Page:History of Napoleon Buonaparte.pdf/4

6 of Barras, Buonaparte took the command of 5000 regular troops against the insurgents, and in a few hours quelled the disturbance; his rise was instantaneous, and he was made commander-in-chief of the army in Italy.

Napoleon's forces, wherewith to revolutionize Italy, consisted of 50,000 men, badly equipped, and opposed to highly disciplined and numerous forces. His system of warfare consisted in concentrating a small and determined force unexpectedly upon points of importance; all luxuries, therefore, and even the baggage of the soldiers, was to be dispensed with, in order to the accomplishment of forced marches of unexampled speed.

The position of the Austrian army, at the beginning of the campaign, was between Genoa, and that of the French:-their stronghold was Monte Notte, occupied by D'Argenteau, who, rushing down upon the French redoubts, was checked by Colonel Rumpon, during that and the next day. On the night of the 11th April, 1796, Napoleon so disposed the columns under Augereau and Massena, as completely to surround the Austrians: he retreated through the hills, leaving his colours, cannon, 1000 killed, and 2000 prisoners. This was the first of that series of admirable manouvres which was to