112] 
came up with them, and again put 
them to the rout, and took possession 
of that town. 
The Austrians, having retreated 
to Trent, were making preparations 
to maintain themselves, by fortifying 
the avenues to it: but Buonaparte, 
who perceived their design, gave 
orders to attack them directly in 
the post they had taken. It was 
extremely strong, and it required 
vast efforts to make them abandon 
it; but they were completely rout- 
ed, and fled in confusion towards 
Trent, within three miles of which 
they were pursued. Thus termi« 
nated this famous fourth of Septem- 
ber; in the course of which the 
Austrians sustained three defeats, 
and lost upwards of seven thousand 
men, who were made prisoners, be- 
sides a number of slain, together 
with thirty pieces of cannon, and 
a large quantity of baggage and 
_ horses. 
In the night that followed this 
memorable day, marshal Wurmser, 
losing all hope of making head at 
Trent, evacuated it, and, next 
morning, the French took posses- 
sion of this celebrated city. At 
a small distance from it a large 
body of Austrians, posted them- 
selves at a bridge, commanding the 
entrance into the town of Lavis. 
But hither they were immediately 
followed by Buonaparte, who forced 
the entrenchments they had thrown 
up, after making his way over the 
bridge, and put them to flight. 
Master of Trent, an indepen- 
dent principality of the empire, 
Buon parte resolved to organize the 
government of this city on a re~ 
publican plan. He totally eman- 
Cipated it from that Imperial juris. 
diction, appointing an administra-. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796. 
tive council, composed entirely of 
natives of the district, to whom 
alone every place of power and 
emolument was assigned, in abso- 
lute exclusion of all strangers. The 
laws and usages established were 
left untouched ; but the sovereignty 
was vested in the French republic, © 
to which an oath of obedience was 
required from all persons in autho- 
rity. 
By thus investing the natives of | 
this place, with the exclusive enjoy- — 
ment of all those employments and 
profits formerly diverted from them 
to aliens, he held out the prospect 
of asimilartreatment to all that sub- 
mitted to the French. He doubted 
not, by this exhibition of their jus- 
tice and impartiality, to procure a 
general willingness to prefer subor- 
dination to France to the dominion 
exercised over them by their present 
masters. 
After settling the government of 
the city of Trent, Buonaparte lostno 
time in the prosecution of his ad- 
vantages over the Austrians. Mar- 
shal Wurmser had fixed himself at 
Bassano, the way to which town ~ 
was rendered excessively d:fficult, by 
the river Brenta, and the defiles 
that bear its name. Here again 
the superior generalship of Buona- 
parte enabled him to effeet a pas- 
page over this river. He directed 
a chosen body of men to attempt 
it at a place where it was not ex- 
pected, and, by a circuitous march, 
to fall upon the rear of the Austri- 
ans. They succeeded completely ; 
and, while the small fort of Cavela,’ 
that stood in the defile, was carried 
by storm, they gained the head 
of this narrow pass, through which- 
the Austrians, after evacuating that 
fort, not being able to. make their 
way, 
