14] ANNUAL REGISTER, 
of Rome, now finally resolyed to 
employ hostile measures. He or- 
dered Cacault, the envoy of the re- 
public at Rome, to quit that city 
and issued a manifesto against 
pope, whereinhe charged him with 
the breach of the armistice that had 
taken place in the month of June 
preceding ; notwithstanding which 
be had still persevered in acting an 
hostile part to France, by exciting 
against it the hatred of his own 
people, and of all over whom he. 
possessed influence, by arming his 
subjects, with a professed design to 
commit hostilities, by negociating 
with the court of Vienna, and put- 
ting his troops under the command 
of Austrian officers and generals, 
and lastly by refusing the negocia- 
tion for peace, proposed by the mi- 
nister of the republic at Rome. 
This manifesto was accompanied 
bya proclamation to the people in- 
habiting the papal dominions. ‘Chey 
were informed that the French, in 
entering the territories. of the pope, 
would “faithfully protect religion 
and property, aud maintain “the 
public peace. They were warned 
to-abstain from al] acts of enmity, 
which would certainly draw down 
upon them vengeance and all the 
harrors of war. Every town and 
village that sounded the tocsin, on’ 
the approach of the French, was 
threatened with instant destruction. 
Every district, wherea Frenchman 
‘was assassinated, should be declared 
hostile, and subjecied to heavy con- 
tributions, ‘The clergy and con- 
ventuals, who demeaned themselves 
peaceably, would enjoy the bene- 
fits of their present situations; but, 
if they acted otherwise, military’ 
law would be executed upon the:n, 
and they would be. treated. with 
mgore severity than others. Both of 
1797. 
these declarations were published on 
the third of February, the day after 
the surrender of Mantua, and had 
been delayed till this event, pur- 
posely to make the greater imprtes= 
sion. 
A division of the French army; 
commanded by general Victor, had 
entered the papal territories on the 
first. A body of the pope’s troops, 
consisting of fourthousand foot, and 
about a thousand horse, awaited his 
approach on advantageous ground. 
The Senio, ariver that runs between 
Imola and Faenza, was in the front 
of the camp, which was strongly in- 
trenched. Early in the morning of 
the second of February, the French 
advanced towards a bridge opposite 
to the centre of their front. It was 
the only one remaining, as the ene- 
my had brokendown all the others, 
in order to have only this one to 
defend. But the dryness of the sea- 
son had rendered that river fordable 
in several places, at which large de- 
tachments of the French crossed 
over it, and came upon their rear, 
while their front was vigorously at- 
tacked by the legion May Lombardy, 
consisting of northern » Italians, « 
whose antipathy to the southern is 
remarkable. They had requested 
to be put upon this service; and, 
though it was the first time they 
were in action, they acquitted 
themselves with great valour. ‘Chey 
broke the line of the papal army, 
and carried the batteries opposed to 
them, at the point of the bayonet. 
Pressed inthis manner, both in front 
and rear, the pope’s troops, afier a 
defence by no means contemptible, 
for men so unused to tactics, were 
completely routed. Five hundred 
were slain and wounded, and about 
a thousand made prisoners, and four- 
teen pieces of cannon taken. ees 
Joss 
’ 
