-4800. ] 
of the Ruffian troops. Nearly about the 
fame time, General Bernadotte at the 
head of an army of obfervation paffed the 
Rhine at Waldeck, invefted Philipfburg, 
and fummoned that fortrefs to furrender ; 
while General Ney fent a fimilar faummons 
to Manheim, which immediately opened 
its gates to him. 
Notwithttanding thefe proceedings, the 
French ambafladors at the Congrefs .of 
Radftadt had declared to the Deputatioa 
of the Empire, as well as to the Imperial 
Minitter, the Count de Lehrbach, that 
thele hoftile movements were undertaken 
with no other view, than to prevent the 
interference of the Court of Peterfburg, 
and accelerate a general peace. 
The Cabinet of Vienna being now cer- 
tain of the co-operation of the Ruffians, 
the Imperial army. under the command of 
the Archduke Charles croffed the Lech on 
the fourth of March; and a renewal of the | 
bloody war that has fo long defolated Eu- 
rope, fromthat moment became inevita- 
blest 44 
Fortune at firft feemed to declare in fa- 
vour of the French; for a body of troops 
belonging to that nation having” paffed 
through Schaffhaufen towards Suabia, 
an Auftrian General, after an ineffeCtual 
attempt to oppofe them, was defeated and* 
taken prifoner along with three thoufand 
of his men. They were alfo fuccefsful 
during a fhort périod in Italy, as the whole 
of fufcany was occupied by, their troops, 
and Florence, its capital, with all the ex- 
quifite works of art colleéted by the 
Princes of the houfe of Medicis, fell into 
their hands. 
A fatal reverfe, however, fpeedily en- 
fued. The Directory had not only ne- 
gic&ed the army of Italy, but even difor- 
ganifed it by the arreft of Championnet, 
the commander in chief, In confequence 
of thefe grofs overfights, General Kray on 
the fifth: of April came up with and beat 
the French in an engagement near Verona. 
On the fourteenth of the fame month, 
Field Marfhal Suwarrow arrived, with the 
firft column of the Ruffians, and from that 
moment the affairs of France took a new 
and difaftrous turn. 
Mirandola was the firft place that fur- 
rendered to the combined army, and Man- 
tua was foon after invefted by General 
Kray, to whom it furrendered after a dif- 
graceful refiftance. 
On the twenty fourth, the Auftro-Ruf- 
fian troops paffed the Oglio, and pufhed 
the French before them ; they then croffed 
the Adda, and Suwarrow, at the battle 
of Caffano, overcame. Moreau on the 
Monru_y Mac. No. 55. 
; \ ; 
State of Public Affairs in 1799, Se. 
73 
twenty-feventh: and fo decifive indeed 
waé the victory, that General Serruier and 
three thoufand men were taken prifoners, 
and Milan opened its gates to the conque- 
ror. Piedmont next became the theatre of 
hoftilities; and the French, notwithftand- 
ing the efforts of Moreau, Macdonald, and 
Joubert, foon beheld themfelves ftripped 
of their ftrong-holds, deprived of all their 
garrifons, and were obliged fucceffively 
to abandon the whole of Italy ; Genoa and 
a fall portion of the adjoining territory 
only excepted. 
On the fide of Switzerland, the affairs of 
the republicans at firft wore a lefs difaftrous 
afpect, Maffena having obtained {ome flight 
advantages. ‘Thefe, however, were foon 
counter- balanced by new events; that ge- 
neral being obliged to abandon Zurich, 
which was immediately occupied by the 
Auftrian troops under Hotze.: 
Unluckily for the allies, it was now de- 
termined, that Suwarrow, who had been 
hitherto uniformly victorious, — fhould 
changethe fcene of action, and, leaving the 
plains of Italy, penetrate into Switzer- 
land, whence he was to drive the French 
back on their own territories. / 
The Direétory, being-fully aware that 
fuch an event muft prove fatal to their 
caufe, inftantly reinforced their troops in 
that country, and made every preparation 
for a vigorous defence. Maffena at the 
fame time difplayed a confummate genius 
for military affairs, and evinced uncom- 
mon talents in all his enterprizes. Know- 
ing, that, if he permitted Suwarrow to ef- 
fect a junction with the troops already 
aéting againft him, he would be inevitably 
overpowered; he determined to attack 
the latter, and in a variety of aétions 
during four whole days continued to 
give complete overthrows to the Auftrian 
and Ruffian armies, many thoufands be- 
ing killed and taken prifoners; while the 
brave general who commanded them fell in 
the ficld of battle. 
On the arrival of Suwarrow, that ex- 
perienced commander found his plans fruf- 
trated, his allies difmayed, and his own 
army difpirited, by the rapid and fuccefs- 
ful movements of his more fortunate anta- 
gonift. In confequence of thefe difaf- 
trous events he was under the neceffity of. 
withdrawing into Germany, and daring 
his memorable retreat over mountains co- 
yered with fnow, and through roads nearly 
impaffible for a fingle battalion, he ex- 
perienced more lofs, but lefs difhonour, 
than would have enfued’after a fignal de- 
feat. 
In the mean time Great Britain did not 
fai} 
r 

