Alison's History of Europe [pp. 281-296]

Aliso?n's History of Europe.
in his rear the reserve, composed of Hungarian
grenadiers. Napoleon, on his part, had resolved
to abandon the great road to Tortona, and effect
his retreat by the shorter line of Sale or Castel
Nuovo.
" Matters were in this desperate state, when at
four o'clock the main body of Desaix at length
made its appearance at St. Juliano.'What think
you of the day?' said Napoleon to his lieutenant,
when he arrived with his division.'The battle,'
said Desaix,'is completely lost. But it is only
four o'clock; there is time to gain another one.'
Napoleon and he alone were of this opinion; all
the others counselled a retreat. In pursuance of
this resolution, the remains of Victor and Lannes'
corps were reformed, under cover of the cavalry,
which was massed in front of St. Juliano, a masked
battery prepared under the direction of Marmont,
and Desaix advanced at the head of his corps, consisting of little more than four thousand men, to
arrest the progress of the enemy. Napoleon, advancing to the front, rode along the line, exclaiming,' Soldiers! we have retired far enough. You
know it is always my custom to sleep on the field
of battle.' The troops replied by enthusiastic
shouts, and immediately advanced to the charge.
Zach, little anticipating such an onset, was advancingp at the head of his column, five thousand strong,
when he was received by a discharge from twelve
pieces, suddenly unmasked by Marmont, while at
the same time Desaix debouched from the village
at the head of his division. The Imperialists, astonished at the appearance of so considerable a
body, where they expected to find only fugitives in
disorder, and apprehensive of falling into a snare,
praused and fell back; but Zach soon succeeded in
restoring order in the front, and checked the advance of the enemy. At this moment Desaix was
struck by a ball in the breast, and soon after expired. His last words were,' Tell the First Consul
that my only regret in dying is to have perished
before having done enough to live in the recollection of posterity.' This catastrophe, however, was
fir from weakening the ardor of his soldiers. The
second in command, Boudet, succeeded in inspiring
ttiem with the desire of vengeance, and the fire
rolled rapidly and sharply along the whole line.
But the Imperialists had now recovered from their
surprise; the Hungarian grenadiers advanced to
the charge; the French, in their turn, hesitated
and broke, and victory was more doubtful than ever.
"'At this critical moment, a happy inspiration
seized Kellerman, which decided the fate of the
day. The advance of Zach's column had, without
their being aware of it, brought their flank right
before his mass of cavalry, eight hundred strong,
which was concealed from their view by a vineyard,
where the festoons, conducted from tree to tree,
rose above the horses' heads, and effectually intercepted the sight. Kellerman instantly charged,
with his whole force, upon the flank of the Auis trians, as they advanced in open column, and the
result must be given in his own words. Zach's
grenadiers, cut through the middle by this unex pected charge, and exposed to a murderous fire in
front from Desaix's division, which had rallied
upon recei ving this unexpected aid, brok e and fled.
Zach himself, with two thousand men, were made
prisoners; the remainder, routed and dispersed,
fled in the utmost disorder to the rear, overthrow ing in their course the other divisions which were
advancing to their support.
" This great achievement was decisive of the
fate of the battle. The remains of Victor and
Lannes' corps no sooner beheld this success than
they regained their former spirit, and turned fiercely upon their pursuers. The infantry of Kaim,
overwhelmed by the tide of fugitives, gave way;
the cavalry, which already inundated the field, was
seized with a sudden panic, and, instead of striving
to restore the day, galloped off to the rear, trampling down in their progress the unfortunate fugitives who were flying, before them. A general cry
arose,' To the bridges! to the bridges!' and the
whole army disbanding, rushed in confusion towards
the Bormida. In the general consternation Mareng,o was carried, after a gallant defence, by the
Republicans; the cannoniers, finding the bridges
choaked up by the fu(gitives, plunged with their
horses and guns into the stream, where twenty
pieces stuck fast and fell into the hands of the enemy. At length Melas, who hastened to the spot,
rallied the rear guard in front of the bridges, and
by its heroic resistance gained time for the army
to pass the river; the troops, regaining their ranks,
reformed upon the ground they had occupied at
the commencement of the day; and after twelve
hours' incessant fighting, the sun set upon this field
of carnage.
" Such was the memorable battle of Marengo;
one of the most obstinately contested which had
yet occurred during the war, in which both parties
performed prodigies of valor, and which was attended with greater results, perhaps, than any conflict that had yet occurred in modern Europe. The
Imperialists had to lament the loss of seven thousand men killed and wounded, besides three thousand prisoners, eight standards, and twenty pieces
of cannon. The French sustained an equal loss of
killed and wounded, besides one thousand prisoners
takien in the early part of the dayt. But, although
the disproportion was not so great in the trophies of
victory, the difference was prodigious ill the effect
it produced on the respective armies and the utimate issue of the campaign. The Austrians had
fo~ught for life or death, with their faces towards
Vienna, to cut their nay, sword in hand, through
the F~renchl armny. Defeat in these circumstances,
was irreparable ruin. By retiring either to Genoa
or the Maritime Alps, they ran the: risk of being
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