Count de Las Cases
Memorial de Sainte Hélène
London, 1823
My Residence with the Emperor Napoleon.
Volume 2, Part 4
page 1 – 26
[I shall here insert all that I have remaining of the chapters on the army of Italy, to avoid separating them too far from those which precede them. They are so interesting that I much regret my having no more of them. It will even be seen that the chapter on Leoben is incomplete ; it will however, be the more valuable, as I have reason to believe that it has not been preserved exactly in the same form ; it will be curious to compare the first dictation with the complete work.]
BATTLE OF THE TAGLIAMENTO*
From the passage of the Piave, March 13, 1797, to the entrance of the French Army into Germany, on the 28th of the same month.
I. Situation of Italy at the commencement of 1797.—The peace of Tolentino had re-established our relations with Rome. The court of Naples was satisfied with the moderation of the French, with respect to the Pope ; in which it saw a proof that, it was the intention of the republic not to interfere with its domestic affairs, or to give any support to the discontented. We were masters of the republic of Genoa ; the oligarchical party in that state had lost all credit. The Cispadan and Transpadan republics were animated with the best spirit ; they afforded us every kind of assistance. In Piedmont, the fortresses of Alessandria, Fenestrelles, Cherasco, Coni, and Tortona, were garrisoned by French troops. Suza, Labrunette, and Desmont had been demolished. Misery and discontent were at the highest pitch amongst the people. Insurrections against the court had been attempted in several provinces. The king of Sardinia had assembled his troops of the line to form an army to suppress these disturbances. The French General had, done every thing possible to maintain order and tranquillity in Piedmont ; he had often threatened to march his troops against the malcontents, but the communications were restored between France, Piedmont, and the Cispadan and Transpadan republics. The spirit which prevailed in these republics spread into Piedmont. The French officers and soldiers, animated with republican principles, propagated them throughout Italy. Circumstances were become such, that it was necessary, for the success of the French general’s plans, either to destroy the king of Sardinia, or to relieve him from all anxiety, and repress the disaffected. The French General conceived the idea of an offensive and defensive treaty with the court of Sardinia : it was signed by General C1arke and the Marquis of Saint Marsan. The republic guaranteed the king’s crown ; the King declared war against Austria, and furnished a contingent of 10,000 men, and twenty pieces of cannon to the French army. This treaty was of great importance to the execution of the grand plan of the General-in-chief. His army was thus reinforced, and he had hostages with him who secured Piedmont to him during his absence from Italy. But the Directory did not feel the importance of this treaty, and constantly adjourned its ratification. The publicity of the treaty, however, renewed the king’s credit, and discouraged the malevolent. The state of Venice alone excited alarm. Brescia, Bergamo, the Polesine, and part of the Vicentine and Paduan, were perfectly well disposed to the French cause, but the Austrian party which was that of the Venetian senate, had at its disposal the greater part of the Veronese, and twelve or 15,000 Sclavonians who were in Venice. Every scheme that Napoleon could think of for smoothing the difficulties having failed, he was compelled to proceed, and to content himself with occupying the fortress of Verona, and having a corps of reserve, to watch the Venetian country, and secure his rear. In the following chapter will be seen the reasons which prevented him from putting an end to the troubles of this republic previously to entering Germany.
II. The Emperor of Germany refuses to acknowledge the French republic, or enter into negotiations. The French General prepares to force him to do so.—Both before and after the taking of Mantua, several pacific overtures had been made to the court of Vienna : they all proved fruitless. General Clarke had been sent from Paris with a letter from the directory to the Emperor of Germany, and full powers to negotiate and conclude the preliminaries of peace. A conference had taken place at Vicenza, before the battle of Rivoli, between Clarke and Baron Saint Vincent, the Emperor’s aide-de-camp. The latter said that his master did not acknowledge the French republic, and could not hear of making peace without the concurrence of his ally, that is to say, of England. After the taking of Mantua, Clarke made a second attempt. He repaired to Florence, and saw the Grand Duke ; he obtained the same answer. The French General being now free from all apprehensions with respect to Italy, resolved to drive the Austrians beyond the Julian Alps, to pursue them on the Drave and the Muer, to pass the Simmering, and to force the Emperor of Austria to sign peace at Vienna. The project was vast ; success appeared certain. The General-in-chief promised the French government to obtain peace in the course of the summer.
The army of Italy had never been so fine, so numerous, or in better condition. It was composed of eight divisions of infantry, and 6,000 cavalry ; and had 150 pieces of cannon well horsed. These troops were well clothed, shod, fed, and paid ; and consisted of veteran soldiers and excellent officers. They formed an army of 60,000 men, equal to any enterprize.
Since the taking of Mantua, the French army had directly menaced the hereditary states of the house of Austria ; its advanced posts being on the frontiers. The French armies of the Rhine and the Sambre and Meuse, which had their winter quarters on the left bank of the Rhine, was separated from the army of Italy by a distance of more than 100 leagues, by the states of the Germanic body. The army of Italy was distant about 180 leagues from Vienna, and the armies of the Rhine and the Sambre and Meuse more than 200 leagues. The army of Italy, therefore, attracted all the attention of the court of Vienna. Prince Charles who had obtained some successes on the Danube in the preceding campaigns was sent to the Piave with a reinforcement of 40,000 men, the best troops of the monarchy.
The Austrian engineers had been examining all the cols and heights of the Noric Alps, projecting intrenchments, and drawing up plans for fortifying Gradisca, Clagenfurt, and Tarvis. But these works could not be commenced until after the melting of the snow, which does not disappear in the Noric Alps before the end of March. It was, therefore, important to get the start of the enemy, before he could collect all his resources and intrench the gorges and difficult passes which were to be traversed. Napoleon resolved to be in Germany at the end of March.
III. Plan of campaign of the French army for marching on Vienna.—The Brenner is the most lofty summit of the Alps of the Tyrol ; it is the geographical division between Germany and Italy. The Inn, the Adda, and the Adige, rise in this elevated chain of mountains ; the Inn runs from southwest to north-east, for fifty leagues, in the Tyrol, at the back of the Brenner, towards the Danube, into which it falls, dividing Bavaria from Austria. The Adda, the sources of which are near those of the Inn, runs from north to south, and falls, after a course of eight leagues, into the lake of Como, on emerging from which it crosses Lombardy. The Adige, which has its source a few leagues from that of the Inn, runs from north to south for fifty leagues on the other declivity of the Brenner, enters Italy at Verona, whence it falls into the Adriatic, near the mouth of the Po. A great number of tributary streams ran into the different rivers, and form clefts between perpendicular rocks, into which it is impossible to penetrate without being master of the heights. It is the ruggedest and most difficult part of the Alps, as well as the most intersected and steepest.
There are only three great roads to Vienna from Italy : that of the Tyrol, that of Carinthia, and that of Carniola. The first crosses the upper chain of the Alps at the pass of the Brenner ; the second at the pass of the Noric Alps, between Ponteba and Tarvis ; the third at the pass of the Carniolan Alps, a few leagues from Laybach. According to the general law of the Alps, the pass of the Brenner is much more elevated than the pass of Tarvis ; and the latter, than that of Laybach.
The road of the Tyrol commences at Verona ; ascends the left bank of the Adige ; passes Trent, Bolzano, Brixen ; crosses the Brenner, 60 leagues from Verona ; meets the Inn at Inspruck nine leagues and a half farther on ; runs along, by the Inn to half way between Rattemberg and Kuftein, whence, in the course of 34 leagues and a half it reaches Salzburg ; from which place it runs 32 leagues, and passes Ens on the Danube, and thence runs 36 leagues to Vienna. This road, which bears the name of the Tyrolese road, runs, therefore, 171 leagues from Verona to Vienna.
The Carinthian road commences at Saint Daniele, crosses the chain of the Noric Alps, and enters Tarvis and Ponteba, in a course of 31 leagues ; 24 leagues and a half from thence it passes the Drave at Villach ; crosses Clagenfurt, the capital, of Carinthia, 8 leagues from Villach ; meets the Mur, which it follows to Jundeburg, 20 leagues and a half further, and goes on to Bruch, a distance of 12 leagues, in a serpentine direction. At Bruch the road leaves the Mur, and for 12 leagues ascends the Simmering, a mountain which divides the valley of the Danube from the valley of the Mur, and thence descends into the plain which leads to Vienna, a distance of only 20 leagues. It is, then, 97 leagues from the frontiers of Italy to Vienna ; or from Saint Daniele, 127 leagues.
The road of Carniola begins at Goritz, reaches Laybach at the distance of 27 leagues, passes the Save, the Alps, and descends on the Drave, which it passes at Marburg, 30 leagues and a half from Laybach ; thence it runs 4 leagues and a half to Ehrenhausen, where it meets the Mur ; it runs along that river for 26 leagues to Bruch, passing Gratz, the capital of Styria ; where it meets the Carinthian road ; it is therefore 103 leagues from Goritz to Vienna, by the road of Carniola.
The Tyrolese road is joined to the Carinthian road by six transverse communications : 1st. a little above Brixen, a road called Puthersthal turns to the right, ascends one of the tributary streams of the Adige, passes on to Lienz and Spital, and ends at Villach, 46 leagues and a half from Brixen ; 2dly. a road turns off from Salzburg which crosses Rastadt, meets the Puthersthal at Spital, and reaches Villach, 52 leagues from Salzburg ; 3dly. from the second cross-road, a road turns off, four leagues below Rastadt, which follows the Mur as far as Scheiffling, where it meets the Carinthian road ; it is about 16 leagues in length ; 4thly. a road from Lintz on the Danube, which passes the Ens near Rottenman, crosses high mountains, and descends on Judemburg ; 5thly. from Ens on the Danube a road ascends the Ens for about 20 leagues, and descends on Leoben for about 8 leagues ; 6thly. from the Danube by Saint Polten, there is a road to Bruch, which is about 24 leagues off.
The two roads of Carniola and Carinthia are united by three transverse roads : 1st. from Goritz, ascending the Isonzo for 10 leagues, you reach Caporetto, where is the road of Udine ; 6 leagues higher you meet with the Austrian Chuisa ; and finally, 5 leagues farther, with Tarvis, where this road joins that of Ponteba or Carinthia ; 2dly. another road goes from Laybach, crosses the Save and the Drave, and in the course of 171eagues reaches Clagenfurt ; but this road is very difficult for artillery ; 3dly. from Marburg, a road ascends the Drave, and in about 25 leagues reaches Clagenfurt, where it meets the Carinthian road ; beyond Clagenfurt and Marburg, these two roads of Carinthia and Carniola run on parallel to each other, about 20 leagues apart, and have no cross communication practicable for waggons.
Napoleon’s plan was to penetrate into Germany by the road of Carinthia, to cross Carniola and Styria, and reach the Simmering ; but Prince Charles had two armies, one in the Tyrol, and the other behind the Piave : it was therefore necessary to leave part of the army in observation against the army of the Tyrol. The French General preferred making the divisions of the Tyrol also act on the offensive, bringing them on to Brixen, and directing them on Clagenfurt by the Puthersthal road, whilst the principal corps of the army should advance on the Piave, cross the Tagliamento, debouch by the road of Carinthia on the Drave and Villach, where it would be joined by its wing of the Tyrol ; and then the whole army would march in junction on the Simmering.
Three divisions forming a total of 15,000 men, under the command of General Joubert, were destined for the operation of the Tyrol ; four under the command of the General-in-chief in person, amounting to 35,000 men, marched on the Tagliamento ; the 8th, which was partly composed of the troops which had marched on Rome, was intended to form a corps of observation against Venice, and to secure the tranquillity of our rear. The generals of division Baraguey D’Hilliers and Delmas commanded in the Tyrol under Joubert ; Generals Massena, Serrurier, Guyeux and Bernadotte, were at the head of the four divisions of infantry which marched on the Tagliamento ; General Dagua commanded the cavalry. The armies of the Rhine and of the Sambre and Meuse were to pass the Rhine and enter Germany, so as to arrive on the Lech and the Danube at the same time as the French army should reach the Simmering. The Piedmont division, 10,000 strong, had been reckoned upon, but the delay of the ratifications deprived the army of this important reinforcement.
IV. Passage of the Piave, March 13th. In the Tyrol, the whole of the month of February was passed in brisk skirmishes. The Austrians had appeared in force, and with great audacity, in that country. On the Piave, Prince Charles made several movements in order to take advantage of the separation of part of the French army which he supposed to be detached on Rome. General Guyeux thought himself menaced at Trevisa, and repassed the Brenta ; but Prince Charles, on receiving more accurate intelligence, and finding that the French General had advanced with only from four or five thousand men on Rome, halted. Nothing took place, but a few skirmishes. The French headquarters were fixed at Bassano in the beginning of March.
The following proclamation was inserted in the order of the day :
“ The taking of Mantua has just ended a campaign which has given you imperishable claims to the gratitude of your country.
“ You have been victorious in fourteen pitched battles, and seventy other actions ; you have made more than 100,000 prisoners, and taken from the enemy 500 pieces of field artillery, 2,000 heavy guns, and four pontoon trains.
“ The contributions laid on the countries which you have conquered, have fed, maintained and paid the army during the whole campaign ; besides which, you have sent thirty millions of francs to the ministry of finances for the relief of the public treasury.
“ You have enriched the Museum of Paris with more than 300 of the masterpieces of art of ancient and modern Italy, works for the production of which thirty centuries were requisite.
“ You have conquered for the republic the finest countries of Europe. The Lombard and Transpadan republics are indebted to you for their liberty ; the French flag now waves for the first time on the shores of the Adriatic, opposite ancient Macedon, and within 24 hours sail of her shores. The kings of Sardinia and Naples, the Pope ; and the Duke of Parma, have abandoned the coalition of our enemies, and sought our friendship ; you have driven the English from Leghorn, Genoa, and Corsica. But you have not yet finished ; important deeds are still destined for you ; it is in you that the nation reposes its dearest hopes ; you will continue to be worthy of them.
“ Out of so many enemies who combined to stifle the republic in its birth, the Emperor alone remains before us. This prince, basely stooping from the rank of a great power, has enlisted in the pay of the merchants of London ; he has no longer any will or policy but that of those perfidious islanders, who, being themselves strangers to the calamities of war, smile with satisfaction at the miseries of the continent.
“ The Executive Directory has spared nothing to obtain peace for Europe ; in the moderation of its proposals, no reliance on the strength of its armies was discoverable ; it had not calculated on your courage, but on humanity, and the wish to allow you to return to your families. At Vienna it was not listened to : there are no hopes of obtaining peace but by going to seek it in the heart of the heriditary states of the house of Austria. You will there find a brave people overwhelmed by the war which they have lately had to sustain against the Turks, and by that in which we are engaged. The inhabitants of Vienna and of the Austrian states are groaning under the blind despotism of their government ; there is not an individual amongst them who is not convinced that the gold of England has corrupted the Emperor’s ministers. You will respect their religion and manners ; you will protect their property ; you will carry liberty to the brave Hungarian nation.
“ The house of Austria, which has for three centuries continued to lose part of its power in each succeeding war ; which alienates its people, by depriving them of their privileges ; will find itself reduced, at the end of this sixth campaign (since it compels us to make it) to accept such peace as we may think proper to grant, and to take up permanently that place amongst secondary powers, which it already fills by accepting the wages and submitting to the will of England.
(Signed)
“ BONAPARTE.”
The army was speedily in motion. It was necessary to pass the Piave, which was defended by Prince Charles’s army, and to endeavour to gain the passes of Osopo and Ponteba before him. Massena, with his fine division, was selected for the accomplishment of this important object. He left Bassano, passed the Piave and the Tagliamento in the mountains, thus turning the whole of Prince Charles’s army. The latter detached a division to oppose this manoeuvre. Massena defeated and pursued it with great slaughter, taking many prisoners and some pieces of cannon. Amongst these prisoners was General de Lusignan, who had insulted the sick French, his countrymen, in the hospitals of Brescia, during the ephemeral success of Wurmser. Massena made himself master of Feltre, Cadore, and Belluno, driving the routed Austrian division before him, without suffering any considerable loss.
On the 12th the General-in-chief proceeded to Azolo, with Serrurier’s division ; passed the Piave at break of day, marched on Conegliano, where were the Austrian head quarters, thus turning all the Austrian divisions which defended the lower Piave, and enabling General Guyeux to effect his passage at two o’clock in the afternoon at Ospadeletto. The river is pretty deep there, and might have required a bridge, but good will supplied the place of one. A drummer was the only person in danger, but was saved by a suttler’s wife, who rescued him by swimming : the General-in-chief rewarded her by putting a gold chain round her neck. On the 12th the French General reached Conegliano, with the divisions of Serrurier and Guyeux. Bernadotte’s division joined on the following day.
Prince Charles had chosen the plains of the Tagliamento for the field of battle, thinking them advantageous for the movements of his cavalry. His rear guard attempted to maintain itself at Sacile, but was beaten by General Guyeux, who entered that place on the 13th.
V. Battle of the Tagliamento, 16th March. On the 16th, at 9 in the morning, the two armies confronted each other ; the French on the right and the Austrians on the left bank of the Tagliamento. The divisions of Guyeux, Serrurier, and Bernadotte, formed the left of the centre, and the right was before Valvasona, with head-quarters. Prince Charles, with nearly equal forces, was posted in a similar manner, opposite the French, on the right bank. By this position he did not cover the road of Ponteba. The remains of the division opposed to Massena were now unable to arrest his progress. Yet Ponteba was the shortest way to Vienna, and the natural direction for covering that capital. This conduct on the part of Prince Charles could only be explained by supposing that he was not yet well acquainted with the new ground on which he was about to operate, and which had never been the theatre of war in modern times ; or that he did not believe the French General bold enough to advance on Vienna ; and had no anxiety but for Trieste, the centre of the naval establishments of Austria ; or, finally, that his positions were not definitively taken, and that being covered by the Tagliamento, he hoped to gain a few days to allow a division of grenadiers, who had already reached Clagenfurth, to arrive and reinforce the division opposed to Massena.
The cannonade commenced on the two banks. The light cavalry made several charges on the sands of the torrent. The General in Chief seeing the enemy too well prepared, made his men pile their arms, and form the bivouacs. The Austrian General was deceived ; he thought the French army, which had marched all night, was taking up a position ; he fell back, and returned to his bivouacs. But two hours afterwards, when all was quiet in both camps, the French suddenly resumed their arms, and Duphot, at the head of the 27th light demi-brigade, forming Guyeux’s vanguard, and Murat, at the head of the 15th light demibrigade, leading Bernadotte’s vanguard, each sustained by their divisions, each brigade forming a line, and these lines supported by Serrurier, marching in the rear, in reserve, rushed into the river. The enemy had run to arms ; but all our troops had passed the river in the finest order, and were drawn up in line of battle on the left bank. The fire of cannon and musketry became general. At the first report of cannon Massena effected his passage at Saint Daniele ; he met with little resistance, and took Osopo, that key of the road of Ponteba, which the enemy had committed the error of neglecting. He thenceforth cut the Austrian army off from that road, separated the division opposed to him from the Austrian army, and pursued it to the bridge of Carasola ; constantly driving it towards Carinthia. Prince Charles despaired of victory. After several hours fighting, and different charges of infantry and cavalry, he commenced his retreat, leaving us some cannon and prisoners.
VI. Prince Charles’s plan of retreat. Prince Charles could no longer retreat towards Ponteba, by the road of Saint Daniele and Osopo, which Massena held in his possession. He determined to regain that road at Tarvis, with the greater part of his army, by Udine, Cividale, Caporetto, and the Austrian Chiusa. He ordered one of his divisions to his left, by Palma-Nuova, Gradisca, and Laybach, to cover Carniola.
But Massena was only two days march from Tarvis ; and the Austrian army, by this new route, had five or six marches to make. Prince Charles, therefore, compromised his army ; he was sensible of it, and hastened, in person, to Clagenfurt, to press the march of a division of grenadiers which was there. Massena himself had, however, lost two days ; but having received orders to advance on Tarvis without hesitation, he there met with Prince Charles, with the wreck of the division which had been flying before him all the way from the Piave, and a fine division of Hungarian grenadiers.
The action was brisk and obstinate on both sides. Each felt the importance of success ; for if Massena should succeed in gaining possession of the debouche of Tarvis, the part of the Austrian army which Prince Charles had led into the vale of the Isonzo would be lost. Prince Charles ran the greatest personal risk, and was several times on the point of being taken by the French skirmishers. General Brune, who commanded a brigade of Massena’s division, displayed the greatest valour. Prince Charles’s troops were broken : he had made his very last reserves engage ; he could operate no retreat. The remains of his troops proceeded beyond the Drave, to rally there. Massena being master of Tarvis, established himself there, facing towards Villach and Goritz, and barring the debouchés of the Isonzo.
VII. Action of Gradisca. Taking of Laybach and Trieste : The day after the battle of the Tagliamento, the head quarters were moved to Palma-Nuova, a fortress belonging to the Venetians. Prince Charles had caused it to be occupied, and had established his magazines there ; but judging that he should be obliged to leave five or six thousand men to guard it, his garrison guns not having arrived, he resolved to evacuate it. We immediately fortified it, and secured it from a coup de main. On the following day, the 19th, we marched on the Isonzo.
General Bernadotte appeared before Gradisca, to pass the Isonzo there. He found the town shut, and was received with discharges of cannon. It was wished to parley with the commandant of the place, who refused. Napoleon then set out with Serrurier’s division, took the road of Montefalcone, and marched as far as the point where the left bank of the river no longer commands the right. He was obliged to lose time in constructing a bridge ; Colonel Andreossi, the director of bridges, was the first to throw himself into the river, to sound its, depth ; the columns followed his example, and passed, up to the middle in water, under the feeble fire of two battalions of Croats, who were soon put to flight. It was one o’clock in the afternoon ; the troops turned to the left, and ascended the heights, traversing them as far as Gradisca, which they reached at five in the evening. Thus the place was surrounded and commanded. Serruriez’s division had marched with the greater rapidity, because the firing of musketry was brisk on the right bank, where Bernadotte was already engaged. This General had had the imprudence to attempt to carry the place by assault : he had been repulsed, and had, unnecessarily, lost four or five hundred men. This excessive ardour was excused by the desire the troops of the Sambre and Meuse had to signalize themselves, and by the noble emulation of reaching Gradisca before the old troops of Italy. When the Governor of Gradisca saw the Isonzo passed, and the heights covered with troops, he capitulated, and surrendered prisoner of war, with several regiments and many pieces of cannon. The head-quarters were removed on the following day to Goritz. Bernadotte’s division was directed on Laybach. General Dugua, with 1000 cavalry, took possession of Trieste. Serrurier’s division, from Goritz, reascended the Isonzo, to support General Guyeux, and to regain the road to Carinthia, at Talvis. General Guyeux had marched from the field of battle of the Tagliamento, towards Udine and Cividal, and had entered the road of the Isonzo at Caporetto. He had had serious actions every day with Prince Charles’s principal corps, which had taken the same road to reach Tarvis ; he had killed or made prisoners great numbers of his troops. The Austrian General had left a rear guard on the Venetian Chiusa, and had proceeded to Tarvis, hoping that Prince Charles still occupied that place. But Massena had been two days there. He was attacked in front by Massena, and in the rear by Guyeux. Not even the strong position of the Venetian Chiusa could resist the impetuous 4th of the line, who, with unparalleled rapidity climbed a mountain which commands the left of the Chiusa ; and thus turning this important post, left the enemy no resource but to lay down their arms. All their baggage, artillery stores, and colours were taken. Only 5000 prisoners were made, 10,000 having been killed or wounded in different engagements. Since the battle of the Tagliamento, 10,000 soldiers, inhabitants of Carniola or Croatia, seeing that all was lost, disbanded themselves in the passes, and sought their own villages one by one.
Head quarters were transferred successively to Caporetto, Tarvis, Villach, and Clagenfurt.
VIII. Entrance into Germany. Passage of the Drave. Taking of Clagenfurt, March 20th.—The province of Goritz, which is the first of the hereditary states of the house of Austria, borders on Italy. The inhabitants speak Italian. This province was organized without delay ; the old castle of Goritz was fortified and garrisoned : a provisional government was composed of the seven most considerable persons, who were entrusted with the administration of the country. All measures were taken to tranquillize the minds of the inhabitants, and to alleviate the burthen unavoidably imposed on them by the garrison.
Similar measures were taken at Trieste, for Istria. All English merchandize was confiscated ; the old castle was repaired, to serve as a refuge for the little garrison which it was intended to leave there. The inhabitants were very favourably disposed towards the French.
Laybach is the capital of Carniola : a provisional government was established there on the same principles as at Goritz and Trieste. This city was put in a state of defence : it had a wall with bastions of very ancient design. The houses on the ramparts were destroyed.
In these countries situate near the Alps, the weather was still cold. The inhabitants, who had at first been terrified, had every reason to be satisfied with the French army, nor had the latter any cause of complaint against these people.
The inhabitants of the circle of Villach appeared amicably disposed towards the French ; they supplied every thing necessary for the army with great readiness. We were in Germany ; manners there were different ; our soldiers had great reason to be pleased with the characteristic hospitality of the Germans. They procured a great quantity of horses and wagons, with greater ease than in Italy ; and these were of great service.
The town of Clagenfurt, the capital of Carinthia, was also put in a state of defence ; and a provisional government was organized there also. This town has a wall with bastions, but it had been neglected for centuries, and was of no use but for the police of the city. The houses which covered the ramparts being pulled down, these fortifications became a point of appui for the army.
General Dugua, at Trieste, confiscated all the stores belonging to the English or Austrians ; they were considerable, and of all descriptions. Possession was likewise taken of the mines of Idria : quicksilver to the value of several millions of francs was found there, which was forthwith dispatched to Palma-Nuova.
On entering into Carinthia the following proclamation had been published :
“ The French army does not come into your country to conquer it, or to enforce any alteration in your religion, manners, or customs. It is the friend of all nations, and particularly of the brave people of Germany.
“ The Executive Directory of the French Republic has spared no endeavour to put an end to the calamities which afflict the continent ; it had determined to make the first advance, and to send General Clarke to Vienna, as a Plenipotentiary, to Commence negociatiations for peace. But the court of Vienna refused to listen to it ; and even declared, at Vicenza, through the medium of M. de St. Vincent, that it did not acknowledge the French Republic. General Clarke demanded a passport, in order to address himself to the Emperor in person ; but the ministers of the court of Vienna were justly apprehensive, that the moderation of the proposals he was instructed to offer might determine the Emperor to make peace. Those ministers, corrupted by English gold, betray Germany and their prince, and have no other will than that of those treacherous islanders whom all Europe abhors.
“ Inhabitants of Carinthia, I know that you detest, as much as we do, both the English, who are the only gainers by the present war, and your ministry which is sold to them. If we have been six years at war, it has been against the will of the brave Hungarians, of the enlightened citizens of Vienna, and of the honest unsophisticated inhabitants of Carinthia.
“ Well ! in spite of England and of the ministers of the court of Vienna, let us be friends. The French Republic has the rights of conquest over you ; let them be annulled by a contract of mutual obligation. You will not interfere in a war carried on contrary to your inclinations. You will furnish the provisions of which we may stand in need. On my side, I will protect your religion, manners, and property ; I shall require no contribution of you ; is not war in itself sufficiently horrible ? Have you not suffered enough already, innocent victims of the folly of others ? All the taxes you are accustomed to pay the Emperor, will serve to indemnify you for the damage inseparable from the march of an army, and to pay for the provisions you may furnish us with.”
IX. Affairs of the Tyrol.—Immediately after the battle of the Tagliamento, the French General sent orders to General Joubert to attack the army opposed to him, to take possession of all the Italian Tyrol, to execute boldly the march which he had prescribed to him, and to penetrate into Carinthia by the Pusthersthal.
General Joubert commenced his operations on the 28th of March, passed the Avisio, defeated the enemy, took several thousand prisoners, passed the Adige, defeated the enemy at Tramin, took Bolzano, engaged again at Clausen, forced the passes of Inspruck on the 28th, repulsed the Austrian troops beyond the Brenner, and directed his march into Carinthia, after having caused the enemy great loss, and taken 7 or 8,000 of his men. General Joubert shewed much talent, constancy, and activity, in the conduct of this difficult operation. Generals Delmas, Baraguey d’Hilliers, and Dumas, distinguished themselves. The troops evinced the greatest intrepidity.
X. Recapitulation.—Thus, in seventeen days, the two armies of Prince Charles had been defeated. The enemy, repulsed beyond the Brenner, had evacuated the Tyrol, after having suffered very considerable losses. Austria had lost Palma-Nuova, a very strong fortress, as well as Trieste and Fiume, the only ports of the Austrian monarchy ; the province of Goritz, Istria, Carniola, and Carinthia were conquered ; the Save, the Drave, and the Noric Alps had been passed. The army was now only sixty leagues from Vienna. It entertained well founded hopes of arriving there before the end of May.
The Austrian army, disheartened and ruined, could no longer contend with the French army which had not suffered any material loss, and whose resolution and consciousness of superiority were inexpressibly great.
* All the words in Italics are corrections made in the original MSS. by Napoleon’s own hand.