The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-20
copyright, 1896. by John Clark Ridpath.l

NAPOLEON AT THE BATTLE OF ARcoLE
passion. Only a short time before depart
ing on the first Italian campaign he wrote
letter 20 Bourrienne, then an emigrant
at Sens. saying, Seek out for me small
piece of land in your beautiful valley Of
the Yonne. will purchase it as soon as
] can get together the money. / wish to
retire there; but reoolleot that will have
nothing to do with national property"
Quito insincere and fitfull Indeed Gen
eral, "a small piece Of land" is the last
thing in this world that you wish for;
and as to your retiring" there, your re-
tiremept Is fixed for another place-that
far-off island to which you referred in the
last clause Of your school exercise at Au-
tun. Your essay was headed Possessions
dos Anglais;" and you finished thus
"Sainte Helene, petite isle" You will
find IL sol
The military glory OF Napoleon properly
begins with his first campaign into Italy.
The States OF that peninsula were about
10 DO made the playthings of great ambi-
tions. Whether the influence Of Austria
and the coalition should continue predom-
inant from Piedmont TO Venice was the
question. The existing order in the Ital
ian States and cities favored the Austrian
power; but the popular party was In sym
pathy with Republican France. Bona
parties mission into Italy was ostensibly
for preoccupation and deferse' but it
meant, out Of the nature of s, sharp
war and speedy conquest.
Hardly had the campaign In Piedmont
begun before the Directory in Paris would
send out the veteran Kellerman to DO Sec
ond In command. This might he COM
pliment to general-i chief not yet twen-
ty-seven; but not SO to Bonaparte. He at
once replied saying that it was Indifferent
to him Ga thing most untrue) whether he
should serve in Italy or somewhere else.
All he wished-so ran his plaint-was a
briof page In history awarded for service
to his country. General Kellerman had
more experience than he, and knew better
how to make war; "but both together wo
shall make it badly. I will not willingly
servo with man who considers himself
the first general In Europe" How strong
ly is here revealed tho unconquerable will
and self-sufliciency and purpose Of Bona
parte TO bo all or nothingl
Let us scan the field. The coalition
against France now embraced Austria,
Bavaria, Piedmont, Naples, and England.
The smaller States of Germany and Italy
were also in the league. For the 'protec-
tion" of Piedmont and indeed of all Italy,
an army Of about sixty thousand men,
thoroughly equipped and supplied, and
commanded by General Beauleu, one of
the ablest and most experienced in Europe,
had been sent into Lombardy. Against
this power Napoleon's Army Of Italy was
set, consisting of only thirty-five thousand
new men, miserably destitute, and having
enthusiasm for It's principal resource.
With this he must competo for the mastery
of states and Kingdoms
But tho Army of Italy had for a COM
mander military genius Of SO audacious
character as to rank IT. possessor with
the two other prime warriors of human
history. He had daring military inven-
ton, tho power Of combination, the dis
covery Of new expedients, sudden adapta-
tion TO Unforeseen contingencies courage,
ambition, foresight, subtlety, and indeed
every quality fit to make him what he was
now about to become-the greatest COM
mander Of modern times.
AT Montenotte, twenty-six miles west
of Genoa. Napoleon fought his first field
battle. He attacked the Austrian division
of DArgenteau, and won victory. Mark
you, he fought with diviSion of the en-
emyl This was on the 18th Of April,
only twenty-five days after his departure
from Paris. On the l4th be struck tho
Austrians and Sardinians at Millesimo,
ten miles further on, and won another VIC
tory. On tho next day be came on the
enemy at Diego, and added n third. On
tho 2lst, he reached Mondovi, forty eight
miles from Turin, and on the following
day attacked and defeated the division OF
General Coli. In every engagement his
blow was like that Of n thundorbolt The
disciplined armies of his opponents broke
before him
An incident Of these first wild days Of
battle and victory well illustrates the pre-
vailing temper Of the conquoror His
first passage with COLL was with pen
rather than sword. just after the conflict