REVIEW OF THE EVENTS OF THE WAR OF 1799. 179

the contest was warm and obstinate, and the result long doubtful; but victory finally declared for the Austrians. Jourdan was compelled to retire from Germany; and the directory dismissed him from the army, and appointed Massena generalissimo of the whole forces of the republic on that frontier. Massena, with the army originally under his command, had advanced into the country of the Grissons, but in consequence of the retreat of Jourdan, was obliged to return to the left bank of the Rhine.

The forces of the republic in Italy consisted of about eighty thousand French, and fifty thousand Poles, Swiss and Italians. They, were divided into two armies, one called the army of Italy, of about ninety thousand men, occupying Genoa, Piedmont, Milan, &c. commanded by Moreau; the other called the army of Naples, consisted of about forty thousand men, under the command of Macdonald, occupied the conquered parts of the territory of Naples and Rome. The allied troops in Italy were commanded by the celebrated Russian general Suwarrow. After various skilful movements, Moreau and Macdonald, attempting to form a junction, and Suwarrow, to defeat their schemes and compel them to an engagement before they could unite, a succession of actions were fought between Macdonald and Suwarrow, on the banks of the Trebia. After three days obstinate fighting, the French being considerably inferior in numbers, were defeated; and Macdonald being compelled to retreat, made great efforts to join Moreau, which he accomplished in the neighbourhood of Genoa, in the month of July. The united armies amounted to only about fifty thousand men. In the south, the republicans were equally disastrous. Cardinal Ruffo, aided by Nelson, re-conquered Naples and restored the king of the two Sicilies. The territories of Rome were also recovered; Nelson having sent capt. Trowbridge there with a small armament, the inhabitants rallied and compelled the republicans to evacuate the papal dominions.

In August, Moreau was removed to the command of

180 OPERATIONS IN ITALY-DEFEAT of the FRENCH.

the army of the Rhine, and Joubert appointed to the command of the French forces in Italy. The confederates were at this time besieging Tortola, the last fortress possessed by the French in Piedmont. Joubert, desirous to relieve Tortola, and ascertaining that the Russian general would soon be reinforced by twenty thousand men, then on their march, determined to give him battle before the reinforcement should arrive. On the 15th of August, the republican general drew up his forces on the hills behind the town of Novi; and although his position was a strong one, Suwarrow marched to engage him the next morning at 5 o'clock. The French received the attack of the Imperialists with great firmness and intrepidity; three times they repulsed the assailants; at noon they felt confident of victory; but the enemy being reinforced with sixteen battalions of Austrians, which made such an impression on the right flank of the French, as threw them into confusion, and Joubert, in attempting to rally his men was mortally wounded. The fall of the republican commander decided the action, and that of the campaign. The French were greatly inferior in numbers to the allied troops. Piedmont was entirely recovered, and of all the conquests of Bonaparte in Italy, there remained now only the small territory of Genoa.

The success of the armies of the combined powers in Italy, enabled them to extend and invigorate their efforts against Massena, who was driven from the grissons; and the Austrians crossed the Rhine, drove the French from the strong position at St. Gothard, established themselves in Switzerland, and opened a line of communication With their forces and posts in Italy.

General Korsakaw, with a large body of Russians arrived in Switzerland, and took the command of the confederates, the arch-duke Charles, with a considerable force, having gone to oppose the French, upon the upper Rhine, who had made an incursion into the empire under Moreau. After various movements and several sharp conflicts, an obstinate battle took place at Zurich, in which the Russians, although they

EVENTS OF THE WAR DURING THE YEAR 1799. 181

fought with all the ferocity and courage of northern bears, were completely defeated. Soon after, Suwarrow arrived in Switzerland; but was greatly disappointed at the defeat and retreat of Korsakaw, and chagrined at not receiving the co-operation from the Austrians, which he expected. He was obliged to act on the defence, and after various conflicts compelled to retreat across the Rhine.

.. General Champoinnet, was appointed to the command of the republican troops in Italy, which were reduced to about 25,000 men. He exerted himself in a skillful manner to maintain Genoa, against the Austrian forces commanded by general Melas, aided by the active co-operation of the British by sea. After various operations and several actions, the French general, having sustained a loss of more than 8000 men, was compelled to retreat; and the city of Genoa, invested by land, and by sea, after a most determined defence by Massena, being assailed by famine within, as well as by numerous forces from without, capitulated upon honourable terms.

The Russian general Suwarrow, having withdrawn with his army, left the arch-duke Charles, in a critical situation, and enabled Massena to obtain considerable advantages on the Rhine. The last of these events took place during the winter, and early in the spring following Bonaparte's consulship, but before he had been able to reinforce the armies.

Such was the state of the war, and the continental relations of the republic at the close of the year 1799, when Bonaparte became first consul, and in the spring of 1800. With the exception of the army under Massena, the republican forces had every where been unfortunate; and not only most of its extensive conquests had been lost, but the terror of the republican arms, had almost entirely subsided. It was found that the French were not invincible,; it was Bonaparte alone that made them so.

The condition of France, when the consular gov.

182

PROCLAMATION OF THE FIRST CONSUL.

ernment was established, and Bonaparte invested with the supreme executive authority, was inauspicious and critical; torn to pieces by factions within, and surrounded by enemies from without, their conquests and acquisitions lost, their armies defeated, and some destroyed, and their enemies become more numerous, and powerful, by the accession of the Emperor of Russia to the coalition. But the resources of the country, notwithstanding the great convulsions and sacrifices it had sustained, and the vast drains upon the population, the war had occasioned, were still immense, and Bonaparte knew how to develope and apply them. After the consular installation, which was attended with great pomp, and witnessed by an immense concourse of people, Bonaparte, on entering upon the administration of the government issued the following proclamation.

"LIBERTY!

EQUALITY!

"IN THE NAME OF THE French people. "The 4th Nivose, (25th of December, 1799,) 8th year of the French Republic, one and indivisible. "Bonaparte, first consul of the republic, to the French. "To render the republic dear to the citizens, respectable to foreigners, and formidable to the enemy, such are the duties which we have contracted by accepting the first magistracy.

"The citizens will always cherish the republic, if the laws and the acts of authority are constantly distinguished by order, by justice, and by moderation.

Without order, administration is but confusion; no revenue, no public credit, the resources of the state and private fortunes are lost.

"Without justice, there are nothing but factions, tyrants, and victims.

"Moderation stamps an august character upon goyernments and nations. It is always strong, and insures permanency to social institutions.

"The republic will be respected by foreigners if she respects their independence as well as her own; if her engagements, prepared by wisdom, and contracted with sincerity, are faithfully fulfilled.

HIS PACIFIC DISPOSITION.

183

"She will be formidable to the enemy, if her armies and her fleets are well disciplined and well commanded; if every soldier and every sailor lives as happy as in the bosom of his own family, with a constant succession of virtues and of glory; if every officer, instructed by a long application, is regularly promoted, as a reward for his talents and his services.

"On such principles depend the stability of government, the success of commerce and of agriculture; the greatness and prosperity of nations.

"According to such principles we shall be judged. "Frenchmen! we have told you our duties, it will be for you to tell us whether we have fulfilled them. (Signed) "BONAPARTE.

"By the first consul's command,

"BERNARD HUGUES MARET, Secretary of state." Although Bonaparte addressed the French people, yet knowing the prevalence of faction, and the disorganized state of society, it is evident he relied principally upon the army for the stability of the government, and the preservation of his power. Aware, how much the nation sighed for peace, the first consul commenced his administration, by a public avowal of his pacific intentions, and an attempt, at negotiation, whether sincere or not. As usual, in all wars there had been much cunning and craft made use of, by the hostile parties, each endeavouring to throw the blame of the continuance of the war upon the other. Bonaparte was sensible that the expression of a strong desire to terminate a war, which had occasioned such immense sacrifices, and an attempt to negotiate a peace, would be universally popular, and if not successful, would be the best expedient of reviving the spirit of the nation, and of restoring its energies for the prosecution of hostilities. Accordingly on the 31st of December he dispatched a messenger to Dover, with a letter from himself to the king of England, and the following note from Talleyrand to Lord Grenville, secretary for foreign affairs.