Bonaparte’s army, if the rearguard be included, numbered 41,000 men.  Meanwhile, farther east, a French force of 15,000 men, drawn partly from Moreau’s army and led by Moncey, was crossing the St. Gotthard pass and began to drive back the Austrian outposts in the upper valley of the Ticino; and 5,000 men, marching over the Mont Cenis pass, threatened Turin from the west.  The First Consul’s aim now was to unite the two chief forces, seize the enemy’s magazines, and compel him to a complete surrender.  This daring resolve took shape at Aosta on the 24th, when he heard that Melas was, on the 19th, still at Nice, unconscious of his doom.  The chance of ending the war at one blow was not to be missed, even if Massena had to shift for himself.

But already Melas’ dream of triumph had vanished.  On the 21st, hearing the astonishing news that a large force had crossed the St. Bernard, he left 18,000 men to oppose Suchet on the Var, and hurried back with the remainder to Turin.  At the Piedmontese capital he heard that he had to deal with the First Consul; but not until the last day of May did he know that Moncey was forcing the St. Gotthard and threatening Milan.  Then, realizing the full extent of his danger, he hastily called in all the available troops in order to fight his way through to Mantua.  He even sent an express to the besiegers of Genoa to retire on Alessandria; but negotiations had been opened with Massena for the surrender of that stronghold, and the opinion of Lord Keith, the English admiral, decided the Austrian commander there to press the siege to the very end.  The city was in the direst straits.  Horses, dogs, cats, and rats were at last eagerly sought as food:  and at every sortie crowds of the starving inhabitants followed the French in order to cut down grass, nettles, and leaves, which they then boiled with salt.[141] A revolt threatened by the wretched townsfolk was averted by Massena ordering his troops to fire on every gathering of more than four men.  At last, on June 4th, with 8,000 half-starved soldiers he marched through the Austrian posts with the honours of war.  The stern warrior would not hear of the word surrender or capitulation.  He merely stated to the allied commanders that on June 4th his troops would evacuate Genoa or clear their path by the bayonet.

Bonaparte has been reproached for not marching at once to succour Massena:  the charge of desertion was brought by Massena and Thiebault, and has been driven home by Lanfrey with his usual skill.  It will, however, scarcely bear a close examination.  The Austrians, at the first trustworthy news of the French inroads into Piedmont and Lombardy, were certain to concentrate either at Turin or Alessandria.  Indeed, Melas was already near Turin, and would have fallen on the First Consul’s flank had the latter marched due south towards Genoa.[142] Such a march, with only 40,000 men, would have been perilous:  and it could at most only have rescued a now reduced and almost famishing garrison.  Besides, he very naturally expected the besiegers of Genoa to retreat now that their rear was threatened.