HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
this time in close alliance with the 
Russians, and, therefore, the occu- 
pation of Ragusa by the French, 
instead of protecting that republic 
from their violence, afforded them a 
pretext for invading and laying it 
waste. Scveral skirmishes ensued, 
in which both sides claim the vic- 
tory. The French, however, were 
in the end compelled by the Russians 
and Montenegrins to shut them- 
selyes up in Ragusa, where they 
‘stood a siege of several weeks, 
while the Montencgrins ravaged the 
country, and committed horrible 
excesses on the inhabitants. Gene- 
ral Lauriston who commanded in™ 
Ragusa, was at length relieved * 
from this embarrassing situation, by 
the arrival of general Molitor from * 
Dalmatia, with a French army col- 
Jee i in that-province. It was new 
* July 6th. 
151 
the turn of the Russians and Mon. 
tenegrins to retreat, which, after 
the loss of their artillery and plun- 
der, the former effected to their 
ships, the latter to their mountains, 
‘and in a few days the territory of 
Ragusa was cleared of these barba- 
tians. No event of importance 
followed till the end of September, 
when the Russians and Montene- 
grins, having assembled in great 
force near Castel-Nuovo. general 
Marmont marched ‘against them 
from Ragusa,’and having enticed 
them by a military stratagem to quit 
their entrenchments, attacked and 
defeated theme) with great loss +. 
But, notwithstanding this defeat the 
‘Russians continued in possession of 
Cattaro’and Castel-N wovo at the end 
of the year. ; 
eG ant 
+ Sept’'29th, 
= & ¥ 
CHAP. 
