4803.] 
the mountains, and the incessant fire of 
the French, rendered abortive this act of 
‘desperate valour. The Russians were 
repulsed with loss, but for six hours they 
renewed the assault ; and though beaten 
‘back each time, yet each time they pushed 
on with redoubled force and intrepidity. 
Rosenberg, Derfelden, and Bagration, 
after prodigies: of . valour, and great 
slaughter of their men, were obliged to 
lead back their troops. But again, after 
an hour’s breathing, they renewed the 
charge at four o’clock, and ascended the 
mountain on their hands and knees, un- . 
der a fire that swept like the lava of 
Etna. Victory now hovered over the 
Russians: General Melas with his fresh 
battalions arrived to their support, and 
after a desperate conflict the heights were 
taken, the French driven from their 
posts, and rolling down the declivities in 
heaps of wounded and dying, covered 
the}plain beneath with bleod and carnage. 
Eight thousand republicans were killed, 
and four thousand made prisoners. ‘The 
allies also paid dear for the victory, hav- 
ing lost seven thousand of their bravest 
‘troops. 
Italy being cleared of the enemy, it 
was thought ‘expedient that the Russians, 
by whom s0 hard fought a service was 
done, should carry their conquering arms 
into Switzerland’: and there reap new 
laurels for themselves, and safety for the 
inhabitants. Basration received this 
‘news with rapture. On reading the or- 
ders, he turned to one of his aid-de- 
eamps, and said, “ My long wish will 
now be gratified; I shall see the brave 
descendants of the brother heroes of the 
glorious William Tell. May the liberty 
ef this virtuous people be as immortal as 
the memory of that heroic man !” 
Generals Massena and Jourdan com- 
manded the French troops in Switzer- 
Jand.. Soon the gallant Bagration, who 
was attached to the division of General 
KKorsakoff, had an opportunity to pay the 
homage of his heart in the chapel of his 
Swiss hero, to shed his blood on the spot 
where Tell’s had flowed, and to support, 
‘the Archduke Charles before the tow- 
ers of Zurich. The day after he joined 
his Imperial Highness, the whole of the 
Russian army entered! Switzerland, and 
doubly strengthened the hands of that 
brave Austrian commander. Indeed, 
great and momentous to all Europe, 
nay, to the world at laree, might have 
been the effects of that union of heroes, 
had the plans of those generals, rati- 
hed by the cabinets of London and Pe- 
Memoirs of Prince Peter Tvonitch Bagration. 
525 
tersburgh, been followed: but the inex- 
plicable and destructive policy of the 
court of Vienna manacled the motions 
of the Archduke, and ruined all. 
Korsakoff seemed paralyzed by the 
sudden immobility of the Austrians. 
Hie was surprized by the French, and, in- 
capable of extricating himself From sud 
den dangers, led the unfortunate Rus- 
sians under hiscommand into deeper pe- 
ril and disaster. Bagration stemmed the 
torrent in vain; at length, seeing their 
situation. desperate, with an heroism 
which struck his enemies with awe, he 
cut his way through witha handful of men, 
several thousand French, and appeared 
before Marshal Suworoff, covered with 
wounds and with glory. 
It was no inconsiderable vexation te 
this unconquered veteran, to lose, by the 
misconduct of others, an opportunity of 
crowning his labours with new wreaths, 
and of rescuing Switzerland from the 
grasp of France.- Too tenacious of a 
soldier’s fame to measure back his steps, 
he resolved to carry St. Gothard, and to 
pass. by the vallies of Mutten and Clon- 
thal, into the canton of Glarus, and there 
join 'Cnets) Lincken. 
On the 24th of September the army 
halted before St. Gothard. Its formi- 
dable bridge, called le pont du diable, is 
the terror of all who cross it, and was the 
particular scene of Bagration’s bravery. 
‘Thoughhardly recover ed from his wounds, 
he yet pressed forward with the first, to 
mount this fearful precipice. On sioht 
of the mountain, all was hope and en- 
thusiasm among the troops. They: en- 
countered and attacked the enemy’s out~ 
posts about a mile from Airolo. Gene- 
ral Lecourbe made an obstinate resist-— 
ance, ‘The possession of this advantage- 
ous defile had. been one of his most cele- 
brated achievements; and on the very 
spot where his fame rose, he saw it likely 
to be blasted. Suworoff advanced. He 
looked around him with a steady eye, 
and raising his hand solemnly to heaven, 
exclaimed, in the hearing of his brave 
fellows— By the great God of Battles f 
swear, that if I do not conquer the 
Trench thisday, on’ this spot, for ever af- 
ter to bury myself, a hermit, within the 
deepest caverns of these mountains” 
The Russians, inflamed with religious 
zeal, at these. words set up a terrible - 
shout: and Bagration, knowing that the 
Marshdl would keep ‘his oath, charged 
with redoubled violence upon ee ence 
my. The bridge was firmly disputed; 
but at length he c| boi the way for his 
eager 
