524 
colonel under Louis XVI. had so pre- 
served his honour unsullied from the 
cruelty or avidity of the republican ge- 
nerals, as to go by the name of the virgin 
of the army. Y 
The Milanese being entirely in the 
possession of the combined armies, the 
best dispositions were made to surround 
theenemy. Conformably with this plan, 
Marshal Suworoff determined to attack 
both the Frenclr flanks at the same in- 
stant. Moreau sustained the shock with 
impregnable firmness, and overthrowing 
the advanced posts of the imperialists, 
drove them by Marengo towards St. Ju- 
liano.- Prince Bagration, who was 
marching from Novi with five Russian 
battalions towards the Po, came up with 
the flying Austrians, and rallying them, 
did not hesitate to stand the brunt of a 
pursuing enemy. He formed the unit- 
ed corps into’ two lines, faced the 
and under a burst of Inspiring martial” 
music, charged them with fixed bay- 
onets, and put them to the route. Tu- 
rin, Carmagnola, Pignerol, Suza, Fer- 
rara and Ravenna, opened their gates 
to the conquerors; and thus did the brave 
Russians, in one week, carry their arms 
from the Scrivia to the Stura and the 
Dora, nay to the very frontiers of France ! 
General Macdonald 
from ‘South Italy to reinforce Moreau, 
hoping that, with their united armies, 
they might recover the Milanese, and 
drive the allies back.. Suworoff fore- 
saw this, and knowing how to accom- 
modate his measures to the circumstan- 
ces around him, he anticipated Mac- 
donald, and came up with him near 
Placentia. It was night when the 
Marshal arrived, and granting his‘treops 
only a few hours repose, he formed 
them in order of battle. They were 
drawn up in three columns, Prince Ba- 
gration leading the vanguard. The con- 
flict was long and obstinate; but Mac- 
donald was beaten and wounded. En- 
raged at this discomfiture, at the very 
first movement he made towards the 
fulfilment of his mighty design, he re- 
solved to take a speedy revenge. He 
was at the head of at least thirty thou- 
sand men, and the allies had no more. 
Eis line lay behind the Trehia, which di- 
vided him from the victers, now doubly 
fatigued by conquest and the preceding 
forced march. Aware of this advantage, 
the republicans advanced suddenly across 
the river and pushed back the Russian’ 
out-posts. The whole of the French 
army passed over, ‘and opened a heavy 
now advanced. 
Memoirs of Prince Peter Ivonitch Bagration. [July 1, 
fire on the allies; attempting by a strong 
effort to turn their flanks. After a 
short but vigorous contest, the right was 
nearly overpowered, when Prince Ba- 
gration, seeing its danger, came up, on 
flanked in turn the hostile column, fell 
upon it with an impetuous charge, dis- 
persed it on all sides, took its cannon, 
aud many prisoners, amonyst whom were 
four general officers. Macdonald, routed 
in all. quarters, was obliged to sound a 
hasty retreat, and once more leave the 
held to his conquerors, . 
The retiring of Macdonald into Tus- 
cany, the retreat of Moreau into the de- 
files of the Appennines ; and the re-union 
of Marshal Suworoff with General Bel- 
legarde upon the banks of the Bormida, 
changed the war of battles into that of 
blockades and of sieges. The advantages 
which Suworoff expected’ from these 
successes, were the conquest of Tuscany, 
and the capture of Alessandria, Tortona, 
and Mantua. These plans being ardent- 
ly seconded by Bagration, and the other 
gencrals under his command, were ef- 
fected and the field-marshal had the sa- 
tisfaction to receive the keys of the three 
cities.’ Meanwhile the grand-duke of 
Tuscany and his subjects, rising upon the. 
republicans, Macdonald was obliged to 
evacuate the country, confessing that the 
French, had ruined.the inhabitants by 
their requisitions ; and, strange to tell, he 
offered them as a compensation for such 
robbery, the fruits of their pillage. But 
at any rate it was a great triumph on the 
part of suffering Italy, to be able to de- 
mand such restitution from the ravager. 
Prince Bagration, at the head of the 
vanguard of the principal army of the 
allies, gained ground on the Appennines, 
‘on the road to Genoa; and having pushed 
his advanced post to near Gavi, invested 
the fort of Serravalle; and by the vigour 
of his fire forced the garrison to surren- 
der. By gaining this castle, which stands 
on a high bank of the Scrivia, he com- 
manded the whole valley, to which this 
fortress is the key. The acquisition of 
so imporant a post in the mountains, 
determined Suworof to watch Moreau 
and his colleague Joubert, from Novi, 
where he fixed his-head quarters. Soon 
after this disposition, the terrible battle 
of Novitook place. The French were 
drawn up to great advantage on the 
heights; but Suworoff, unaccustomed to 
temporize, and knowing how to find in 
danger an opportunity for victory, at 
nine o’clock m the morning attacked 
them in front. ‘ The extreme acclivity i. 
i the. 
