half-way between Albaredo and Villa Nova. The causeway from Ronco to Arcola strikes the Alpon at about a mile and a half from Ronco, and from that point runs close and parallel to the river to Arcola, a distance of two miles; it there turns suddenly at right angles over the stone bridge across the Alpon river, and runs by the left bank to Villa Nova.

Verona was defended by only 1500 men. Napoleon's design was to cross the Adige at Ronco, to direct one column on the road to Porcil, another to Arcola. He would thus prevent Alvinzi from attacking Verona, as the French left column would have been on the Austrian rear, while the head of the Austrian columns would have been stopped by the walls of Verona. Napoleon hoped by this plan not only to preserve Verona, but also, by crossing the bridge of Arcola and marching on Villa Nova, to take possession of the bridge at that place, which was Alvinzi's sole line of retreat; while if attacked by the Austrians on the causeways, their superiority of force would be of no avail, as all would depend on the bravery of the heads of the columns.

On the morning of the 15th, in execution of his plan, Massena was sent with one column along the lefthand causeway to Porcil, the other under Augereau to Arcola to pass the bridge. Augereau found the bridge defended by two Austrian battalions and some guns, posted there to guard the Austrian rear. These

extended along the river from Arcola to the left; the road by which the French must reach the bridge ran along their front only separated from them by the narrow stream; their fire consequently took the French columns in flank and disordered them. Augereau could not force the bridge. Alvinzi sent two columns, one against Massena, the other against Augereau. They were both repulsed; but all the efforts of Napoleon in person to carry the bridge of Arcola failed. General Guieux with a brigade had been ordered to cross the Adige at Albaredo and march up the left bank of the Alpon to take Arcola in reverse; but he was unable to accomplish this until four in the afternoon. The defenders of the village then retired; but the possession of the bridge of Arcola was no longer of the same importance to Napoleon, because Alvinzi, enlightened as to his danger, had already withdrawn his army from Caldiero across the bridge at Villa Nova, with all his parks and reserves, and it was no longer possible to cut off his retreat.

Notwithstanding the success of the French at Arcola, Napoleon's position was embarrassing. If Davidowich succeeded in forcing Joubert at Rivoli, he might march on Mantua, raise the blockade of that place before Napoleon could reach it, and intercept his retreat. Mantua is distant from Rivoli thirtynine miles, and from Ronco thirty miles of very bad roads. It was necessary for Napoleon to be ready to

march instantly on hearing that Joubert was falling back on Mantua, to unite with his force and to beat Davidowich.

Accordingly he evacuated Arcola during the night, and having left his bivouac fires blazing, withdrew his army to the right bank of the Adige, leaving only one brigade and a few guns at the bridge-head on the left bank. Alvinzi, who became aware of this movement at three o'clock in the morning of the 16th, again occupied the villages of Porcil and Arcola, and pushed columns at daybreak on the causeways leading from those two places to Ronco.

At four o'clock Napoleon (whose force was under arms ready to move against Alvinzi or to succour Joubert as occasion might require) received news that all was well with Joubert up to the night before; the French therefore recrossed the bridge, attacked the Austrian columns to the right and left, and repulsed them with great slaughter. At night the French again withdrew, leaving an advanced guard on the left bank as before. At daybreak on the 17th Alvinzi, believing Napoleon to be in retreat on Mantua, advanced by both causeways in pursuit ; but at five o'clock, news having arrived that Joubert still maintained his position, the French army again crossed at Ronco, and at twelve o'clock had again repulsed the Austrians on both sides.

Napoleon, fearing that these daily combats might

continue long enough to enable Davidowich to force the position of Joubert, determined, after carefully estimating the enemy's loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners, which it was supposed had reduced his army by at least a half, and taking into account the moral effect on the two armies of the result of the three days' fighting, -to carry his army into the open ground on the left bank of the Alpon river, to attack Alvinzi in the plain. He accordingly threw a bridge over the Alpon near its mouth, by which his right crossed over to the left bank. It was opposed for some time by the Austrians, who had sent reinforcements to this point, until Napoleon, by the stratagem of sending a captain with twenty-five horsemen down the Adige, to burst suddenly with a great blowing of trumpets on the left flank of the Austrians, which was in the direction of Legnago, and by the appearance of part of the garrison of that place in their rear, obliged them to retire. The left under Massena then crossed at Arcola; the French line was formed from that village to San Gregorio, in which position the army passed the night, and the next morning (18th) Alvinzi retired to Montebello.

Meanwhile on the 17th Joubert, attacked by Davidowich at Rivoli, had fallen back to Castel Novo on the road to Mantua. On the 18th the French army marched through Verona to succour

Joubert. Davidowich, attacked by superior forces, retired upon Trent with considerable loss.

Observations.

This is one of the most remarkable battles on record, and is a signal instance of the genius of a commander supplying the place of numbers.

1st. It is evident that Napoleon had the advantage of a central position; his two armies on the Adige were between those of the Austrians. He was retiring on interior lines, in accordance with Principle 3. and Maxim 4. as regards double lines of operation, which Alvinzi as evidently violated.

Alvinzi also violated Maxim 3. in designating Verona as his point of union with Davidowich.

Napoleon's position on the causeways leading from the Ronco bridge united in its favour Maxims 10. 12. 15. 17. 19. Maxim 10., because the causeways being essentially defiles, the result of an encounter would depend entirely on the bravery of the few men who composed the head of the column; and thus the advantage of numbers was completely lost to the Austrians.

Maxim 12. remarkably, because it was impossible for the Austrians to possess themselves of Napoleon's line of retreat without either first capturing Verona, and so turning his rear, or marching

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