suburbs of the city--was fought on the 13th of September, and after
prodigious slaughter, the French remained in possession of all the
causeways; so that the blockade of the city and fortress was henceforth
complete. The garrison, when Wurmser shut himself up, amounted to
26,000. Before October was far advanced the pestilential air of the
place, and the scarcity and badness of provisions, had filled his
hospitals, and left him hardly half the number in fighting condition.
The misery of the besieged town was extreme; and if Austria meant to
rescue Wurmser, there was no time to be lost.

[Footnote 10: Vallette was cashiered. Augereau was afterwards created
Duke of Castiglione, in memory of this exploit.]




CHAPTER VII

Affairs of Corsica--Alvinzi assumes the Command of the Austrians on
the Italian frontier--The three Battles of Arcola--Retreat of
Alvinzi--Battle of Rivoli--Battle of La Favorita--Surrender of
Mantua--Victor marches on Ancona--Despair of the Pope--Treaty of
Tollentino.


The French party in Corsica had not contemplated without pride and
exultation the triumphs of their countryman. His seizure of Leghorn, by
cutting off the supplies from England, greatly distressed the opposite
party in the island, and an expedition of Corsican exiles, which he now
despatched from Tuscany, was successful in finally reconquering the