420 
the latter. The advantages attending 
‘this fulpenfion of hoftilities infufed freth 
vigour into the French army, who after 
crofing the Po, defeated, with their ac- 
cuitomed valour, the Auftrians, at the © 
celebrated battle of Lodi, on the roth of 
May. The republicans entered Lodi in 
purfuit of the enemy, who had already 
pafied the Adda by the bridge. Beau- 
lieu’s whole army was arranged in order 
of battle, and thirty pieces of cannon 
defended the paflage of the bridge, but 
the French army, with almoft unparalleled 
courage and impetuofity, and with fhouts 
of exultation, rufhed on the enemy, and 
obtained a complete viétory. After this 
defeat, the Auitrian general was com- 
pelled to retreat among the mountains of 
Tyrol, and the French obtained poffef- 
fion of the greater part of Lombardy, 
with immenfe magazines, and fpoils of 
every de{cription. 
The king of Sardinia figned a treaty 
of peace and amity with the French re- 
ublic on the rsth of May, in which he 
revoked “ all adhefion,confent,or acceffion 
given by him to the armed coalition 
againft the French republic;” he alfo 
renounced for ever, in favour of France, 
all :ight to Savoy, and the counties of 
Nice, Tondé, and Breuil. A free paf- 
faze was alfo agreed upon between the 
contracting parties for the troops of the 
French republic through the ftates of the 
king of Sardinia, in entering orreturning 
from the interior of Italy. Soon after 
the French had obtained thefe very ad- 
vantageous terms from his Sardinian 
majefiy, and concluded a fimilar treaty 
with the duke of Modena, the directory 
received intelligence that the Auftrian 
general Kray had, on the 21ft of May, 
tranfmitted a letter to general Jourdan, 
in which he communicated to him the 
determinaticn of his Imperial maiefty to 
put an end to the armiftice on the Rhine, 
and gave notice that hoftilities would 
commence at the expiration of ten days 
from the date of his letter, viz. on the 
firt of June. The French army was 
immediately upon the receipt of this 
letter put im motion, and fucceffive vic- 
tories attended their exertions. 
The leviflative councils were foon af- 
ter informed by me (ages from the execu- 
ive direétory that four engagements had 
taken place, three in Germany, and one 
i t aétion m Germany was on 
the 3: fi of May, in the Hundfrack, be- 
e arm the Saimbre and 
oy general jourdan, 
France. 
[June 
and the Auftrians ; in which a divifion 
of the republican forces, under general 
Kleber, gained confiderable advantage. 
On-the next day, at four in the morning, 
his troops proceeded in two columns, and 
as they advanced, to crofs the Sieg, the 
Auftrian cavalry, although far fuperior 
in number, deferted the field. The 
French kept up a hedge fire in purfuing 
the enemy, and at Jength forced them to 
retreat with precipitation, and throw 
themfelves into the formidable poft of 
Ukerath. The French general eftimates 
the lofs of the Aufirians in killed and 
wounded on that day (1ft of June) at 
2400 at the leaft. “Ihe third victory 
was gained on the 4th of June, by the 
left wing of the army of the Sambre and 
Meufe at Altenkirchen, when the French 
(according to their own account) took 
three thoufand prifoners, twelve pieces 
of cannon, and four ftands ef colours. 
“ Never,” faid general Kleber, * was an 
engagement more brifk, or fooner de- 
cided; the infantry never attacked with 
more ardor, nor did the cavalry ever more 
completely defeat the enemy.” 
On the 1oth of June, Carnot, the pre- 
fident of the executive diretory, inform- 
ed the national reprefentatives, by a mef- 
fage, that a new victory had been obtain- 
ed by the army of Italy, at Borghetto. 
The forces under general Buonaparte 
were feparated from the Aufirian army 
only by the river Mincio. The repub- 
lican general concerted meafures with fo 
much fkill, and executed them with fuch 
precifion, as to conceal from Beaulieuthe 
real object of attack.. Apprehenfive, how- 
ever, that the pallage of this river would 
be as brilliant as that of the bridge of 
Lodi, the Auftrian commander caufed 
the bridge over the Mimcio to be de- 
ftroyed. While it was rebuilding, under 
the fire of the enemy’s batteries, the 
French grenadiers, with their mufkets 
held over their heads, threw themfelves 
into the'river, and paffed it, wading up 
to their chins in water. This diplay 
of impetuous courage appears to have ap- 
pailed the enemy; they tock the head 
quarters of Beaulieu with about two 
thoufand men, and immente magazines. 
Among the prifoners, were the princes of 
Ulto and Colonne, in the fervice of the 
king of Naples; the troops of the re- 
public then proceeded to Verona. 
While the foldicrs of France are afto- 
nifhing Europe with the brilliancy of theit 
victories, and their extenfive triumphs, 
which reach frem the banks of the Rhme 
to the banks of the Po and the a 
. the 
