The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1895-07-05

'H' Sloane thus de-
scribeH the bat
tie Of Rivoll Al early dawn began the
conflict which was to settle the fate OF
Mantua The hrst fierce contest was
between the Austrian left and the
French right at 81. Mark: but II quick
ly spread along the whole line M far M
Capr!no. For some time the Austrians
had the advantage. and the result was
In suspense. since the French left. at
Caprino. yielded for an instant before
the onslaught Of the main Austrian
army made In accordance with Alvin
czy'a nrat plan. and. ~ he supposed.
upon an inferior force by one vastly
superior In numbers. Bcrthler. who by
HIS calm courage was fast rising high
In his commanders favor. came TO the
rescue. and Massona, following with
judgment which as lnseparably linked
his name with that famous spot. finally
restored order 10 the French ranks.
Every successive charge OF the Aus
triags was repulsc1 with q violence
which threw their right and center
back toward Monte Baldo In eycr-grow-
INK confusion.
The battle wagcd for nearly three
hours before Alvlnczy understood that
II was not Joubcrts division. but Bo-
nnpart'a army. which was above him.
In his zeal he then pressed forward on
the plateau beneath the height TO
bring more OF his troops into action.
and Jouhort somewhat rashly advanced
to check the movement. leaving the
road TO 81. mark unprotected. The
Austrlaus, prompt % take advantage
Of this blunder. charged 10 the hill,
and solzed the commanding petition;
but simultaneously there rushed fFom
the opposite side three French battal.
Hons. elambcrlng up to retrieve the
I-ags,ss rhswr ssyglspl .p2g.h ana
ner,Scas acylylsy hfdught them nrst 10
the top. aud again the stormlng coll
umns were thrown back In disorder
AZ that instant appeared In Bonaparte's
rear an Austrian corps estimated by
him as 1000 strong. which. having
come down the valley ~ TIC leIl bank.
had now crossed TIC river 70 take the
French right al Rlvoli In ~ rear. Had
they arrived but a minute sooner. the
hill Of Rlvoll would have been lost to
the French. A. II was. instead Of max
Ing an attack. they hid to await one.
Bonaparte directed calling artillery
Gre against them. ana thus gained time
both TO reform his ranks and TO hold
the newcomers In check until his own
reserve. coming In from the next ham.
let westward. cut them entirely on
from the retroating columns OF Alvin
cay and compelled them 10 lay down
their arms. Thus ended the worst de-
feat and most complete rout which the
Austrian army had 80 far sustained.
Such was the utter Generalization OF
the flying and dlalntcgrated columns
that a young French oflcor named
Rene. who was In command OF atty men
at a hamlet on Lake Garda, success
fully initiated Bonaparte's ruse ut To-
nato. and displayed such an imposing
confidence to a dying troop OF fifteen
hundred Austrlans that they surron-
der0d TO what they believed to be a
force superior TO their own. Next morn
Ing nt dawn. Murat, who had marched
an night to gain the point, appeared
on the slopes Of Monte Baldo above the
pass OF Corona. and united with Mas
scna and Joubcrt to drive the Austrians
nom their last foothold, The pursuit
was continued as FAR as Trent Thlr-
teen thousand prisoners were captured
In those two days. This short cam
paign OF Rlyoll was the turning point
OF the war and may be asid TO have
shaped the history OF Europe Tor twenty
years. Chronlclers dwell upon those
few moments at the hill above the
plateau OF Riyoli, and wonder WHIT IN,
result would have beon II the last Aus
trlan corps had arrived ave minute,
sooner Hut an accurate and dlspas
slonate criticism must decide that every
step In Ronapartcs success was won by
careful fore,hoIght. and the most ef
fcctiyo disposition OF the forces at hli
command SO sure was he OF success
that even In the crises when Massenl
seemed TO save the day ON the left. an,
when the Austrians seemed destined I,
wreat victory from defeat at the Las
moment on the right, he was self-rc
liant and cheerful The new system o
field operations had a triumphant win
dlcation at the hands of Its author
The conquering general metod out un
stlnted praise TO his lnvinclble squad
rons and their leaders, but said nothinl
OF himself, leaving the world 10 judg
whether this was man or demon who
though still youth. and within pub
nc career OF but one season. had humil
lated the proudest empire on the cont
nent. had subdued Italy, and on he
soil had erected states unknown before
without the consent OF any great powc
not excepting his own. II Is not won
dorful that this parsonage shoul
sometimes have said to himself, "Sa
that my life began at Rlyoli." as a
other times he dated his military en-
reer from Toulon.