veterate one in his stepmother, who began weaving a conspiracy to
oust him from the throne and place on it the eldest of his
half-brothers. This plot received, however, very little popular
support.

The Sardinian Government sought to persuade Francis to join in the
war against Austria; disinterested counsel, as in taking it lay his
only hope, but it was opposed by England, Russia and France. In July
two of the Swiss regiments at Naples mutinied. The Swiss Government,
becoming alive to the discredit cast on the country by mercenary
service, had decided that Swiss subjects serving abroad should lose
their rights as citizens of the Confederation whilst so employed, and
that they should no longer introduce the arms of their respective
cantons into their regimental colours. This was the immediate cause of
their insubordination. The mutineers, most of whom were unarmed, were
ruthlessly shot down in the Campo di Marte to the terror of the
population, and the two Swiss regiments which remained quiet were
dissolved; by which the monarchy lost the troops that were chiefly to
be depended on in emergencies. The Austrians and Bavarians imported in
their stead did not form separate regiments, but were incorporated
among the native troops, though the regiments that contained them were
commonly called 'Bavarian.' They only partially filled the place of
the Swiss.

* * * * *

Between the 4th and the 24th of June, no engagement of any magnitude
was fought in Lombardy except the attack on Benedek at Melegnano, a
battle in which the French lost most men, and gained no strategical
advantage. It was supposed to have been fought because Napoleon I. had
gained a victory in the same neighbourhood. The Austrians retreated to
the Mincio, destroying the bridges over the Adda, Serio, Oglio and
Mella as they went; these rivers the allies had to make repassable,
which is the excuse given for the dilatory nature of their pursuit of
the enemy. The Emperor Francis Joseph had now assumed the command,
with Hess as his principle adviser, and Wimpffen and Schlick, famous
as the 'One-eyed,' as heads of the two great corps into which the army
was divided.

On the 22nd of June, the Austrians were ranged along the left bank of
the Mincio from Peschiera to Mantua, and the French were massed near
Montechiaro, on the Brescia road, which Napoleon had made his
headquarters. In withdrawing all their men from the right bank of the