Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-05-31
THE BATTLE OF RINOLI.
Napoleon Said That His Life
Really Began There.
The short Campaign Was the Turning
Point Of the War and shaped the His
tory of Europe for Twenty Years
-Rout of the Austrians.

Prof. Sloane's Life of Napoleon in the
Century describes the mastery Italian
campaign, in which Napoleons milf
tary genius first won worldwide rccog-
milton. Prof sloane thus describes the
battle Of Rivoli:
At early dawn began the conflict
which was 20 settle the fate Of Mantua.
The first fierce contest was between
the Austrian left and the French right
at st. Mark; hut il quickly spread along
the whole line as far as Caprino For
some time the AustrianS had the adj
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 accordapce with Alvinczy's
first plan. and, "a hc supposed, upon an
inferior force 10y one vastly superior in
numbers. Berthier, who 10y his calm
courage was fast rising high in his
commanders favor. came 20 the rescue,
and Massena, following with a iudg-
ment which has inseparahly linked his
name with that famous spot, finally re-
stored order 90 the French ranks
Every successive charge of the Aus
TRANS was rcpused with a violence
which threw their right and center
back toward Monte Baldo in ever-grow-
ing confusion.
The battle waged for nearly three
hours before Alvinczy understood that
it was not Jouberts division. but Bona
parties army, which was above him In
his zeal he then pressed forward on
the plateau beneath the height 20 bring
more of his troops into action, and Jou-
bert somewhat ras.y advanced to
check the movement leaving the road
20 st. Mark unprotected The Aus
TRANS, prompt 20 take advantage of
his blunder, charged up the hill. and
seized the commanding position; but
simultaneously there rushed from the
/ opposite sides three French battalions
clam bering up 70 retrieve the mistake
Their physical strength and nervous
activity brought them first TO the top,
and again the storIning columns were
thrown back in disorder
Al 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 10
take the French right at Rivoi in its
rear Had they arrived but d minute
sooner. the hill of Rivoi would have
been lost TO the French. As il was in
stead Of making an attack they had 10
await one. Bonaparte directed gall
ing artillery fire against them, and
thus gained time both 20 reform his
ranks and TO hold the newcomers in
check until his own reserve. coming in
from the next hamlet westward. cut
them entirely off from the retreating
columns of Alvinczy, and compelled
them 70 lay down their arms
Thus ended the worst defeat and
most complete rout which the Austrian
arms had so far sustained Such was
the utter decentralization Of the flying
disintegratcd columns that a young
French officer named Rene, who was in
command of fifty men at a hamlet on
Lake Garda, successfully initiated Bon
aparte's ruse at Tomato, and displayed
such an imposing confidence 10 a flying
troop of fifteen hundred Austrians that
they surrendered to what they believed
20 be a force superior 20 their own.
Next morning at dawn, Murat, who
had marched all night 10 gain the
point appeared on the slopes of Monte
Baldo above the pass of Corona, and
united with Massena and Joubert 20
drive the Austrians from their last foot
hold. The pursuit was continued as
far as Trent. Thirteen thousand pris-
ouers were captured in those two days
This short campaign of Rivoh was
the turning point Of the war, and may
be said 90 have shaped the history of
Europe for twenty years. Chroniclers
dwell upon those few moments at the
hill above the plateau of Rivoli, and
wonder what the result would have
been if the last Austrian corps had ar
rived five minutes sooner. But an ac-
curate and dispassionate criticism
must decide that every step in Bona
parties success was won by careful fore
thought, and the most effective dispo-
sition of the forces at his command. So
sure was he Of success that even in the
crises when MaSsena seemed 20 save
the day on the left, and when the Aus
trians seemed destined TO wrest victory
from defeat at the last moment on the
right. he was self-reliant and cheerful.
The new system Of field operations had
a triumphant vindication at the hands
of its author
The conquering general meted out
unstinted praise 70 his invincible squad
rons and their leaders, but said moth
ing of himself, leaving the world TO
judge whether this was man or demon,
who, still a youth, and within a pub
lie career of but one season, had humili-
ated the proudest empire on the CONT
nent. had subducd Italy, and on her
soil had erected states unknown be-
fore. without the consent of any great
power, not excepting his own. 1t Is
not wonderful that this parsonage
should sometimes have said of himself
Say that my life began at Rivoli,' as
at other times he dated his military
career from Toulon.
Torgeries That Never Come to Light
II believe. said country banker,
that at least five per cent. of all notes