THE PRELIMINARIES OF THE PEACE OF LEOBEN.
Some hours after receiving despatches from the Directory, Napoleon wrote to the Archduke Charles to make overtures of peace to him; the Archduke immediately answered that he would learn the opinion of his Court, having no power to treat alone.
At last, on the 7th of April, 1797, the head-quarters were fixed at Leoben, when Generals Bellegarde and Merfield presented themselves to demand an armistice of ten days, previous to making a definitive peace. The armistice was signed the same evening, but the French agreed to five days only. The Austrian plenipotentiaries arrived at Leoben on the 13th of April, and the preliminaries were signed on the 18th.
The scene in the picture is in a pavillion of the Bishop’s palace in the midst of a garden. The French general is saying to the Austrian envoys: “If we are not agreed upon that point, I continue my march, and behold the road to victory!”
The picture contains some historical portraits; among others, Lavalette, aide-de-camp to Napoleon, who wrote under the dictation of his general; to the left of Lavalette are Louis Buonaparte and Eugene Beauharnais, leaning his head on the future king of Holland. There are also portraits of Berthier, Massena, Augereau, and Murat, then inseparable associates of Napoleon.
PRELIMINARIES OF THE PEACE OF LEOBEN.
CROSSING THE BRIDGE OF ARCOLA.
The marsh of Arcola is crossed by three causeways,—each of which was occupied by a French column. Alvinzi, supposing them only a few light troops, contented himself by ordering two small divisions to disperse them; these were checked and nearly routed by the strong columns of infantry to which they unexpectedly found themselves opposed. It was necessary that Arcola, which was defended by two battalions of Croates should be taken, in order to gain the bridge of Villeneuve, which was the only retreat of Alvinzi. The fire continuing unabated, Napoleon, determined on making a last effort, seized an ensign and planted it on the bridge with his own hand. He had advanced his column to the centre of the bridge, when a fresh body of Austrians arrived and commenced a sharp fire on his flank, which compelled those in the rear to retire. The grenadiers at the head of the column, finding themselves abandoned by their comrades, gave way; but not willing to lose their general, bore him in their arms through the midst of the dead and the dying. In the confusion he was precipitated into the marsh, where he lay surrounded by his enemies, and would probably have been taken prisoner had not the grenadiers, perceiving his danger, raised the cry, “Forward—forward—save the general!” At this the troops returned to the charge, and finally drove the Austrians out of the village. Nov. 1796.