164 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



lo, it marched to Vicenza. Mas- 

 sena summoned the city to surren- 

 der, but received a refusal. On 

 preparations being made, the uext 

 morning, for assaulting it, the gates 

 were thrown open, and the army 

 entered. In Vicenza ^verc found 

 a thousand wounded Austrians, and 

 thcrcmains of some magazines. 



On the archduke's arrival at 

 Bassiino, lie had the opfion eitlicr 

 of attempting his retreat by Trent, 

 into the Tyrol, or by Treviso, 

 throu^jh Carinthia, or Carnioia. 

 The disposition of the French Ger- 

 man army ajjpears to have deter- 

 mined Iiim to adopt the tatter course, 

 lie would, in his progress towards 

 Vienna, by the former route, iiave 

 had to oppose the corps of general 

 iSIarniont and marshal Bernadotte, 

 wliilst Ncy was in force on the 

 confines of the Tyrol, on one side, 

 and Aiigcreau on the other, who 

 were stationed to intercept him, 

 and a superior force under Mas- 

 scna was close upon his rear. By 

 taking the latter route, he might, 

 if necessary, reach Hungary, with- 

 out meeting any opposition in front, 

 and there he would find the means 

 of recruiting his army. In either 

 way his retreat was difficult, being 

 continually galled by the enemy's 

 light troops. 



The French advanced guard ar- 

 rived at the Brenta immediately 

 after the Austrians had passed that 

 river, and were endeavouring to de- 

 stroy (he bridge. This brought on 

 a cannonade from the opposite 

 banks, and the French were pre- 

 vented from crossing till the next 

 morning. Early on the evening of 

 that day, Massena entered Castcl- 

 Franco, and the chasseurs of the 

 ajmy were in posscssioii of Salva- 

 tcrs,|da and Albando. Here the 



French army was allowed some re- 

 pose, being much exhausted from 

 their incessant exertions. In their 

 advance from Monte Rello fifteen 

 hundred prisoners fell into their 

 hands. They also levied heavy con- 

 tributions upon <iie great towns 

 through which they passed. 



Massena met with no opposition 

 worth mentioning between theBrenia 

 and the Tagliamen(o. Behind 

 the latter river prince Charles made 

 a show of resistance, and posted his 

 troops as if determined to oppose 

 the passage of the river. Massena 

 was somewhat imposed upon by 

 this appearance, so that he did not 

 seriously atlempt to pass the river 

 until his main force was arrived. 

 On the I'ith Nov. the division of 

 chasseurs commanded by general d'- 

 Fspagna, together with the cuiras- 

 siers and dragoons under general? 

 Marmont and Pulley, were posted 

 in front of the Austrians, while the 

 divisions of Duhesmc and Suas 

 were stadoned at St. Vito, and 

 those of Molitor and Gardenne at 

 A'aloasonna. Nothing occurred on 

 that day but some skirmishes be- 

 tween a squadron of French, which 

 had crossed the river, and a party of 

 Austrian cavalry, except a heavy can- 

 nonade, which continued the whole 

 day. The attack was to have 

 taken place on the next morning ; 

 but the archduke retreated during 

 the night, and directed his march 

 to Lnybach in Carnioia, without 

 attempting to defend Falma Nova, 

 though a place of some strength ; 

 his object being to effect his retreat 

 with as little dclny as possible, in 

 order to succour tiic hereditary , 

 states. 



On the 15th the French army ad- 

 vanced, in two columns, to lii^ Ison- 

 za. The advanced guard, under 



general 



