The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-06-09
NINTH OF JUNE.

This is the anniversary OF tue Dattie " "'on
tebello. fought in the year 1900. between
French division under General Lannes, and
an Austrian division under General OF. The
scene of the conflict was the beautiful plains OF
Piedmont; upon the left bank of a small river
tributary to the Scivia, and about ten miles
Southeast of Marengo. The division OF Lam
mes formed, at the time, the advanced guard of
,be army which the First Consul had brought
across the Great ST. Bernard to the conquest
Of Italy.
By the operations which distinguished the
first days of June, the First Consul had made
himself master of nearly the whole Of Lombar-
DIV. The castle OF its capital, Milan, was still
held by an Austrian garrison of 5000 men, but
taking possession of the city, he contented
himself with blockading this small force. his
great object was to cross the Pc, to seize Fla
centia, through which runs the main road from
Alexandra, the headquarters OF melas' me
Austrian generalissimo, to the Iyroi-ano
thus TO cut of his retreat. Murat arrived OPP
posite to Placenta on the 9Th, and created the
utmost terror among the Austrian administra-
ZION. who were there defended by only few
hundred men. On the 7th, General Oreliiy'
with body of Austrian cavalry, reacheo RIA
centia. from Alexandra, where he had been
sent by General Melas, to protect the city
Murat, crossing some distance below, attacked
Placentia, which was feebly defended py
OrelIv. who had not been yet Joined by Gen-
erals OF and Gottsheim, who had been order
ed to join him by the more circutous route OF
Tortona, In falling back, he had to encoun-
ter the troops of Lannes who had crossed at
Belgioioso, in his rear, but he succeeded in es'
Gaping, and in saving park Of artillery, which
had been sent from Alexandria to join him.
General Gottsheim, in the meantime, arriving
at Placentia, found it in the hands OF the
French, was attacked by them, beaten, and
retreated through Tortona, in direction near
ly at right angles with the line of Oreilly's re-
treat. Another Austrian corps, coming up
afterwards, was nearly annihilated. General
OFT, who was to come through Tortona, and
about half way between that city and Torto-
ma to fall into the road pursued by General
Orelly, was near falling in with the troops of
Lannes, near Belgiojoso. On the following
day, General Duhesme took Cremona, and
two thousand prisoners, SO that the French
were now masters of the Austrian line of re-
treat. Still the First Consul was not satisfied.
The French were masters of the country be-
yond the Tessino, and around Milan, on the
Northern shore of the Pc, and this very fact
had induced him TO think that the Austrlans
would endeavor to escape from Alessandrla
by the road that runs along the Southern
branch of the Pc. The occupation ofPlacen'
TIA, barred them in that direction but he was
fearful that this circumstance might induce Me-
las to cross the Pc by the route of Turin, and
escape in that direction. The extreme proba'
bility, moreover of his taking the road to Genos
passing from that city by the Bochetta to the
valley of the Trebia, and thus succeeding in
gaining the Austrian States, also occurred tc
him. He wished to guard against these two
last contingencies as effectually as he had al
ready guarded against the first. For the pur
pose of accomplishing all of those objects al
one and the same time, he took a resolution
which has been regarded as the result Of one
of the most profound combinations known to
the art of war.
The chain of the Apennines passes around
the Gulf of Genoa, in O semicircular form
throwing off spurs, which reach nearly to the
valley Of the Pc, and extend from the position
known as the Stradella, nearly to Placentia
The Stradella, as its name imports, is mar
row road or pass The mountains lie on ont
side, the Pc and an impossible marsh on the
other. The road which gives name to the po
sition passes between the heights and the
marsh, and is lined, for many miles, with
houses and hamlets built Of stone, and offering
strong points of defence for an army which
should occupy it. This point the First Con.
sui determined to occupy with $4,000 men,
Ifthe reader will look at the map. he will see
that it made him perfectly master of the Aus
trian movements. Entirely master of Belgio-
jose, Placentia, Cremona, if they should cross
that river at or above Alessandria, he could
transport his troops by the bridges of these
cities, Immediately on their flank and rear
He could, also, at any moment, fall down upon
Genoa, should Melas retreat in that direction,
and occupy the Bochetta,or fall down the Pc,
and oppose an irresistible force to him, should
he attempt to reach the valley Of the Trebia.
In front, should he attempt to reach Placentia,
by the great road, he was met by thirty thou
sand men, their left on the hills, their centre on
the road, their right on the marsh. 1t would
have been impossible to force such position.
So we'll aware was the First Consul of the
importance Of the Stradella, as position, that
he wrote to Lannes, Murat and Berhier from
Milan, to concentrate on it, telling them that
on the 9th or 9th, they would have at least
$4,000 men on their hands. 1t happened as
he had foreseen.
The division of General OFT, $4,000 strong.
. advancing from Genoa to Tortona, reached the
StradeiIa early in the morning of the nin,b