316

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

Upon this defeat, Wurmser , with the remnant of hisarmy, shut himself up in the strong fortress of Mantua, andNapoleon leaving General Kilmaine to blockade it, repairedto Milan, where Murat enjoyed a few days of rest and atten-tion to his wound.

The people of Modena , Reggio, Bologna, and Ferrara,aspiring to improve their social condition, followed theexample of those of Lombardy , and constituted themselves >into the Cispaduana Republic. Murat was now employedby Buonaparte as diplomatist and social organizer; all jwhich missions he fulfilled to the entire satisfaction of allparties.

The gigantic power of Austria , although shaken, was not 'subdued. Numerous reinforcements were poured in, and a ;fresh army arose, the command of which was given to the .Austrian Field Marshal D’Alvinzi. Napoleon transferred ,his head-quarters to Verona, so as to be, in fact, surrounded 'by D’Alvinzi on the Piave; and Davidovich debouching ■from the Tyrole, Murat had to fight on the Piave and on •the Brenta, and the immortal days of Arcoli and Rivoli,added fresh laurels to the triumphal wreath of our modern 'Paladine.

D’Alvinzi’s army being dispersed, Napoleon marched toattack General Provera under Mantua, and left to Muratthe charge of cutting off the retreat of D’Alvinzi. To effectthis he hastened by an extraordinary rapid march during ..the night, and seized upon the bridge of Corona, the only \possible salvation to the Austrians. Here Murat was jattacked with fury, but he as obstinately held possession juntil Massena arrived, upon which the Austrians surrendered jat discretion. t

The remnant of D’Alvinzi’s army was taken or dispersed jby a most audacious operation of Murat. He embarked ■with only two hundred men, upon the Lake of Garda , in the :

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