efforts, the Republicans desisted on the approach of night, and intrenched themselves at the foot of the eminence on which the castle was situated, to prevent the escape of the garrison. The following day was decisive: Colli and the Piedmontese on the left, made repeated efforts to disengage Provera, but their exertions were in vain; and after seeing all their columns repulsed, that brave officer, destitute of provisions and water, was comIbid. 229. pelled to lay down his arms with 1500 men. Meanwhile, Napoleon himself, with the divisions of Massena and La Harpe, attacked and carried Dego after an obstinate resistance, while Joubert made himself master of the heights of Biestro. The retreat of the Austrians was obstructed by the artillery, which blocked up the road in the defile of Spegno, and the soldiers had no other resource but to disperse and seek their safety on the mountains. Thirteen pieces April 14. Napoleon, iii. 143. And at Dego. 3 of artillery and 3000 prisoners fell into the hands of CHAP. the victors. XX. 1796. Thiers, viii. 312, 315. 2 Napoleon, Jomini, viii. Wukasso Dego. No sooner was this success achieved, than the inde- 'Napoleon, fatigable conqueror moved forward the division of iii. 143. Augereau, now disengaged by the surrender of Pro- 230. Harvera, to the important heights of Monte Zemolo, the denberg, iii. occupation of which completed the separation of the Austrian and Piedmontese armies. Beaulieu retired to Acqui, on the road to Milan, and Colli towards Ceva, to cover Turin.2 Meanwhile the brave Wukassowich, at the head of iii. 144. 6000 Austrian grenadiers, made a movement which, 82. if supported, might have completely re-established Bold adthe affairs of the Allies. Separated from the body of vance of the Imperial forces, he advanced to Dego, with the wich to intention of forming a junction with D'Argenteau, who he imagined still occupied that place. Great was his surprise when he found it in the hands of the enemy, but instantly taking his resolution, like a brave man, he attacked and carried the place, making prisoners 600 French, and regaining all the artillery lost on the preceding day. But this success not being supported by the other divisions of the Austrian army, which were in full retreat, only led to the destruction of the brave men who had achieved it. Napoleon instantly returned to the spot, and commenced a vigorous attack with superior forces. They were Which, at received with such gallantry by the Austrians, that first successthe Republican columns were in the first instance unsupportrepulsed in disorder, and the general-in-chief hastened to the spot to restore the combat; but at length General Lanusse, putting his hat on the point of his sword, led them back to the charge, and carried the place, with the loss of 1500 men to the Imperialists, who escaped with difficulty by the road to Acqui, 3 viii. 83, 85. ful, being ed, at length fails. CHAP. 1796. 1 Jomini, after abandoning all the artillery they had retaken.' In this action Napoleon was particularly struck by the gallantry of a young chief of battalion, whom he made a colonel on the spot, and who continued ever Napoleon, after the companion of his glory. His name was LANNES, afterwards Duke of Montebello, and one of Napoleon, the most heroic marshals of the empire. * viii. 85. iii. 145. Ibid. heights of Monte Zemolo. After the battle of Dego, La Harpe's division was placed to keep the shattered remains of Beaulieu's forces in check, while the weight of the army was moved against the Sardinian troops. Augereau drove Arrival of the Piedmontese from the heights of Monte Zemolo, the Republicans on the and soon after the main body of the army arrived upon the same ridge. From thence the eye could discover the immense and fertile plains of Piedmont. The Po, the Tanaro, the Stura, and a multitude of smaller streams, were descried in the distance, while a glittering girdle of snow and ice, of a prodigious elevation, surrounded from afar the promised land. It was a sublime spectacle when the troops arrived on this elevated point, and the soldiers, exhausted with fatigue, and overwhelmed with the grandeur of the sight, paused and gazed on the plains beneath. These gigantic barriers, apparently the limits of the world, which nature had rendered so formidable, and on which art had lavished its treasures, had fallen as if by enchantment. Hannibal," said Napoleon, fixing his eyes on the mountains, "has forced the ii. 374. D'Abrantes, vi. 326. "The talent of Lannes," said Napoleon, "was equal to his bravery. Las Casas, He was at once the Roland of the army, and a giant in capacity.' He had great experience in war, had been in fifty-four pitched battles, and three hundred combats. He was cool in the midst of fire, and possessed a clear, penetrating eye, ready to take advantage of any opportunity which might present itself. Violent and hasty in his temper, sometimes even in my presence, he was yet ardently attached to me. As a general, he was greatly superior to either Moreau or Soult.”—O'MEARA, i. 239. |