Buonaparte heard in the beginning of October that Alvinzi’s columns were in motion:  he had placed Vaubois to guard Trent, and Massena at Bassano to check the march of the field-marshal:  but neither of these generals was able to hold his ground.  The troops of Vaubois were driven from that position of Calliano, the strength of which has been already mentioned, under circumstances which Napoleon considered disgraceful to the character of the French soldiery.  Massena avoided battle; but such was the overwhelming superiority of Alvinzi, that he was forced to abandon the position of Bassano.  Napoleon himself hurried forward to sustain Massena; and a severe rencontre, in which either side claimed the victory, took place at Vicenza.  The French, however, retreated, and Buonaparte fixed his headquarters at Verona.  The whole country between the Brenta and the Adige was in the enemy’s hands; while the still strong and determined garrison of Mantua in Napoleon’s rear, rendering it indispensable for him to divide his forces, made his position eminently critical.

His first care was to visit the discomfited troops of Vaubois.  “You have displeased me,” said he, “you have suffered yourselves to be driven from positions where a handful of determined men might have bid an army defiance.  You are no longer French soldiers!  You belong not to the army of Italy.”  At these words, tears streamed down the rugged cheeks of the grenadiers.  “Place us but once more in the van,” cried they, “and you shall judge whether we do not belong to the army of Italy.”  The general dropped his angry tone; and in the rest of the campaign no troops more distinguished themselves than these.

Having thus revived the ardour of his soldiery, Buonaparte concentrated his columns on the right of the Adige, while Alvinzi took up a very strong position on the heights of Caldiero, on the left bank, nearly opposite to Verona.  In pursuance of the same system which had already so often proved fatal to his opponents, it was the object of Buonaparte to assault Alvinzi, and scatter his forces, ere they could be joined by Davidowich.  He lost no time, therefore, in attacking the heights of Caldiero; but in spite of all that Massena, who headed the charge, could do, the Austrians, strong in numbers and in position, repelled the assailants with great carnage.  A terrible tempest prevailed during the action, and Napoleon, in his despatches, endeavoured to shift the blame to the elements.

The country behind Caldiero lying open to Davidowich, it became necessary to resort to other means of assault, or permit the dreaded junction to occur.  The genius of Buonaparte suggested to him on this occasion a movement altogether unexpected.  During the night, leaving 1,500 men under Kilmaine to guard Verona, he marched for some space rearwards, as if he had meant to retreat on Mantua, which the failure of his recent assault rendered not unlikely.  But his columns were ere long wheeled again towards the Adige: