is panic, at least, appears to have been carefully calculated and
cleverly feigned. A week later the French lines were again closed
before Mantua, which, though not invested, was at least blockaded. The
fortress had been revictualed and regarrisoned, while the besiegers
had been compelled to destroy their own train to prevent its capture
by the enemy. But France was mistress of the Mincio and the Adige,
with a total loss of about ten thousand men; while Austria had lost
about twenty thousand, and was standing by a forlorn hope. Both armies
were exhausted, as yet the great stake was not won. If Austrian
warfare was utterly discredited, the irregular, disjointed, uncertain
French warfare of the past week had not enhanced French glory.

In the shortest possible period new troops were under way both from
Vienna and from Paris. With those from the Austrian capital came
positive instructions to Wurmser that in any case he should again
advance toward Mantua. In obedience to this command of the Emperor, a
division of the army, twenty thousand strong, under Davidowich, was
left in the Austrian Tyrol at Roveredo, near Trent, to stop the
advance of the French, who, with their reinforcements, were pressing
forward through the pass as if to join Moreau, who had successfully
advanced and would be in Munich. The main Austrian army, under
Wurmser, moved over into the valley of the Brenta, and pushed on
toward Mantua. If he should decide to turn westward against the
French, the reserve could descend the valley of the Adige to his
assistance. But Bonaparte did not intend either to pass by and leave
open the way southward, or to be shut up in the valleys of the Tyrol.
With a quick surge, Davidowich was first defeated at Roveredo, and
then driven far behind Trent into the higher valleys. The victor
delayed only to issue a proclamation giving autonomy to the Tyrolese,
under French protection; but the ungrateful peasantry preferred the
autonomy they already enjoyed, and fortified their precipitous passes
for resistance. Turning quickly into the Brenta valley, Bonaparte, by
a forced march of two days, overtook Wurmser's advance-guard unawares
at Primolano, and captured it; the next day, September eighth, Massena
cut in two and completely defeated the main army at Bassano. Part of
those who escaped retreated into Friuli, toward Vienna. There was
nothing left for the men under Wurmser's personal command but to throw
themselves, if possible, int