Doubtless, Melas’ best course would still have been to make a dash for Genoa and trust to the English ships.  But this plan galled the pride of the general, who had culled plenteous laurels in Italy until the approach of Bonaparte threatened to snatch the whole chaplet from his brow.  He and his staff sought to restore their drooping fortunes by a bold rush against the ring of foes that were closing around.  Never has an effort of this kind so nearly succeeded and yet so wholly failed.

The First Consul, believing that the Austrians were bent solely on flight, advanced from Stradella, where success would have been certain, into the plains of Tortona, whence he could check any move of theirs southwards on Genoa.  But now the space which he occupied was so great as to weaken his line at any one point; while his foes had the advantage of the central position.

Bonaparte was also forced to those enveloping tactics which had so often proved fatal to the Austrians four years previously; and this curious reversal of his usual tactics may account for the anxiety which he betrayed as he moved towards Marengo.  He had, however, recently been encouraged by the arrival of Desaix from Paris after his return from Egypt.  This dashing officer and noble man inspired him with a sincere affection, as was seen by the three hours of eager converse which he held with him on his arrival, as also by his words to Bourrienne:  “He is quite an antique character.”  Desaix with 5,300 troops was now despatched on the night of June 13th towards Genoa to stop the escape of the Austrians in that direction.  This eccentric move has been severely criticised:  but the facts, as then known by Bonaparte, seemed to show that Melas was about to march on Genoa.  The French vanguard under Gardane had in the afternoon easily driven the enemy’s front from the village of Marengo; and Gardane had even reported that there was no bridge over the River Bormida by which the enemy could debouch into the plain of Marengo.  Marmont, pushing on later in the evening, had discovered that there was at least one well-defended bridge; and when early next morning Gardane’s error was known, the First Consul, with a blaze of passion against the offender, sent a courier in hot haste to recall Desaix.  Long before he could arrive, the battle of Marengo had begun:  and for the greater part of that eventful day, June the 14th, the French had only 18000 men wherewith to oppose the onset of 31,000 Austrians.[145]

As will be seen by the accompanying map, the village of Marengo lies in the plain that stretches eastwards from the banks of the River Bormida towards the hilly country of Stradella.  The village lies on the high-road leading eastwards from the fortress of Alessandria, the chief stronghold of north-western Italy.

[Illustration:  BATTLE OF MARENGO TO ILLUSTRATE KELLERMAN’S CHARGE]

The plain is cut up by numerous obstacles.  Through Marengo runs a stream called the Fontanone.  The deep curves of the Bormida, the steep banks of the Fontanone, along with the villages, farmsteads, and vineyards scattered over the plain, all helped to render an advance exceedingly difficult in face of a determined enemy; and these natural features had no small share in deciding the fortunes of the day.