Return of 
Bonaparte 
from Egypt. 
A. D. 1799. 
Declared 
first consul. 
State of 
Italy, 
A. D. 1800, 
6410 
binet of Austria, jealous of the success of the Russian 
general, ordered the Archduke to go into Suabia with 
upwards of 50,000 men, and Switzerland was thus left 
exposed. Of this Massena resolved to take advantage, 
by attacking the remainder of the Austrian army before 
Suwarrow joined them, The French were successful, 
though the combat was long and obstinate, , Massena 
next advanced to meet Suwarrow ; and surrounded him 
in such a manner, that it was thought impossible he 
should escape ; but that general having discovered one 
pass in the mountains unoccupied by the, French, he 
made his way through it, with the loss of his cannon 
and baggage. Disgusted and indignant at the want of 
support from the Austrians, he withdrew his forces to 
the neighbourhood of Augsburg, and. transmitted his 
complaints to Petersburg. _ In the mean time, the Di- 
rectory had sunk into contempt ; and by their disputes 
among themselves, as well_as)the imbecility. of their 
conduct, promised an easy overthrow to any daring ad- 
venturer. Such a man was Bonaparte, who at this 
time returned from his expedition to Eaypr; an account 
of which is given in the Histories of that country and of 
Barrain. Bonaparte had several friends,in the councils 
and Directory, the most active of whom were Sieyes 
and Talleyrand. After several discussions,. they resol- 
ved that a consulate should be formed, and Bona) 
laced at its head. This scheme was concealed from 
Moreau, Berthier, and the other generals who were 
then in Paris, The majority of the assembly of Elders . 
agreed to the proposal ; but as the Jacobins preponder- 
ated in the Council of Five Hundred, they resisted. it. 
Bonaparte, however, rushed into their hall, while the 
were deliberating, on the 10th of November 1799, wit 
a military force, and expelled the a sag Three chief 
magistrates were appointed, with the a tion of 
Consuls; of whom [eres was at the a Cam- 
baceres and Lebrun the other two, . The senate was to 
be composed of 80 individuals; 100 .were to form a 
tribunate, and 300 a legislative body. In order to ren- 
der this violent change of the constitution less obnoxi- 
ous, it was decreed that the First Consul should hold 
his. office only for ten years, and the other two for five 
years. This change was.defended, on the ground that 
it was necessary to give to the government a greater 
degree of consistency. and stability than it had.hitherto 
possessed, 
One of the first measures of Bonaparte, after he had 
gos the supreme,power, was. to propose peace to 
ritain; but his proposal being. rejected, he began vi- 
gorous and extensive preparations for hostilities in Italy, 
and on the Rhine ; while an_army of reserve, amount- 
ing to 60,000 men, was erdered to be assembled at 
Dyoo, under his immediate command, 
An Italy, at the beginning of 1800, the French re- 
tained scarcely any of their conquests, except the re- 
public of Genoa, and this the Austrians were preparing 
to wrest from. them. In the city of Genoa,,.Massena 
took the command, and resolved to defend it to the last 
extremity. In the beginning of April, the Austrian 
general. Melas, and a. British fleet, invested it so.com- 
Pletely, oad the oe i aap with France was cut 
jeneral } ving thus prevented. the possibi- 
m4 of its relief, left aa — it, and march. 
with the main, bod opine. the French general Su- 
chet, whom, on the 7th of Ma penne defeated. In 
consequence of this defeat, te the Var, and 
entered France, and the Austrian general. became mas- 
ter of the whole department of the maritime 
On the Rhine, General.Moreau was.o “to Ge- 
FRANCE. 
neral Kray ; but the latter was fettered by the orders 
which he received from the council of war at Vienna, 
whereas Moreau refused to act according to the instrac- 
tions sent him by the Chief Consul, ¢ 
own judgment and observation convinced him they 
were wise and practicable. The plan of Moreau was 
to cross the Rhine; in this he su and drove 
Kray before him as far as Ulm: here he fortified him’ 
self ; but Moreau, popes wha og such a manner, as to 
threcten to cut him off from his i the Aus. 
trians were obliged to fight at Hochstet. The French 
were victorious, and the Austrian general, after in vain 
endeavouring to the enemy agein at Newibhe. 
was obliged to k to Ingolstadt. The electorate 
of Bavaria was conquered: the hereditary dominions of 
Austria were threatened, and at Vienna the 
demanded . ; 
Large Se 
ected at D marched th peated 
co) at Dijon, |, as soon as the i 
opened on the Rhine, towards Italy. The First Conail 
left behind. Thus was effected the 
rous and well-appointed army over the 
terprise so extraordinary, that the Austrians, rom 
firm conviction that it was absolutely impracticable, ne- 
ver thought of SRECSIDG i Aosta, the of Bard, 
Ivria, Romagno, and Vercelli, were taken, The Tes- 
sino was.crossed ; Milan, entered without opposition ; 
valuable magazines were captured at pian As 
centia fell into the possession of Bonaparte, who, b: 
his sudden and unexpected appearance, and by his sub- 
sequent masterly maneuyres, completely out-genera 
Melas, ey acs Pili 
He did not arrive, however, in time to relieve Genoa; Fall of 
for Massena, after one of the most i defences Genoe. 
recorded in history, ing which 15,000 of the inha- 
bitants are said to have:pessshed a Haeens SR ‘amin 
was compelled to surrender to Austrian and Bri- 
tish commanders on the Sth of June. _ As soon as Ge- 
noa fell, Melas dispatched General Ott. with 30 batta- 
lions to check the progress of the French, who hitherto 
had not pene farther than Piedmont; but -that 
al having suffered a dreadful defeat at Mon 
elas collected his whole foree between ssanc 
and Tortona. Here, on the 14th of June, was fought 
the battle of Marengo: for nine hours the Austrians 
Were victorious ; but an imprudent, or ee 
ment of General Melas, which was instantly k .<. 
vantage of by General Dessaix, who made ver 
change with a body of fresh cavalry, turned the fate of 
the day.. The victory was purchased by the death of 
Dessaix, to whose memory due honours were paid by 
his grateful countrymen, aak 
The Austrian general, intimidated by, his defeat, re- 
uested a‘truce, which was. d_on condition, 
Genta should be surrendered, as well.as the princi 
where his "™ 
Battle of 
