The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-10

I'D. ISSUED from MS
q, N,c. in the southeastern part OF
rrau... and addressed an army OF 30,-
ooo mon. most of them hungry. all of
Them ragged, practically none Of them
ba,Iu- any money whatever. Their
nav had not been forthcoming; they
had marched and fought. upheld by
nron,'s.. Of remuneration. They were
acni, called upon tn march and fight.
Tn,rc they stood. and facing them a
commander hardly more than youth
,ho knew their feelings. who under
s,ood tb.ir discomfort. There they stood
INIT ,nlv for brief moment while
that Young commanders piercing eye
,voni the ranks Then. without pre-
a,hIe. without hesitancy, he made them
n, address in a few words which startled
the world.
"so,dlcrs" he said. "you are badly
cd and almost naked. Your country
owes Won much. hut can do little Tor
you Your patience and courage do you
5onor. hut can give you neither gior!
nor profit -,
81 have come to lead you into the
most fertile fields Of the world; there
MI will find large cities. rich provinces
honor. glory and wealth. -.
soldiers Of Italy. will you fah IN
courage"
There could he but one response to
that appcal We can imagine the roar
~ enthusiasm that went up from the
"a 900 thus invited to sweep onward
lighting not for principle. not Tor pa
,rio,ism not even to further the plans
~, noll,lclans hut simply and solely to
burl themselves upon neighporlng
country and loot II Of treasure; to lay
waste the land. to riot In the riches
gathered during ages of extensive COM
merce 1T.
7, was thus that Bonaparte began MS
Italian campaign. For months ne nau
seen preparing his plans. For weeks
ba had hoen working as few men ever
have worked to get all in readiness Tor
oujck movement. At last al was done
To pravlde money absolutely necessar|
the treasury Of the Directory had been
,nptier. forced loans had been levied
=, T,u'.n "a Marseilles; levies or
,-ain and fore We're made in Genoa
-hus were the immediate needs OF the
,.,erans met. ana they responded with
flame - determination that nothing
tould ,V' ""uIsh.
Will. SHOWS still choked the noun
in masses NAPOLEON ordered his army
,rward I'd an astonishing series OF
..tnrl,s flowed one upon the other.
los, 4 the commanders of opposing
forces We're men If mature years. many
them elderly. who still chung to OLD
fashioned methods Of warfare, VINO
maintained strict ceremonial in camp
Who chung to tradition, and fought as
heir grandsres had fought. And huri-
ny himself upon them at the mead OF
ooOO0 men half mad with enthusiasm
cane a commander Of 81. well versed in
..".arv history. hut disregarding all
tradition. refusing To proceed according
'o long established rules; a young man
who invented On the instant and carried
. ont plans never before dreamed or ny
ANYBODY. and who swept on with sub
line auGac.iy 10 triumph after triumph
Imagine the feelings Of these famous
Generals when they heard Napoleon
confess that It was Eat times posi-
tive misery" to find himself opposed by
tnvh inefficient old fossils.
The element of doubt much less thar
{ fear never entered the young COM
manders head. For example, on May
10, l7gG. his army had Ia cross a stone
bridge AZ the town Of Lodi. A strong
force II Austrians defended it and had
planted twenty cannon 50 as to sweep
the bridge from end to end.
While this artillery was belching forth
terrific ire Napoleon at the head of a
column If 1000 men unhesitatinGly
Iharg,d forward-a most desperate
undertakus. Before he reached che
further end Of the bridge another of his
Il "''lr'r~ 'apptnod I" pass him in the
mass 81 flame and smoke. SO he really
was the second man over, and the Aus
'rians N,cc vanquished, as well they
might 'c in face of courage almost SUI
"rna'uraL 1t was Immediately after
mis- battle Of Lodi that Napoleon's
troops commenced to call him the
Little Corporal term of affection
and ta.'h caused 10y his slight frame
and hr' .,h face. And from that mo-
mcnt he h,oame the idol of his army.
This ,'-dgemcnt, however, marks
'm"tuus far more important. In re-
"rrn- 'o It years later he said:
TT Mats not un,.l after Lodi that ]
was struck with the possibility Of be-
''mirI .u"us, II was then that the
INST spark If my ambition was kim
,lcd.'
The victory at Lodi was but one of
many W'hn a year Mantua had
''E'r "aJ The young conqueror made
"A"''', .l'rcss to his army in which
'' B. ''I US accomplishments.
.r-.' he said, the capture OF
lor. ..s pat AN md to the war of
''".., l.t have been victorious in four
90 % battles and seventy ac-
'."n'. ... nave taken 100000 prisoners
.|liI . h.n "a N