The Washington herald., 1914-03-15

September Il. Isuo-Understandins between NaTo-
leon and Car Paul
seIaember %, Isoo-Tresty with the United States.
October l. ;soo-Spain ceded Louisiana to France.
Ducember . Iso-Battle Of Hohenlnden, won by
MoTeau.
February .. IsOl-Tresty Of peace with Austria at
Linerflle.
April 3. lsol-BattIe Of Copenhagen.
June q IscI-French surrendered CAIN.
Nanh z. Ise-Tresty Of peace with England at
Amiens.
11APOLEON. two months before he
N crossed the Alps, lay on a. big map
of Italy. which had been Spread on
the floor Of the Tuileries in Paris, As he
studied the map he stuck pins in it, here
and there, some Of them tipped with red
wax and the others with black.
BourTienne. who melt on the map be-
side him. says that when Napoleon had
finished this operation he asked, Where
do you think ! shall beat Melas?'
How the devil should l know" Bour-
Ticnne replied.
why, look here. YOU fool" said the
other man on the floor. "Melas is at
AIessandria with his Headquarters, There
he will remain until Genoa surrenders.
Crossing the Alps here and he pointed
to a red pin at the Great St Bernard, Il
shall fall upon him. cut his communica-
tions and meet him there" pointing to a
red pin al San GiuIiano- Poor NJ de
Melas." he chuckled. she will pass
through Turin, fall back upon Alessan-
dria, l shall cross the Po, overtake him
on the road to Piacenza. on the plains of
the Scrivia and 1 shall beat him just
there, just there
II was in June. 1900, nearly three months
after that reported forecast. when Bour-
rienne found himself watching from the
height of San Giuliano the smoke OF bat
tie rising from the field of Marengo.
Napoleon had crossed the Alps, cut the
communications of Gen. Meias the AUS
trian commander in Italy. and now was
meeting him in the valley below San
Giuliano
EscnpinR a Trap.
Melas had laughed at the absurd re-
ports that the French were climbing over
the Alpine wall. Intent only on his
original plan of invading France by the
coast road, he was pressing Massenai
for the surrender of Genoa. While thus
engaged he received convincing reports
that not only had Napoleon crossed the
Alps, but also that the French infantry
and some of their cavalry had passed the
Fort of Bard by climbing a, goat path
over a mountain that rose above thel
castle which still stands like a watch
dog in the narrow vale Of the Dora
Baltea.
Before Napoleon himself had made the
passage and while he was yet at Martigny
in Switzerland. word had come back to
him that little Austrian garrison in the
Fort OF Bard was blocking the advance
of his forces into Italy. II that Austrian
outpost should hold them up long enough
to summon re-enforcementS from Gen.
Melas. the spectacular crossing Of the
Alps would pass into history as a FOOLS
errand and Napoleon would be covered
with condemnation at home and ridicule
abroad. He had staked his own fortunes
and probably the existence Of the re-
. public itself to win or lose on a single
chance.
If the conditions were reversed, IL he
had the Austrians il. such a trap. he
would not let them cape him. But he
never assumed that the enemy was asl
clever as he. and he always reckoned on
his boldness saving him from the cold
logic of q situation.
The ease with which the French slipped
out of the trap at the Fort of Bard is
really incredible. They simply wrapped
the rattling parts of their gun carriages
and spread a carpeting of manure on the
road before the fort in the darkness of
night. after which they dragged their
artillery silently past under the noses of
the sleeping garrison.
Fall OF Genoa.
Napoleon then hsstened to Milan.
where he completely cut the enemy's
communications with Vienna and cut of
the Austrian line of retreat While he.
slept in his Milan palace, Bourrienne en-
tered his room at O'Clock in the morn
ing, and shook his arm until he succeed
ed in arousing him. His standing orders
to his secretary were: During the night
enter my chamber ss seldom as possible.
Do not wake me when you have any
good news to communicates: with that
there is no hurry. But when you bring
bad news. arouse me instantly. for then
J there is not a moment to be lost"
In this instance dispatches passing be-
tween the Austrian government and its
army had been intercepted. and Bour-
rienne read them to his awakened chief.
A letter from the authorities at Vienna
assured Gen. Meias there was no such
thing as a French army Of reserve and
that he should advance into France with
out paying any attention to the incredible
tales about Napoleon crossing the Alps.
4 But when the secretary read a letter
from Melas announcing that Massena
had surrendered Genoa to the Alstrians,
Napoleon for moment was unwilling to
believe il. Bah" he exclaimed, s.you do
not understand German"