age of Marengo itself, and finding nothing
even there but a scanty outpost, which retreated before him, concluded
certainly that Melas had given him the slip, and marched either to the
left on the Ticino, or to the right on Genoa. In great anxiety he
detached one division under Dessaix to watch the road to Genoa, and
another under Murat towards the Scrivia. Dessaix was already
half-a-day's journey from headquarters, when Napoleon received
intelligence which made him hastily recall all his detachments. The
Austrian general, after a long hesitation, had at length resolved to let
a fair field decide once more the fate of Italy. On the evening of the
13th, his whole army mustered in front of Alessandria having only the
river Bormida between them and the plain of Marengo; and early in the
following morning, they passed the stream at three several points, and
advanced towards the French position in as many columns.

The Austrians were full 40,000 strong; while, in the absence of Dessaix
and the reserve, Napoleon could, at most, oppose to them 20,000, of whom
only 2500 were cavalry. He had, however, no hesitation about accepting
the battle. His advance, under Gardanne, occupied the small hamlet of
Padre Bona, a little in front of Marengo. At that village, which
overlooks a narrow ravine, the channel of a rivulet, Napoleon stationed
Victor with the main body of his first line--the extreme right of it
resting on Castel Ceriolo, another hamlet almost parallel with Marengo;
Kellerman, with a brigade of cavalry, was posted immediately behind
Victor for the protection of his flanks. A thousand yards in the rear of
Victor was the second line, under Lannes, protected in like fashion by
the cavalry of Champeaux. At about an equal distance, again, behind
Lannes, was the third line, consisting of the division of St. Cyr, and
the consular guard, under Napoleon in person. The Austrian heavy
infantry, on reaching the open field, formed into two lines, the first,
under General Haddick, considerably in advance before the other, which
Melas himself commanded, with General Zach for his second. These moved
steadily towards Marengo; while the light infantry and cavalry, under
General Elsnitz, made a detour round Castel Ceriolo with the purpose of
outflanking the French right.

Such was the posture of the two armies when this great battle began.
Gardanne was unable to withstand the shock, and abandoning Padre Bona,
fell back to strengthen Victor.