The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-02-26

The victory of Napoleon upon the bridge OF LODI
may be considered among the most remafkaoie
achievements that distinguished his military ca,
reer. He was at that period in his 27th year, and
had bu, recently received his commission as com
mander-in-chief ofthe army of Italy. Within the
brief space of thirty days from the opening o THIS,
his first campaign, he had defeated the Auslrlans
at Montenotte, Mllesimo and MondoVl,, and com.
PEELED them to evacuate Piedmont, and retire to
the opposite bank of the AIDA. The AGda is
rapid and deep river and is crossed at the town oi
Lodi by wooden bridge called the Bridge OF
Lodi" On the left bank of this river the Aus
trans, under the command Of Beaulieu, veteran
of TO- halted and posted Themselves in all their
strength to arrest the progress of the victorious
Napoleon. They planted thirty pieces Of artillery
upon the bridge, and stationed $4,000 infantry and
1000 cavalry upon the ground to act in effective
corporation. With such formidable means OF
defence, nothing but instant death appeared to
await any demonstration on the part Of the French
to force the passage Of the bridge. Napoleon
reached Lodi in the afternoon Of the loih OF May
1876, attended by his best generals and choicest
troops, and without hesitation Immediately re-
solved 10 assail The Austrian position. few mo-
ments antecedeBt he delivered the following Ia
comic address to his soldiers: Frenchmen here
il starvation, there is the enemy-beyond him
plenty. Marchn' His cavalry were ordered 10
cross at a place where the AIDA was said 10 be
fordable, aud fall upon the Austrian flank mean-
while Bonaparie, at the head of 5000 chosen gre
nadiers under the shelter Of the walls Of the town.
waited, until the appearance of the cavalry, who
had crossed the ford, had disqueted the Aus
trian aank at this critical moment a word of
command from Bonaparte brought the grenadlers
upon the bridge they rushed forward with loud
shouts of Tire Ia RepuJhque, but their appearance
was the signal for the opening of the Austrian ar
tillery upon their ranks. The vollies which issued
from these field pieces were most terrific. At one
time, the French grenadlers, unable to resist the
dreadful Storm appeared for an instant 10 hesitate,
but Lannes, Bonaparte and Berthier hurried 20 the
head of the column and by their presence CALAMITY
renewed the resolution Of the soldiers, and carried
the bridge. The artillerymsn were quickly bay.
onetted and the Austrian army put 10 flight, losing
in their retreat upward of twenty guns, and a
thousand prisoners, and perhaps two thousand
more in wounded and slain. Ii has been said that
no praise was more grateful to the of Napoleon
than that which characterized him as she of
Lodi's BRIDGE
This celebrated bridge crosses the AIDA at the
town of Lodi; it is five hundred feet in length,
and built entirely of oak and is supported by forty
two sets of tressels The railing which flanks its
sides is rather low, being only two rails high. The
bridge has no curve or arch, and is level enough
for the passage of a railroad With the exception
of the middle portion Of it, which was destroyed
in the Italian revol luiion of 1913, the bridge re.
mains in its original condition, entire 1t is let by
contract 10 Signor Giuseppe Pogliana, who pays
sixteen hundred dollars per annum for 1t, and he
collects from every pedestrian one cent, and from
every carriage or other vehicle sixteen cents, toll
The bridge of Lodi is well regulated and gra.
yelled, and forms a very pleasant promenade. On
holydays il constitutes the fayorite resort of the
people. The country along the banks of the river
is very beautiful, and the air is al ways moved by
fresh winds. The AIDA is very swift river, aud
runs wi h strong current; affer rain storm il
swells and becomes quite deep; on snch occasions
it's depth would average twenty feet. large
stone statue Of Saint Giovanni Nepomiceno u
stands upon the Lodi side of the bride. This san
was, and is still, the protector of the river AIDA
On the day of the battle the cannonade was SO fu
rious that the saint could not protect even his own
statue from destruction. 1t was knocked down
had It's head knocked off, one arm badly fractured
both legs broken besides sustaining several severe
Commissions on the face. When the conflict was
over some pous persons collected the limbs, united
them 10 the body and restored the statue its old
place.
Ausirians were engaged, resides the toll'gatherer
Sig. Poglian Here stand five or 81 small low
stone houses aud old stone tower in the middle
with a tall lightning rod rising above its top
These old buildings still bear the marks OF the ter
rible scenes through which they passed. Ever
the sacred efligy of The Virgin Mary did not escap
the fire it was pierced in two places by muske
balls.
In passing over the bridge counted the numbe
of steps, and found them to be from embankmen
to embankmen( two hundred and sixty; as dix
so, pictured TO myself, how fearful these step
must have been, when taken in the very fAce o
the laundering discharges of the Austrian artillery
But the genius OF Blnaparie trlumph5d over ever!
opposition, and bore his advancing legions in tri
umph through the storm.
Ii appears to have been the settled conviction @
this great commander, that bold and decisive move
ments in military operations were conducive, j
the end, to the economy Of life in an army. w
have practical exempliicaion of this theory, nc
only at Lodi, but likewise in every important en-
gagement that distinguished his exraordnar
career. The remarkable words uttered by him i
riding along the ranks of his army on the eve
the battle of Jenna, can never he forgp ptten
eng Children" said he, "you must not fear death
,ohen soldiers Jraue death, they driue him into II
ranks Of the enemy"