The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-06-21
AT RIVOLI
Napoleon Said That His Lie
Really Began There.
The Short Campaign Wss the Turning
Point of the War, and Shaped the His
tory Of Europe for Twenty Years
-Rout Of the Austrtans.

-AooG 81 SnD A00IrboA8s
Prof. Sloane's Life of Napoleon in the
Century describes the mastery italian
campaign. IN which Napoleon's mill
tary genius frst won worldwide recog-
milton. Prof. Sloane thus describes the
battle of Rivoli:
At early dawn began the conflict
which was to settle the fate of Mautua.
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 ad.
vantage, and the result was in suspense,
since the French left, at Caprino,
yielded for an instant before the on.
slaught of the main Austrian army
made in accordance with Alvipczy's
first plan, and, as ne supposed. upon an
inferior force By one vastly superior in
numbers. Berthier, who by his calm
courage was fast rising high in his
comma nder's favor, came to the rescue,
and Massena, following with a judg-
ment which has inseparably linked his
name with that famous spot, finally re-
stored order to the French ranks.
Every successive charge Of the Aus
TRANS was repulsed with q violence
which threw their right and ceuter
back toward Monte Baldo in ever-grow.
ing confusion.
The battle waged for nearly three
hours before Alvinczy understood that
1t was not Joubert's division, but Bona.
parties 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 Jou.
bert somewhat rashly advanced to
check the movement, leaving the road
to st. Mark unprotected. The Aus.
TRANS, prompt to take advantage Of
his blunder, charged up the hill, and
seized the commanding position; but
there rushed from the
opposite sides three French battalions,
Clam bering up to retrieve the mistake.
Their physical strength and nervous
activity brought them first to the top.
and again the storming columns were
thrown back in disorder.
At that instant appeared In Bona.
parties rear an Austrian corps estimated
by him as four Thousand strong, which.
having come down the valley on the
left bank, had now crossed the river to
take the French right at Rivoli in its
rear. Had they arrived but a minute
sooner, the hill of Rivoli would have
been lost to the French. As it was. in
stead of making an attack, they had ia !
await one. Bonaparte directed gall. |
ing artillery fire against them, and
thus gained time both to reform his
ranks and to hold the newcomers in /
check until his own reserve, coming in /
from the next hamlet westward. cut 1
hem entirely off from the retreating |
columns of Alvinczy, and compelled 4
hem to lay down their arms
Thus ended the worst defeat and
most complete rout which the Austrian
arms had so far sustained. Such was
he utter decentralization of the flying
columns that young
french officer named Rene, who was in
Command of fifty men at 4 hamlet on
lake Garda, successfully initiated Bon
parte ) ruse at Tomato, and DISPLAYED
uch an imposing confidence to flying
roop of fifteen hundred Austrians that
hey surrendered to what they believed
o be force superior TO their own.
'ext morning at dawn, Murat, who
ad marched all night TO gain the
oint, appeared on the slopes of Monte
'aldO above the pass of Corona. and
nited with Massena and Joubert to
rive the Austriars from their last foot.
old. The pursuit was continued as
lr as Trent. Thirteen thousand pris.
ners were captured in those two days.
This short campaign of Rivoli was
ne turning point of the war, and may
e said to have shaped the history OF
urope for twenty years. Chroniclers
well upon those few moments at the
i'll above the plateau of RivoE, and
'onder what the result would have
cen If the las. Austrian corps had ar
we'd FIVE minutes sooner. But an &C.
1rate and dispassionate criticism {
iust decide that every step in Bona
arte's success was won by careful fore
lought, and the most effective dispo
ton OF the forces at his command. Sd ,
ire was he of success that even in the g
Uses when Massena seemed to save
lie day on the left, and when the Aus )
ians seemed destined to wrest victory =
ON defeat at the last moment on the \
ght, he was self-reliant and cheerful. n
ne new system Of field operations had ?
vindication at the hands !
its author.
The conquering general meted out
,stinted praise to his invincible squad
MS and their leaders. but said moth r
g Of himself, leaving the world &C
dye whether this was man or demon, !,
no, still a youth, and within a pub y
career of but one season, had humili- s;
ed tho proudest empire on the cont Il
mt, had subdued Italy, and on her u
Il had erected states unknown be- -
re, without the consent of any great q
Tver, not excepting his own. II i, n
: wonderful that this parsonage y
ould sometimes have said of himself: =
az that my life began at Rivoli. az n
other times he dated his military VI
-eer from Toulon-
-