When we reached the summit of the mountain we seated ourselves on the snow and slid down.  Those who went first smoothed the way for those who came behind them.  This rapid descent greatly amused us, and we were only stopped by the mud which succeeded the snow at the distance of five or six hundred toises down the declivity.

We crossed, or rather climbed up, Mont Albaredo to avoid passing under the fort of Bard, which closes the valley of Aorta.  As it was impossible to get the artillery up this mountain it was resolved to convey it through the town of Bard, which was not fortified.  For this operation we made choice of night, and the wheels of the cannon and caissons, and even the horses’ feet, being wrapped in straw, the whole passed quietly through the little town.  They were, indeed, under the fire of the fort; however, it did not so completely command the street but that the houses would have protected them against any very fatal consequences.  A great part of the army had passed before the surrender of the fort, which so completely commands the narrow valley leading to Aorta that it is difficult to comprehend the negligence of the Austrians in not throwing up more efficient works; by very simple precautions they might have rendered the passage of St. Bernard unavailing.

On the 23d we came within sight of the fort of Bard, which commands the road bounded by the Doria Baltea on the right and Mont Albaredo on the left.  The Doria Baltea is a small torrent which separates the town of Bard from the fort.  Bonaparte, whose retinue was not very numerous, crossed the torrent.  On arriving within gunshot of the fort he ordered us to quicken our pace to gain a little bridle-path on the left, leading to the summit of Mont Albaredo, and turning the town and fort of Bard.

We ascended this path on foot with some difficulty.  On reaching the summit of the mountain, which commands the fort, Bonaparte levelled his telescope on the grass, and stationing himself behind some bushes, which served at once to shelter and conceal him, he attentively reconnoitered the fort.  After addressing several questions to the persons who had come to give him information, he mentioned, in a tone of dissatisfaction, the faults that had been committed, and ordered the erection of a new battery to attack a point which he marked out, and from whence, he guaranteed, the firing of a few shots would oblige the fort to surrender.  Having given these orders he descended the mountain and went to sleep that night at Yvree.  On the 3d of June he learned that the fort had surrendered the day before.