pealant. In this dress he wandered about the country without a companion, in hope of efcaping his purfuers, and gaining the fea fide, where he might find an opportunity of flying to England. But the fearch made after him was fo ftrict and inceffant, that he fell into the hands of a patrole that was in queft of him. He was tried and fentenced to be shot. His execution took placeat Nantes on the twenty-eighth of April. His affociate, the well known Stoflet, who had also been made a prifoner, fuffered death in the fame manner, about two months before him. The fall of thefe two principal chiefs of the infurrection, efpecially the former, gave it a blow from which it did not recover. Neither the Vendeans, nor the Chouans who had joined them, feemed to have been overcome by defpondency on this occafion, and they ftill continued to maintain their ground with as much obftinacy as ever: but whether none of their remaining leaders were of equal ability, or that their people did not repofe the fame confidence in them, their defeats became continual, and fuch numbers were flaughtered, that the generality of the infurgents began to loofe courage, particularly after the loffes of those who commanded them. No lets than thirteen of their principal chiefs fell in battle, and ten others were taken and condemned to be flot. The death of thefe officers proved an irreparable lols: they were men of confpicuous refolution, and had long conducted the affairs of their party with remarkable skill and perfeverance in the arduous trials they had to frequently experienced. None at this period feemed capable of fupplying their place; but what chiefly accelerated the fubmiffion of the infurgents, was the lenity with which the government came to the refolution of treating all thofe who laid down their arms. A proclamation had already been iffued, during the heat of hoftilities, inviting the infurgents to return to obedience, under a folemn promife of burying their revolt in oblivion, and of granting them every juft conceffion they could require: the directory availed itfelf of the advantages it had obtained, to convince thofe who had been concerned in the infurrection, that the only ufe the government would make of the fituation to which they were now reduced, would be to deprive them of the means of exciting difturbances; and that, provided they acquicfed in the injunctions laid upon them, they would be placed on the fame footing with their fellows citizens, and enjoy fimilar rights. So anxious was the directory to imprefs them with this perfuafion, that it published a circular addrefs to the commanders of the troops employed in fuppreffing the infurrection, ftrictly enjoining them to keep the intentions of the government in conftant view, and not to exceed them by needlefs acts of feverity. But the animofity of the republicans against the infurgents was fuch, that they occafionally exercifed great rigour over them, to the ferious concern of the directory, which reprehended, with marked feverity, thofe who had been guilty of thele excefies. It anxiously reiterated its orders to abflain from all hardliefs, and to receive all who fubmitted with a generous forgivenefs of the paft; confidering them as deluded brethren, whole attachment it was the duty of their conquerors to win [G2] through through mildness and conciliation, which were the only effectual means of restoring them to the bofom of their country, and converting them into good citizens. In purfuance of thefe maxims, every district that furrendered its arms, and punctually conformed to the conditions prefcribed, was immediately placed under the completeft protection of the laws, and no infraction of these fuffered to their detriment. The measures thus taken, by the directory, availed them more than military coercion would have done. The dread of punishment had kept feveral bodies of the infurgents together but the moment they found that a pardon would be granted to them, on acceding to the terms of the proclamation that had fo long been circulated; and to which government was yet willing to adhere, they repaired in crowds to the head quarters of the republican generals, declaring their readinefs to accept of the conditions proffered to them. Thefe fubmiffions gradually took place in the courfe of March and April. By the close of this month, the infurrection was fo far quelled, that no apprehenfions were entertained from the few fraggling parties that remained, and which were looked upon as people determined to lead a predatory life, rather than in arms for the caufe they had embraced, and of which no hopes any longer exifted. After fubduing this dangerous infurrection by force of arms, the next meafure was to pacify the minds of thofe who had fo obftinately perfifted in it, and yielded at length only from the impractibility of any farther refifiance. To this end, in addition to the punctual obfervance of the promises made to the infur gents, to induce them to lay down their arms, a number of publica tions, fuited to the capacity of those for whom they were defigned, were diftributed in the diftricts where the infurrection had taken place: and thofe individuals on whofe fidelity and attachment to republican principles the government could depend, were encouraged to take all poffible pains to inculcate the propriety of uniting with the majority of their countrymen, and of unfeignedly abjuring thofe fentiments that had coft them fo many lives, and plunged their families into fo much mifery. The neceffity of acting conformably to this advice, became fo apparent, that even the royalift generals thought themfelves bound no longer to obftruct the fubmiffion of the infurgents, convinced that it was the only means left them to efcape deftruction. A proclamation to this purpose was iflued and figned by vifcount Scepeaux, the principal in command in the weftern department. After lamenting the fruitless efforts to reftore monarchy and the Catholic religion, it acknowledged that to perfift in this attempt would only be conducting the infurgents to the flaughter. It exhorted them, therefore, to defift, and yield to fuperior force, in order to fecure their lives, and be permitted to dwell in fafety at their homes. An exhortation of this kind did not fail to convince them of the inutility of any farther oppofition: and, by the latter end of July, the country of the infurgents was fo thoroughly pacified, that martial law was repealed, and civil government restored. CHAP.. CHAP. VI. Address of the Directory to the French Armies.-Determination to carry the War into Italy.-Difficulties to be encountered in carrying this Plan into Execution.-Buonaparte.-The French Army, under his Command, makes rapid Progress in Italy.—The Auftrians, under General Beaulieu, conhantly repulfed, yet not difpirited.-Various Actions.-Sufpenfion of Arms agreed on between the French and Piedmontefe Armies.-General Beaulieu re-croffes the Po, for covering the Countries to the North of that River-At Paris, Negociation for Peace between the King of Sardinia and the French Republic.-Treaty of Peace between France and Sardinia ratified by the Legislative Bodies of France.—Exultation and Confidence of the French.-Improved by Buonaparte, for the Purpofe of leading on the Army to farther Exploits.-Address to the Army-General Object and Tendency of Buonaparte's private Converfation.--Homage paid to the Merit of Buonaparte and the Army, by the Directory.—Buonaparte puts his Army in Motion.-Croffes the Po, and leaves General Beaulieu to break up his Camp.-Armistice between the French Army and the Duke of Parma. -The French advance toward the Capital of Lombardy.—Battle of Lodi.— The Auftrians retreat to Mantua.-The French proceed to Milan, where the French General allows his People fome Days of Repoje. ployed in fuppreffing thofe internal commotions, the directory was anxioully taken up with the plans that were to be profecuted, as foon as domeftic difficuties were overcome. In the end of April, they thought themfelves fo completely deliverel from all apprehenfions at home, that they began immediately to turn their attention to thofe two undertakings, on the fortunate termina tion of which the future fecity of the republic would be eftablished beyond the poffibility of being naken by any external force. The events of the laft campaign had been fo different from thofe of the preceding, that many people in of Europe, began to confider the enthufiafm of the French as confiderably abated. But the fanguine difpofition of the generality of the French attributed their defeats on the Rhine folely to the unfkilful management of their generals; and ftill remained convinced, that, had they been judiciously commanded, they would have been victorious as before. In order to encourage this perfuafion, the directory published an addrefs to the different armies, previoutly to their taking the field. It was conceived in very animated terms; and recalled to their notice [G3] the the various exploits they had performed in the two foregoing years, the patience with which they had borne not only the hardships of the field, but the preffures of want, and the privation of every convenience and comfort, and the invincible for titude with which they had perfifted, amidst all thefe difficulties, to difcharge the duties of brave foldiers. It exhorted them to perfevere as they had done: fresh toils and victories were expected from them by their country, before its enemies would confent to reasonable terms of peace. It held out the most flattering hopes of fuccefs; and that they were at the eve of terminating their patriotic labours, the illue of which would procure fafety to their country, and glory to themfelves; who then would return to its bofom, to enjoy the love and gratitude fo jufily due to them from their fellow citizens, and fo nobly earned by their fervices. This addrefs was fent to all the military bodies of the republic, and read to them with great folemnity. It was received with much refpect and fatisfaction. The officers and foldiers formally renewed their affurances of fidelity to the republic, and their readineís to lay down their lives in its defence. The object which the directory had now chiefly in contemplation was to carry the war into Italy. The Auftrians were prepared to pals the Rhine in great force: the attachment of the helgians to their French conquerors might waver; the fate of another campaign was uncertain; much was to be loft, nothing gained, in the Netherlands, by an appeal to ans, on a queftion, which, if the authority of the republic fhould be confirmed by the lapfe of even a few years, they might confider as already decided. In this fituation of affairs they determined to divert the energy and attention of the emperor from his Belgian territories, where his authority had been fo often difputed, to his Italian dominions, where his will was a law, and from whence he drew ftill greater fupplies. While they cut off the emperors refources in Italy, they would add to their own. They did not doubt of reaping immenfe benefit from the poffeffion of that country, the inhabitants of which were known generally to have little affection for their prefent fovereigns. The people of the duchies of Milan, Parma, and Modena, were peculiarly difaffected, and, the nobility and clergy excepted, feemed rather to defire, than to dread, a change of matters. The commonalty, in the republics of Venice and Genoa, profeffed no attachment to their rulers. In Tufcany, and the papal dominions, there were numbers of difcontented; and in the kingdom of Naples the number was fill greater. Among these multitudes there were fome individuals refolute enough to declare their diffatisfaction at their refpective governments, notwithstanding the perfonal dangers to which they expofed themfelves by fo daring a conduct. But what was more, fome had the courage to entertain a private correfpondence with France, and explicitly to folicit fome of the principal perfons in the republic to invade Italy, where, they allured them, they would find more friends than foes among the natives, and meet with no oppofition but from the Auftrians, and their few adherents, among the pofleflors of places places and employments in their Jervice. Induced by thefe various motives, the directory refolved to begin military operations abroad, with the attack of a country, where the princes, one excepted, the king of Sardinia, could place little reliance on the loyalty of their fubjects; and where this prince had already loft fuch a portion of his territories, as greatly endangered the remainder. Nevertheless, obftacles of a ferius nature prefented themfelves. The undertaking was, indeed, arduous. Italy, proverbially the grave of the French, was viewed by the generality of people as unconquerable on the fide of France. Envirened by mountains, the pafles of which were fortified with the utmoft art, and guarded with numerous well-difciplined troops, it feemed calculated for an invincible refift The French, after reducing many forts and fortresses in the heart of the Alps, had not been able to make an effectual impreflion on Piedmont, without which an entrance into Italy appeared impracticable. The powers interefted in the prefervation of Italy, aware of the hofthe intentions of France, had made ample preparations for defence. The emperor's forces amounted to eighty thoufand well-difciplined men, commanded by excellent officers and general, and provided with every ecies of warlike neceflaries. The king of Sardinia's army was fixty thoufand ftrong, exclufive of mili tia. The pope and the king of Naples were occupied in embodying as many troops as their circumftances would permit; and the latter had difpatched two or three thoufand horfe to ferve in the Imperial army. Though the ftrength with which the French propofed to attack their enemies in Italy was much inferior in number to theirs, and far from being fo well fupplied, it was compofed of hardy and refolute foldiers, filled with enthufiafm, and impatient to enter into action, and to indemnify themfelves for the fufferings they had undergone upon the rocky and barren coaft, to which they had long been confined, through want of reinforcements to enable them to move forward against the enemy. The fupplies of men and ammunition did not arrive till the beginning of April, when the French determined immediately to commence their operations. They were cantoned along the coaft of that fea, called the river of Genoa, within three leagues of that city; and the Auftrians and Piedmontefe were pofied on the mountains oppofite to them. The French were commanded by general Buonaparte, already noticed in the action between the conventional troops and the fections of Paris,* in October, 1795, a native of Corfica, born, as it were, a commander, and uniting the intrepidity of an ancient Roman, with the fubtlety and contrivance of a modern Italian; and both thefe fortified and improved by a liberal, as well as military, education. Hardly thirty years of age, he had fignalized his military abilities, not only on that but fome other very decifive occafions, and acquired a reputation that had raifed him to the highest degree of efteem in his profeffion. * See Vol. XXXVII. Page 1c6. [G4] The |