Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-02-11
VOL. II.
@tsrEIIa M.
The SIEGE Of Genoa.
From Rev. 1T. HEADLEY's sketch of Mar
shall Massena.)

bIeSt rank OF tIlcS duu w DE- iSit dl VI pAdu
at q tender age. At seventeen, he enlist
cd in the army, and after fourteen years
hard service, rose to the rank of sereant
Despairing Of further promotion, he left the
service, married, and turned shop-keeper.
At the breaking out OF the revolution be
again joined the army. His bravery and
merit won him promotion, and he soon rose
to be General of division, and afterwards
Field Marshal and Duke o Rivoi. He was
in many of the most desperate battles OF
that eventful period, always leading in pei
son with the utmost reckiessness of his own
safety. The siege Of Genoa was one of the
most noted incidents of his military career,
and is vivid picture of the horrors of war;
After Bonaparte's returns from Egypt,
he appointed Massena over the army of
Italy, Moreau at the head of 10000 men
was to advance on Swabia, while Napo.
leon himself, at the head of 10000, was
to march over the A ps.
The 10000 soldiers given 10 Massena
had dwindled down to about $1,000 fight
ing men, which were required to defend
both Genoa and Nice, though 100 miles
apart. Melas, with 10000 soldiers in
good condition, was the enemy he had to
oppose. Leaving $4,000 10 Piedmont to
watch the passes Of the Alps, Melas bore
down with 10000 on the gorges of the
Apprentices, for the purpose of thing the
French in two, and shutting one half up
in Nice, and the other half in Genoa =
This he succeeded in doing; and although
Suchet and Soult fought with uneyampled
bravery, the French line was divided, and
Suchet and MaSsena divided from each
other. The latter was now compelled to
fall back on Genoa, with only $4,000 men
On the evening of the 9th of April, the
Austrian flag was flying on the heights
that overlooked the CITY hle at the
same time a British squadron was seen
slowly moving up the gulf to shut it in
seward. Without The speedy appearance
of u French army over the A bps, tire army
Of Massenn was evidently doomed one
He knew that he could hold the place
against all the force that could be brought
against it; but the convoys Of provisions
which had been kept back by adverse
winds, were now effectuallv shut out hy
the English blOckadlng squadron; whit
the Austrian army sweeping sn an entire
line round the walls of the city, cut off all
supplies from the country, so that famine
would soon waste his army. But il was
in the midst of difficulties like this, that
Massena's spirit rose in It's strength. He
seemed to multiply with exigencies, and
there commenced with the siege of Genoa
one Of the most heroic struggles witnessed
during the war.
Genoa is defended, by sea and land, both
by nature and art, as have never seer
any other seaport. The Lguira Gnl
strikes its head deep into the Apprentices
so that the ground slopes from the very
verge of the water up to the mountains.
Two moles running from the opposite
shores, almost cross each other, cutting of
the extreme point of the gulf tor the por
of the city. Perpendicular walls rise from
the water, forming the basis OF the house
that line the shore. Around these, can
non are planted, while forts are on ever,
commanding point above the city. AIDE
to this, double wall surrounds the town
.one six miles in circumference, the otho
thirteen. The outer walls, correspondent
to the shape of the hill, ascend it somewha
in the form OF a triangle. Two forts, tn
Spur and Diamond, stood at the top of thi
triangle, protecting the fortified walls o
either side by their commanding fire.
There were three other forts on the cas-
side of the city, protecting commandin
eminences that rose from the river B
sagno. On the west, or towards Nice
there we're no forts, and the Follower
comes pouring its waters into the gulf witt
Out affordIng any strong positions.
Thus defended, Massena saw the in
mense Austrian army slowly contractin
its lines around the city, like huge ana
conda tightening its folds about its victim
Massena Immediately resolved to atteml
two desperate projects-one, to sally OF
out on the east with his handful of mel
and drive the Austrians over the App,
nlneS-the other, to sally out on the ives
ana endeaVor to cut the Austrian army
two, and restore his junction with Suche
Following out his daring plans, he on tn
9TH OF April took Gen. Miolli's division
strengthened by some of the reserve. an
dividing It into two columns, marched for
at their head to storm the heights of Mon
Ratti. The Austrians were driven fro
every position by the desperate charges
the French columns, and forced over II
Apprentices; and Massena returned at ey
ming, marching before him fifteen hundr
prisoners, and among others the Bar
D'Asprcs, who had inci'ed the peasants
a revolt. The inhabitants were era