nto an alliance
with England, Austria, Naples, and Turkey. He furnished troops for
England's descent upon Holland, and recalled Souvorof to take command
of the Russian forces cooperating with those of Austria. The British
expedition proved a failure, but Souvorof's strategy and indomitable
courage shed glory upon the Russian army.

When Souvorof arrived at Vienna, he took command of the allied forces
consisting of 90,000 men. On April 28, 1799, he surprised Moreau at
Cassano and took 3,000 prisoners. He entered Milan, and soon after
laid siege to Mantua, Alessandria, and Turin. On June 17, Souvorof was
attacked on the Trebia; the battle lasted three days, leaving the
victory to the Russians. After the victory at Novi, on the 15th of
August, the French were forced to evacuate Italy.

Souvorof had divided his force of 80,000 Russians into two corps, (p. 196)
one to operate in Switzerland, the other under his own command, to
conduct the campaign in Italy. His great success brought upon him the
envy of the Austrian generals, by whom his movements were constantly
hampered. He therefore resolved to effect a junction with the forces
in Switzerland, who, on the 26th of September, had been defeated at
Zurich with a loss of 6,000 men. Souvorof did not know this. He
reached the St. Gothard on the 21st and crossed it under unheard-of
difficulties. "In this kingdom of terrors," he writes to Paul,
"abysses open beside us at every step, like tombs awaiting our
arrival. Nights spent among the clouds, thunder that never ceases,
rain, fog, the noise of cataracts, the breaking of avalanches,
enormous masses of rocks and ice which fall from the heights, torrents
which sometimes carry men and horses down the precipices, the St.
Gothard, that colossus who sees the mists pass under him,--we have
surmounted all, and in these inaccessible spots the enemy has been
forced to give way before us. Words fail to describe the horrors we
have seen, and in the midst of which Providence has preserved us."
"The Russian, inhabitant of the plain, was awestruck by the grandeur
of this mountain scenery."

Souvorof brushed the French out of his way until, on the 26th, he
arrived at Altdorf with the loss of only 2,000 men. Here he received
information of the defeat at Zurich, and saw that he was surrounded on
all sides by superior forces. His retreat showed the highest military
skill, as well as the man's indomitable energy. Over untrodden
mountains, and s