S76 FRA 
off in fuch a manner that it could neither retreat through 
the vallies nor rejoin the main army. The commander in 
chief, on being informed that, on the iff of November, 
this column was marching to the heights of St. Leonard, 
fent one of his aids-de-camp to fummon it to furrender. 
General Hillinger, who commanded it, declared hisinten 
tion to defend himfelf to the laft extremity. Early in the 
morning of the 2d, Maffena gave orders to the 22d regi¬ 
ment of light infantry under colonel Coquet, to advance 
from Veronetta : Hillinger made a movement to approach 
him, and forced him to take a pofition under the walls of 
the caffle of San Felice. The commander in chief re¬ 
paired immediately to the fpot, and ordered four batta¬ 
lions of grenadiers to furround the enemy. General Char- 
pentier was charged with tiiefe difpolitions, which he 
executed with precilion, in concert with general Solig- 
nac. A new fummons was now fent to the enemy, who 
found himfelf under the neceffity of laying down his arms. 
The following capitulation took place, which put into the 
poffeflion of the French 5000 prifoners, with their arms 
and ammunition, feventy officers, one brigadier-general 
and one major-general, and feveral colonels. 
Article 1. The Auflrian troops, commanded by general 
Hillinger, are made prifoners of war, under the follow¬ 
ing conditions: — 2. General Hillinger, as well as all the 
officers under his command, (hall retain their fwords, 
horfes, and baggage. They (hall be permitted to return 
to Vienna on their parole of honour not to ferve againft 
France, or her allies, until exchanged.—3. The foldiers 
fhall laydown their arms before they enter Verona. They 
illall retain their booty, (butiv.) —4. All the wounded 
Andrians in the neighbourhood of Payano and Grazzano, 
{hall be immediately removed to the French army, in 
order that they may be there properly treated.—j. The 
troops of his majefty the emperor of Germany, having 
fought with the greateft intrepidity, and not having capi¬ 
tulated until they were completely furrounded, the French 
army will do for them every thing that is due to military 
courage. Done in duplicate at Cara-Albartini, Nov. 2, 
1805. (Signed) Hillinger. 
SoLIGNAC. 
The archduke Charles, finding that this column of his 
army was entirely cut oft', and apprehenfive of being 
turned in his polition on the heights, proceeded to effedt 
a retreat, which was commenced in the night. Maffena, 
informed of this, on the morning of the 3d, at break of 
day, fent out reconnoitring parties to all pofitions of his 
line. The divilion of chaffeurs on horfeback, under ge¬ 
neral Efpagne, and the light divifionof general Gardanne, 
were alfo difpatched in purfuit of the Auftrians, who 
were harraffed through the day, and of whom they made 
600 prifoners. The refult of thefe movements was the 
immediate occupation of the intrenched heights of Cal- 
diero, with the important poll of Montebello. From this 
place, after a few hours only, Maffena proceeded to Vi¬ 
cenza, which he entered the fame night, after a ffiort re¬ 
finance, and made 1500 prifoners, moft of them wounded. 
The archduke retreated by the road of Baffano and Tre- 
vifo ; but his rear was overtaken the next day at the vil¬ 
lage of St. Pierre in Gu, where another adlion commenced, 
in which the Auftrians were again defeated, and purfued 
towards the Brenta : many were killed, and a number of 
prifoners were brought in. 
The Auftrians continued in full retreat towards the 
Piave and the Tagliamento. They had affembled on the 
left bank of Tagliamento, fix regiments of cavalry and 
four regiments of infantry ; and their firm front indicated 
that they were determined obftinately to difpute the paf- 
lage of the river. General Maffena at firft only intended 
to reconnoitre their polition with the cavalry. The divi¬ 
sion of chafteurs commanded by general d’Efpagne, that 
of dragoons and cuiraffeurs under generals Mermet and 
Pully, were polled on the river ; while the divifions of 
Duhefme and Seras marched by St. Vito ; and thofe of 
generals Moriier and Gardanne took the direction of 
N C E. 
Valvofone. General d’Efpagne had received orders to 
pufh forward his patroles. On the 12th, a corps which 
he had ordered to crofs the river, was charged by a regi¬ 
ment of Auftrian cavalry; but it bravely fupported the 
attack, and gave time for general d’Efpagne to advance 
upon tlie enemy, who were repulfed, and obliged to fly. 
The French artillery now took its pofition, and a general 
cannonade began on both Tides of the river; it was very 
brifk, and continued nearly the whole day. The Aus¬ 
trians had placed thirty pieces of cannon malked behind 
a bank ; to oppofe which the French had only eighteen. 
The commander in chief, therefore, did not think proper 
to effedl the paffage of the river that night. He contented 
himfelf with making his difpofitions for the next day, 
convinced that he could then achieve fomething more de- 
cifive. The divifions took their appointed pofitions at St. 
Vito and Valvafone ; where they were to pafs the river, 
and immediately turn and cut off the enemy. The arch¬ 
duke Charles, no doubt, was apprehenfive of this inten¬ 
tion ; for he did not think proper to remain in his pofition ; 
and at midnight he began to retreat by the road to Palma 
Nuova. 
Marefchal Maffena, determined to allow of no refpite to 
the retreating enemy, inftantly crofted the river, drew up 
his troops in two columns, and advanced towards the 
Ifonzo. On the 16th he came up witli the rear of the 
Auftrians, and a partial engagement took place; at the 
clofe of which the enemy’s cavalry fell back in the greateft: 
diforder, and their artillery efcaped on account of the 
night : they were however driven under the walls of 
Gorizia. The commander in chief made difpofitions for 
a general attack on the morning of the 17th, but the 
Auftrians would not rilk it. They again availed them- 
felves of the night to haften their retreat. The French 
army took an advanced pofition beyond the Ifonzo, where 
three hundred freffi French prifoners were brought in. 
The magazines eftablifhed at Udina and Palma Nuova 
alfo fell into the hands of the French. 
It was now feen that the objedt of the archduke Charles 
was to abandon Italy entirely ; having doubtlefsly been 
informed of the intention of the French general to place 
him between two fires, It was one of the great objedls of 
the emperor Napoleon to form a jundfion between the 
army of Italy and the grand army in Germany, by means 
of either one or other of the divifions of Marmont, Ber- 
nadotte, or Augereau. To avoid being thus entangled, the 
archduke, with his cavalry, took the great road leading 
to the hereditary Auftrian (fates ; while the principal part 
of his infantry proceeded through the valley of Idria to 
gain that of Oberleybach. Five companies of French 
light horfe were fent to purfue them in that diredtion, 
while the advanced chaffeurs reconnoitred as far as the 
entrenchments of Pervald, diredting their courfe towards 
Leybach. On the approach of the divifion of general 
Seras to Triefte, the Auftrians evacuated that place, where 
they left three hundred wounded. Another corps pur¬ 
fued them on the road to Leybach, and took fifty prifo¬ 
ners. Two regiments of dragoons, fupported by the in¬ 
fantry, advanced on the Chiufa de Pletz, which was 
guarded by the two regiments of infantry under Strafoldo 
and Deligne, with fome cavalry, but thefe polls were 
abandoned on the arrival of the French troops. The ge¬ 
neral of brigade, Lacour, now received orders to pene¬ 
trate to Villach, and try to open a communication with 
the grand army, the rapid movements of which had oc- 
cafioned this hafty retreat of the Auftrians, who appeared 
afraid of being furrounded. A detachment was alio fent 
againfl Ponteby-Veneta, where the enemy were in force, 
but retreated, as foon as the French appeared, to Ley¬ 
bach. In thefe different movements they took about 400 
prifoners. 
The divifion of the Italian army under general Gouvion 
St. Cyr, now formed a junction with Mailena, at the head 
of 22,000 men, the Italian corps, and the Coriican legion. 
The head quarters of the Italian army was eftablifhed at 
Gorizia, 
