Milford chronicle., 1895-06-21
BATTLE OF RIyOLI.
NAPOLEON SAID THAT HIS LIFE REAL
LY BEGAN THERE.

Point Of the War and shaped the His
tory Of Europe For twenty Years-The
Austrians Five Minutes Late.
Professor sIoane's Life Of Napoleon -
in The Century describes the mastery
Italian campaign, in which Napoleon s
military genius first won worldwide
recognition Professor Sloane thus de-
scribes the battle of Rivoh:
AT early dawn began the conflict
which was to settle the fate Of Mantua.
The first fierce contest was between the
Austrian left and the French right at
st. Mark, but it quickly spread along
the whole line as far as Caprino For
some time the Austrians had the advan-
tage, and the result was in suspense,
since the French left, at Caprino, yield
ed for an instant before the onslaught Of
the main Austrian army made in ac-
cordance with AlYinczys first plan,
and, as he supposed, ppon an inferior
force by one vastly superior in numbers.
Berthier, who by his calm courage was
fast rising high in his commanders
favor, came to the rescue, and Afassena,
following with a Judgment which has
/ inseparably linked his namo with that
famous spot, finally restored order to
the French ranks. Every successive
/ charge of the Austrians was repulsed
with a violence which threw their right
and center back toward Monte Baldo in
ever growing confusion.
The battle waged for nearly three
hours before Alyinczy understood that
it was not Joubert' S division, but Bona-
parties army, which was above him. In
his zeal lac then pressed forward on the
plateau beneath the height to bring |
more Of his troops into action, and Iou-
bert somewhat rashly advanced TO check |
the movement, leaving the road to St |
Mark unprotected The Austrians, /
prompt to take advantage of his blunder,
charged up the hill, and seized the COM
manding position, but simultaneously
there rushed from the opposite side three /
French battalions, clambering up to re-
trieve the mistake. Their physical
strength and nervous activity brought
them first to the top, and again the
stoIming columns were thrown back in
disorder
At that instant appeared in Bona
parties rear an Austrian corps estimated
by him as 1000 strong, which, having
come down the valley on the left bank,
had now crossed the river to take the
French right at Riyoli i'll its rear Had
they arrived but minute sooner the
hill of Rivoli would have been lost to
the French. As it was, instead of max
ing an attack, they had to await one.
Bonaparte directed a CALLING artillery
ire againt them, and thus gained time
10Th to reform his ranks and hold the
newcomers in check until his own re-
erve, coming in from the next hamlet
Westward cut them entirely off from
he retreating columns Of Alvinczy, and d.
them to lay down their arms
Thus ended the worst defeat and most
omplete rOut which the Austrian arms
ad so far sustained, Such was the ut
er Generalization of the flying and dis
ltegrated columns that young French y
hicer named Rene who was in com y
land of 90 men at a hamlet ON Lake Il
Iarda, successfully initiated Bonaparte's :,
use at Tomato, and displayed such an y
nposing confidence to a flying troop of
800 Austrians that they surrendered 90
} what they believed to baa force su- W
arior to their own. Next morning at ~
AVN Murat, who had marched all night Ds
gain the point, appeared ON the slopes
Monte Baldo above the pass of COro-
/, and united with Massena and Jou- IN
'rt to drive the Austrians from their
st foothold The pursuit was contin- pa
nc for
isoners were captured in those two
US. gr
This short campaign of Rivoli was Gel
e turning point of the war, and may
said to have shaped the history of
rope for 20 years Chroniclers dwell fol
on those few moments at the hill the
owe the plateau Of Rivoli, and wonder loo
lat the result would have been if the
It Austrian corps had arrived five
nutes sooner. But an accurate and cal
passionate criticism must decide that mu
Try step in Bonaparte's success was lov
n by careful forethought and the
st effective disposition of the forces
his command So sure was he of sue bar
S that even in the crises when Mas Z
a seemed to save the day ON the left you
when the Austrians seemed destined
wTest victory from defeat ut the last you
ment ON the right, hewas self relan,
cheerful The new system of field
rations had triumphant vindication "
he hands Of its author has
he conquering general melted out I'M said
ted praise to his invincible squad the
j and their leaders, but said nothing stuc
himself, leaving the world to Judge int
,ther this was man or demon who, will
a youth, and within a public career by
but one season, had Inundated the said
ldest empire ON the continent, had by
iued Italy and ON her soil had Great said
states unknown before without the was
ent Of any great power not except worl
his own. 1t is not wonderful that char
parsonage should sometimes have shou
Of himself, "Say that my life be- was
at Rivoli, as at other times he run
d his military career from Toulon. IN,
a woman tramp an rugnsnu.