The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-02-18

PLACED HIMSELF AT THEII. HEAD.
carried the column over the 200 yards of
clear space, scarcely shot from the Aus
TRANS taking eject except at the point
where the platoons wheeled to take the
first leap
The suddenness of the blow and the
miracle of the passage of the bridge at all
by the French lock the heart out of the
Austrian artillerists, and they abandoned
their guns almost instantly.
AS Napoleon had calculated, the Aus.
srlan infantry lying behind the batteries
was too far away to go to their aid, and so,
without halting at the enemy's front line,
his charging grenadiers rushed up the hill
TO attack the second. This, too, gave way,
and within a few minutes after the irst
ranks OF the French landed on the Aus
trlan bank OF the river the entire army of
the allies was running to the rear.
individuals turned now and then and
fought on their own hook to prevent cap
ture, and in this way some of the bravest
OF Napoleon's followers won honors at
Lodi. When the general asked for the
names OF the heroes of the day to gazette
for bravery, the roll of the entire first bat
TALON OF carbineers who headed the at
tack were handed in. Perhaps two-thirds
OF them were dead, for they had received
the full force of the shower of grape hurled
at the daring column the moment the
Austrian artillerymen saw what was com.
ing. Sergeant Leon of that battalion, was
the first across the bridge and he had led
the attack on the batteries, One of the
grenadiers named Laforge had killed five
Austrlans at the guns.
Alter Napoleon became famous, tradi-
lion said that he was the first general
across the bridge, and while he lay in
prison at st. Helena the statement an
peared in history. On hearing it read he
stopped the narrator abruptly and declared
that it must be corrected. ''Lannes passed
hrst," said he. II only followed him."
AT the close Of the battle Napoleon placed
the credit for the success where, next to
LIS own shoulders, it belonged. His report
said that when the grenadiers presented
themselves on the bridge 1.-THE fire of the
enemy was terrible; the head of the column
seemed to hesitate; a moments hesitation
and all would have been lost. The gen.
erals, sensible of this, threw themselves in
'front.' and decided the struggle while it was
yet balanced This formidable column
overthrew everything opposed to it.; the
enemy.s artillery was instantly taken. In
ohe tWlnkling of an eye his army was com.
pletely dispersed" - -
In another account Napoleon said that
the charge was made with the rapiditv OF
ilghtning;" that the column traversed tht
bridge at running pace in few seconds
slna was not exposed to fire Of the enemy
except at the moment when it wheeled K
the left to the bridge"
ood The French loss given by Napoleon was
suV, Wh1ch doubtless represented the killed
to the French, it cost the Austrians dear
I noa killed and wounded amounted tic
l,2OO, their prisoners 1000. 10 this the
Austrians add a loss of 235 horses, ID cannon
and 30 wagons, the French claiming 6O(
horses and 90 cannon.
The result Of the battle was the captur r.
OF Milan by. the French and. the control Of
gu Lolnbardy.. Napoleon had failed to de
feat the junction Of the Austrian armies
but as he beat them in battle afterWard
Lodi became known as the turning nnint
IN his brilliant Italian campaign. ~
GEORGE L. kILMER.