Bonaparte, as he was ever wont, diligently improved the opportunity permitted to him by the need of the Austrians to reorganize and reinforce Beaulieu’s beaten army before again taking the field.  Threatened, as often again in later years, by enemies in divergent directions, he with the utmost promptitude and by the most summary measures struck down the foe on one side, before the other could stir.  Occupying Verona in the first days of June, he immediately afterwards detached to the southward a corps under Augereau to enter the Papal States; and at the same time another small division, commanded by General Vaubois, started from the upper valley of the Po, ostensibly destined to proceed against Rome by passing through Tuscany.  The effect of Augereau’s movement, which was closely followed by the commander-in-chief in person, was to bring both Naples and the Pope speedily to terms.  An armistice was signed by the former on the 5th, and by the latter on the 24th of June.  Vaubois, on the other hand, after passing the Arno below Florence, instead of continuing on to Siena, as the Grand Duke had been assured that he would, turned sharp to the westward, and on the 28th of June entered Leghorn, which was thenceforth held by the French.  Thus within a brief month were the British deprived of two allies, lethargic, it is true, in actual performance, but possessed of a degree of potential strength that could not but enter largely into Bonaparte’s anxieties; while at the same time they lost the use of a seaport that had heretofore been considered essential to their support.

Rumors of Vaubois’ movement reached Nelson in Genoa at noon of June 23, but somewhat vaguely.  “Reports are all we have here,” he wrote to Jervis the same day, “nothing official from the armies;” but he thought the situation critical, and started without delay for Leghorn.  Arriving there on the morning of June 27, after a passage rendered tedious by light airs and calms, he found the British merchant vessels that had been in the harbor, to the number of nearly forty sail, already under way, laden with British merchants and their property, and standing out under convoy of several ships of war; while in pursuit of them—­a singular indication of the neutrality possible to small States like Tuscany and Genoa at that time—­were a dozen French privateers, which had been lying beside them within the mole.  One or two of the departing vessels were thus taken.

The first impression upon Nelson’s mind was that the occupation of Leghorn was only the prelude to an invasion of Corsica in force.  “I have no doubt,” he wrote to the Viceroy, “but the destination of the French army was Corsica, and it is natural to suppose their fleet was to amuse ours whilst they cross from Leghorn.”  Thus reasoning, he announced his purpose of rejoining the admiral as soon as possible, so as not to lose his share in the expected battle.  “My heart would break,” he says to Jervis, “to be absent at such a glorious time;” but it is difficult