ereditary dominions
of the Emperor. Twenty thousand fresh troops had recently joined his
victorious standard from France; and, at the head of perhaps a larger
force than he had ever before mustered, he proceeded to the frontier of
the Frioul, where, according to his information, the main army of
Austria, recruited once more to its original strength, was preparing to
open a sixth campaign--under the orders, not of Alvinzi, but of a
general young like himself, and hitherto eminently successful--the same
who had already by his combinations baffled two such masters in the art
of war as Jourdan and Moreau--the Archduke Charles; a prince on whose
high talents the last hopes of the empire seemed to repose.

To give the details of the sixth campaign, which now commenced, would be
to repeat the story which has been already five times told. The
Archduke, fettered by the Aulic Council of Vienna, saw himself compelled
to execute a plan which he had discrimination enough to condemn. The
Austrian army once more commenced operations on a double basis--one
great division on the Tyrolese frontier, and a greater under the
Archduke himself on the Friulese; and Napoleon--who had, even when
acting on the defensive, been able, by the vivacity of his movements, to
assume the superiority on whatever point he chose to select--was not
likely to strike his blows with less skill and vigour, now that his
numbers, and the acquiescence of Italy behind him, permitted him to
assume the offensive.

Buonaparte found the Archduke posted behind the river Tagliamento, in
front of the rugged Carinthian mountains, which guard the passage in
that quarter from Italy to Germany. Detaching Massena to the Piave,
where the Austrian division of Lusignan were in observation, he himself
determined to charge the Archduke in front. Massena was successful in
driving Lusignan before him as far as Belluno, (where a rear guard of
500 surrendered,) and thus turned the Austrian flank. Buonaparte then
attempted and effected the passage of the Tagliamento. After a great and
formal display of his forces, which was met by similar demonstrations
on the Austrian side of the river, he suddenly broke up his line and
retreated. The Archduke, knowing that the French had been marching all
the night before, concluded that the general wished to defer the battle
till another day; and in like manner withdrew to his camp. About two
hours after Napoleon rushed with his whole army, who had me