110] 
obtained some successes, and it be- 
gan to be apprehended that Buo- 
naparte’s army was in great danger. 
This spirit manifested itself prin- 
cipally at Ferrara and Bologna, but 
more than any where at Milan. 
Here the majority of the inhabi- 
tants expressed the most avowed 
concern at the retreat of the French 
before the Imperial army, and atthe 
raising of the siege of Mantua: on 
the report of the total rout of the 
French, and the approach of the 
Austrians, the streets and public 
places were filled by crowds, de- 
manding arms, and offering to march 
instantly to the assistance of the 
French. 
But of all those Italian states and 
princes that shewed unequivocal 
signs of satisfaétion at the tempo- 
rary successes of the Austrians, none 
equalled the temerity with which 
the court of Rome aéted upon this 
occasion. As soon as intelligence 
arrived that the French had re- 
treated from Mantua, a vice legate 
was dispatched to retake possession 
of Ferrara, notwithstanding the 
noted aversion of the citizens to 
the Roman government. ‘This was 
evidently a breach of the armistice 
between the French and the pope, 
but the vice legate remained in the 
city even in opposition to the incli- 
nation of the inhabitants, nor quitted 
it, until news arrived of the entire 
defeat of the Austrian army. 
At Rome itself the detestation 
of the French broke out in the most 
outrageous treatment of the few 
that werein that city. Those who 
shewed themselves most forward to 
abuse them, were the priests and 
monks. Incited by their example 
and discourses, the populace were, 
with difficul.y restrained, by the go- 
vernment, from exercising their ut- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
most fury on the natives of France, 
known to be republicans. 
The news of the viétories ob-— 
tained over the Austrians, put a stop — 
to these proceedings, by the conster-_ 
nation they spread in Rome, where 
the general expeétation was, that 
the French would shortly be ex- 
pelled from Italy: but the cooler 
part of the public’ highly censured 
the readiness with which the pope 
had been induced to violate the 
treaty concluded with the French 
general, and expressed a full per-_ 
suasion that be would require such 
a satisfaétion as would produce a 
deep repentance for its infraétion. 
In the mean time, marshal Wurm- 
ser was occupied in securing his 
retreat towards the mountainous 
country on the north of the Vene- 
tian dominions; but he was followed 
so closely by Buonaparte, that he 
was overtaken and defeated in two 
engagements, on the llth and 12th, 
with a severe loss of men, artillery, 
and baggage. It was with difficulty 
that he pursued his march to the 
other side of the city of Trent, 
where he reassembled the remains 
of his forces. ‘ 
The flight of the Austrians en- 
abled the French tu resume the 
siege of Mantua. The garrison 
had, on its being raised, totally de- 
stroyed the works of the besiegers, 
carried all theimcannon, amounting 
to one hundred and forty pieces, 
into the town,.and supplied it with 
large quantities of stores and pro- 
visions. From the thirtieth of July, 
when the siege was raised, to the 
nineteenth of August, when the 
French re-commenced their opera- 
tions against that city, it had been ~ 
put into the completest state of de- 
fence, and was now reputed more 
capable than ever to withstand iE : 
the 
