he campaign.

On the side of the Alps, the King of Sardinia, having received some
money from England, commenced the campaign with considerable vigour. He
was reinforced by some fresh Austrian regiments, under the command of
General Devins, and having collected the mass of their forces on the
maritime Alps, they resolved to make a descent into the country of Nice,
in order to wrest it from the French republicans, it being wholly in
their hands. Before they descended, fortified camps were to be made, and
sundry fortresses improved or reconstructed, to render it impossible,
even in case of a reverse, that the French should force the passes of
the mountain, and get into Piedmont on that side. Kellerman held the
command in chief of the French army of the Alps, and towards the end
of May he ordered Brunet, who commanded in Nice, to push forward to the
crests of the maritime Alps, and dislodge the Piedmontese and Austrians,
before they should have time to complete their fortifications. Brunet
divided his army into four columns, giving them instructions to attack
three of the more important points at once, and then to unite and fall
upon Fort Raus, which was the strongest of all, and the key to all the
country behind. The French columns ascended the steep heights on the 8th
of June, and the Piedmontese were driven from every position except
Fort Hans; but when they had ascended that loftier mountain, they were
repulsed and, finally, driven down the mountain with great loss. The
attack was renewed on the 12th; but they were again repulsed from Fort
Rtaus, and driven down the mountain, with a loss more dreadful than
the first. The French, disheartened by these reverses, were obliged to
confine themselves to the low country of Nice, and fearing the descent
of the enemy, Kellerman placed strong detachments in the gorges through
which they must have descended, and caused trenches to be dug and
redoubts raised to impede their progress. But the King of Sardinia did
not adhere to his purpose. General Devins was of opinion that while a
part of the army should be left on the maritime Alps to keep the French
forces in check, the greater part of the army, composed of the Austrians
and of the best Piedmontese and Sardinian troops, should march through
Savoy, drive the French out of that country, chastise the Savoyard
Jacobins, and thence march straight on the populous city of Lyons. The
King of Sardinia finally resolved to unite this plan wi