120] 
Animated by the patriotic wri- 
tings of their literati, the citizens 
of Milan, and of other towns, pre- 
sented a petition to the administra- 
tion, requesting it to procure per- 
mission, from Buonaparte, to form 
themselves into military corps, in 
order to serve against the Austrians. 
Their request was favourably re- 
ceived by the general, who was 
duly sensible of the impression such 
an example would have on their 
fellow-countrymen in other ae of 
Italy. 
Daring these various transactions, 
the necessity of dividing his atten- 
tion to a multiplicity “of objects, 
of providing the means to carry 
on different enterprizes, and, above 
all, to continue the blockade of 
Mantua, bad left the Austrians 
leisure to make new military at- 
rangements. They recruited the 
shattered army of marshal Wurmser, 
and, by drawing reinforcements 
from the neighbouring provinces of 
the Austrian dominions, they formed 
a new one, with which they again 
indulged the hope of being able 
to take the field, and repair their 
losses, 
They now moved their canton- 
ments behind the Lavisio and the 
Piava, and advanced against the 
French, who, after ineffectually 
striving to oppose their passage of 
these rivers, yielded to their superior 
force, and fell back to the Adige. 
General Davidovich, who com- 
manded the Austrians in this quar- 
ter, was thereby enabled to re- 
cover Trent, and other towns in its 
vicinity ; while) marshal Alvinzi 
proceeded as far as Vicenza, in 
the Venetian territories, where he 
was sure of meeting with every 
clandestine aid which that state 
could afford. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
From the beginning of Novems 
ber, a variety of actions took place 
between the Austrians and the 
French, who were generally success- 
ful and made a number of priso- 
ners : not, however, without suffer- 
ing on their side. © 
The plan of marshal Alvinzi, 
who had the chief command, was, 
to form a junction with the Aus- 
trian troops that were on their 
march from the Tyrol, and with 
those that had forced the French te 
retire from Trent. To this intent 
he drew near to Verona, where, he 
hoped, they would have joined him. 
Buonaparte, apprised of this move- 
ment, crossed the Adige, on the 
fourteenth of November, and ap- 
proached the Austrians posted at 
Caldaro. Alvinzi, judging that he 
would be vigorously attacked, and 
that the day would probably prove 
decisive, disposed his troops with 
great skill. ‘The village of Arcola, 
through which the French were to 
pass, was situated in the middle of 
a marsh, and accessible only’ by a 
causeway. This post he eccupied 
in great force, lining with troops 
every spot-on each side, from 
whence the French could be an- 
noyed in their march. They suc- 
ceeded, however, by dint of in- 
trepidity and perseverance, and pe- 
netrated to a bridge on a canal 
that flanked the village : here stood 
a numerous body of chosen men, 
who repulsed them in repeated: 
attacks ; they had also to encounter 
a tremendous fire from the houses 
near the bridge, which were filled 
with troops that kept up a continual 
discharge of musketry. The French 
generals, who saw the necessity of 
carrying this post, placed themselves 
at the head of their men, who seem- 
ed to lose courage at the numbers 
‘that 
