SO 
were not fufficiently large. Fhey were 
befides badly caparifoned, and the men 
imdifferently difciplined. At Bonaparte’s 
entrance into Italy, fome of the cavalry 
Beat that of the French, and killed their 
general, Stengel. 
Amoug the Piedmontefe are a fpccies 
of light troops, known centuries ago, by 
the name of Vandois or Barbets ; they are 
mountaineers, formed into companies. 
Aumongiithefe ba: bets, the mountaineers 
of the counties of Nice and Tendé, have 
diftinguifhed themielves, by their herote 
fidelity, courage, and wonderful fuccefs. 
It is impoflible to form an idea of the 
boldnefs of their enterp: izes, and the pro- 
digious injury they did the French 5 they 
alone have been able to overpower the 
walour of a formidable army. 
Since the peace of 1796, the Piedmon- 
tefe have ferved fucceflively with’ the 
French and Auftrians, and always with 
a degree of courage that procured them 
the elteem, and jealouly: of their allies. 
The Auftrians mult always regret that 
they were not willing to employ them for 
the defence of Italy in Piedmont. The 
peafantry had, to the number of 40,000, 
taken up arms, before the Autftrians en- 
tered Piedmont; thew enterprizes, and 
the formidable light in which they ap- 
peared to general Moreau, were one of 
the principal caules of his retreat. 
The Picdmontefe are by nature warlike, 
fond of dangers, pliant, ebedient, pati- 
ent, enured to fatigue, intelligent, and 
fuiceptible of great exaltation of courage, 
and ot implicit fubmiflion. 
whieh make the bett foldiers. 
The Neapolitan Army. 
The Marfi and the Daunians, fo re- 
nowned in the Roman armies, are with 
fome difficulty difcoverable ameng their 
defcendants, the foldiers of the prefent 
Weapoliianarmy. ‘Phe court bave taken 
great pains with the troops, but it went 
no farther than drefs and appearance ; 
the army was a fine one, but that was all; 
for the different regiments fwarmed with 
cowardly, treacherous, effeminate, and ig- 
noranticfticers. The Neapolitans appear- 
ea at Toulon, like foldiers on a theatre, 
in groupes, and ballets to fill up and or- 
nament the fcene. If pomp and parade 
hid been ali that was neceilary, they 
wou'd have borne away the palm. The 
infantry food a few difcharges of cannon 
and mufquetry at that place; and a few 
fguadro:s of cavalry were cut to pieces in 
Lombardy 3 the court looked upen the 
attacks, which the troops could not do 
lefs than receive, es fo many proofs of va- 
The Neapolitan Army. 
All qualities 
(Aug. J; 
Jour, and trophies of honour, inftead of 
afcertaining whether they had made any 
attacks on their part. 
We cannot help expreffing our aftenifh- 
ment at the condué& of General Mack, 
wheo he took on him the command of the 
Neapolitan army. We are yet to learn as 
fatisfa€torily, why be fhiould have under- 
taken, with fuch an army, a plan which 
-might have been excellent if executed by 
Auttrian troops, but which could by no 
means be fuited to Neapolitans. It is na 
excufe to fay that he was forced to it.— 
The Court of Naples had not certainly 
preicribed the plan, and the executicn of 
it too. ‘The Neapolitans ran away, and 
did not execute the General’s plans: he 
had no. right to be aftonifhed at this; it 
was what he expected, and he ought not 
to have expofed himfelf to the rifk : he 
fhould have acted like Fabius, inftead of. 
following the example of Varro. 
The example oi the Neapolitan troops 
is a firiking proof of the effect which bad 
officers produce on their foldiers. The 
inhabitants of Naples and the country 
places, without ~any other officers than 
thofe they gave themfelves, withftood the 
French in fuch a manner as to fave the naz 
tional honour, though it loudly condemns 
that of the Neapolitan officers. The 
Lazzaroni, who are confidered as the vileft 
race of beings, difplayed a degree of cou- 
rage and reliftance which would have pre- 
vented the French from poffeffing them- 
{clves of Naples, had it not been for the 
infamous treachery of Prince Moliterno, 
who delivered to the French the caftles 
which he had fworn to defend, and the 
ety, which they protected. 
What could not be effe&ted by General 
Mack and his troops, was eventually per- 
formed by a prieft, Cardinal Ruffo, with- 
out either foldiers or money, by the help 
of a number of peafants, who had aflem- 
bled together trom their hatred to the 
French, and were animated by their lead- 
cx. He poffcfied no military knowledge, 
but he poliefled that of the human heart: 
he availed himlelf of this knowledge with 
addrefs and covrage. He reftored the 
kingdom to his Sovereign, and national 
honour to the people. The Neapolitans, 
when they had got rid of their cowardly, 
treacherous, or weak officers, delivered 
their country. They would have defend- 
ed it, if their méans had been more regular 
and entire. ‘This example furnifhes an 
uleful leffon, in teaching us not to truft to 
appearances, or to fuppofe that we poflefs 
folaiers when we have only pretenders.— 
Courage is in the heart of all people: 
2 there 
