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g on the war on the
Rhine is enabling the Austrians to send large reinforcements against
Napoleon. Bonaparte, who has recently suffered (Jomini, vol. viii.
113) from Kellermann's tardiness in sending reinforcements at an
important moment, replies to the letters of May 7th a week later, and
writes direct to Citizen Carnot from Lodi, as well as to the Executive
Directory. "On the receipt of the Directory's letter of the 7th your
wishes were fulfilled, and the Milanais is ours. I shall shortly
march, to carry out your intentions, on Leghorn and Rome; all that
will soon be done. I am writing the Directory relatively to their idea
of dividing the army. I swear that I have no thought beyond the
interest of my country. Moreover, you will always find me straight
(_dans la ligne droite_).... As it might happen that this letter to
the Directory may be badly construed, and since you have assured me
of your friendship, I take this opportunity of addressing you, begging
you to make what use of it your prudence and attachment for me may
suggest.... Kellermann will command the army as well as I, for no one
is more convinced than I am that the victories are due to the courage
and pluck of the army; but I think joining Kellermann and myself in
Italy is to lose everything. I cannot serve willingly with a man who
considers himself the first general in Europe; and, besides, I believe
one bad general is better than two good ones. War is like government:
it is an affair of tact. To be of any use, I must enjoy the same
confidence that you testified to me in Paris. Where I make war, here
or there, is a matter of indifference. To serve my country, to deserve
from posterity a page in our history, to give the Government proofs of
my attachment and devotion--that is the sum of my ambition. But I am
very anxious not to lose in a week the fatigues, anxieties, and
dangers of two months, and to find myself fettered. I began with a
certain amount of fame; I wish to continue worthy of you." To the
Directory he writes that the expeditions to Leghorn, Rome, and Naples
are small affairs, but to be safely conducted must have one general in
command. "I have made the campaign without consulting a soul; I should
have done no good if I had had to share my views with another. I have
gained some advantages over superior forces, and in utter want of
everything, because, certain of your confidence, my marches have been
as quick as my thoughts." He foretells disaster if he is shackled with
another general. "Every one has his own method of making war. General
Kellermann has more experience, and will do it better than I; but both
together will do it very badly." With Barras he knew eloquence was
useless, and therefore bribed him with a million francs. On May 10th
was gained the terrible battle of the Bridge of Lodi, where he won
promotion from his soldiers, and became their "little corporal," and
where he told Las Cases that he "was struck with the possibility of
becoming famous. It was then that the first spark of my ambition was
kindled." On entering Milan he told Marmont, "Fortune has smiled on me
to-day, only because I despise her favours; she is a woman, and the
more she does for me, the more I shall exact from her. In our day no
one has originated anything great; it is for me to give the example."

On May 15th, thirty-five days after the commencement of the campaign,
he entered Milan, under a triumphal arch and amid the acclamations of
the populace. On the previous evening he was guilty of what Dr.
Johnson would have considered a fitting herald of his spoliation of
picture-galleries--the perpetration of a pun. At a dinner-table the
hostess observed that his youth was remarkable in so great a
conqueror, whereat he replied, "Truly, madam, I am not very old at
present--barely twenty-seven--but in less than twenty-four hours I
shall count many more, for I shall have attained Milan" (_mille
ans_).

On May 22nd he returned to Lodi, but heard immediately that Lombardy
in general, and Pavia in particular, was in open revolt. He makes a
terrible example of Pavia, shooting its chief citizens, and, for the
only time, giving up a town to three hours' pillage. The Directory
congratulates him on these severe measures: "The laws of war and the
safety of the army render them legitimate in such circumstances." He
writes them that had the blood of a single Frenchman been spilt, he
would have erected a column on the ruins of Pavia, on which should
have been inscribed, "Here was the town of Pavia."

On May 21st, Carnot replies to the letter from Lodi: "You appear
desirous, citizen general, of continuing to conduct the whole series
of military operations in Italy, at the actual seat of war. The
Directory has carefully considered your proposition, and the
confidence that they place in your talents and republican zeal has
decided this question in the affirmative.... The rest of the military
operations towards the Austrian frontier and round Mantua are
absolutely dependent on your success against Beaulieu. The Directory
feels how difficult it would be to direct them from Paris. It leaves
to you in this respect the greatest latitude, while recommending the
most extreme prudence. Its intention is, however, that the army shall
cross into the Tyrol only after the expedition to the south of
Italy."

This was a complete victory for Bonaparte (Bingham calls it the
Directory's "abject apology"), and, as Scott points out, he now
"obtained an ascendency which he took admirable care not to
relinquish; and it became the sole task of the Directory, so far as
Italy was concerned, to study phrases for intimating their approbation
of the young general's measures."

He had forged a sword for France, and he now won her heart by gilding
it. On May 16th the Directory had asked him to supply Kellermann with
money for the army of the Alps, and by May 22nd he is able to write
that six or eight million francs in gold, silver, ingots, or jewels is
lying at their disposal with one of the best bankers in Genoa, being
superfluous to the needs of the army. "If you wish it, I can have a
million sent to Bale for the army of the Rhine." He has already helped
Kellermann, and paid his men. He also announces a further million
requisitioned from Modena. "As it has neither fortresses nor muskets,
I could not ask for them."

Henceforth he lubricates the manifold wheels of French policy with
Italian gold, and gains thereby the approbation and gratitude of the
French armies and people. Meanwhile he does not neglect those who
might bear him a grudge. To Kellermann and to all the Directors he
sends splendid chargers. From Parma he has the five best pictures
chosen for Paris--the Saint Jerome and the Madonna della Scodella,
both by Correggio; the Preaching of St. John in the Desert, a Paul
Veronese, and a Van Dyck, besides fine examples of Raphael, Caracci,
&c.

The Directory is anxious that he shall chastise the English at
Leghorn, as the fate of Corsica is somewhat dependen

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