HISTORY OF EUROPE: 
French general determined to lose 
no time in bringing the contest toa 
final issue. Feigning to.be desirous 
of avoiding an engagement with 
Wurmser, he ordered a retrogade 
motion to be made by his army, in 
order to induce him the more rea- 
dily to advance. This order was 
executed on the morning of the fifth, 
with such dexterity, that while the 
Austrian general, deceived by aps 
pearances, was approaching the 
Frenck army to attack it, the 
right wing of the French, under 
_ general Serranier, an officer of great 
_ ability, turned the left of the Austri« 
ans, and assailed its rear, while ano- 
ther division attacked a redoubt in 
‘its front. The left of the French, 
in like manner, moved with unex- 
pected rapidity against the right of 
‘the Austrians, and their centre was 
charged at the same time with such 
impetuosity and vigour, that, sur- 
_ prised at movements so contrary to 
‘their expectation, they were, in a 
manner, taken unawares. They 
“made, however, a resolute defence, 
but fortune declared for the French. 
The Austrians were thrown into 
confusion; and, notwithstanding 
the skilful dispositions of Wurmser, 
_ were not able to stand their ground. 
They retired with all expedition, 
after losing two thousand men, 
and would certainly have lost many 
more, had not the French, from the 
excessive fatigue of so many suc- 
cessive conflicts, been disabled from 
@ pursuit. 
This victory was completely de- 
cisive of the contest between these 
two rival generals. ‘The battle 
might be said to have lasted five 
days, as there was no intermission 
of fighting during that time. The 
losses of the Austrians precluded 
all hopes of keeping the field. They 
[107 
amounted to seventy pieces of cane 
non, all the carriages belonging to 
his army, more than twelve thou- 
sand prisoners, and six thousand 
slain. 
But the principal loss was that of 
reputation. The troops thus beaten 
were chiefly veterans. Those who 
came with Wurmser were deemed 
the flower of the Austrian army, 
that had so obstinately contended 
with the best troops of France upon 
the Rhine. Wurmser himself was 
reputed an officer second to no one 
in the Imperial service, nor indeed 
in Europe, for valour, skill, and 
experience, and was, in a manner, 
the last hope of Austria, for the 
recovery of Italy., 
All these were circumstances 
deeply mortifying to the court of 
Vienna, and proportionably pro- 
ductive of triumph and exultation 
to the French republicans, and their 
well-wishers. 
The first intelligence of marshal 
Wurmser’s marching against Buona- 
parte, at the head of so selected an 
army, had revived the expectations 
of all the enemies to France, and 
not a little alarmed the directory 
itself. But those who were able 
judges of the military talents of 
Buonaparte, never felt a moment’s 
despondency, and it is but justice to 
acknowledge that he fully answered 
their utmost expectations. Through- 
out the whole course of this arduous 
trial, his abilities astonished both 
friends and foes. Surrounded by 
difficulties of every sort, he acted 
with a clearness of penetration that 
foresaw and obviated them all. He 
removed impediments as fast as they 
arose, and took his measures with so 
much prudence and sagacity, that he 
could not be charged with having 
committed one false step. His body 
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