the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Meantime, on 10 August, Lieutenant General Kray arrived at Alessandria with
the reinforcements. Suvorov recalled Bagration on 12 August and ordered him to train
the Austrian troops in the Russian fighting tactics. 61 He planed to launch his offensive on
15 August 1799 and urged Prince Peter to complete his mission within three days. 62
However, to his surprise, the French anticipated him and attacked first.
The French took full advantage of the Allied inactivity. After the coup of Prairial
(June 1797) in Paris, the Directory government became under influence of the Jacobins.
The key posts in the government were given to the Jacobins - General Jean Baptiste
Bernadotte was appointed Minister of War, General Jean Baptiste Marbot became
commander of the Army of the Interior and Robert Lindet served as Minister of Interior.
To counter the Allies’ successes, the Directors ordered a new conscription and dismissed
most of the previous commanders of the armies. 63 They appointed a new commander-inchief,
young and energetic General Barthelemy Joubert to the Army of Italy, who arrived
in Genoa early in August. Joubert left Paris immediately after his marriage, having sworn
to his bride that he would either win or die. Moreau surrendered his command to Joubert
on 3 August and offered to act as his adviser. 64 Joubert commanded approximately
45,000 troops, 65 but the French lacked supplies, horses and ammunition. The troops were
unpaid for months and the desertion further weakened the army. 66 The Army of Italy was
spread along the coastline: the left wing of Perignon was in the western Riviera di
Ponente and the right wing under Gouvion Saint Cyr was deployed near Bocketa in the
61 Grand Duke Constantine temporarily commanded the advance guard. Miliutin, Campaign of
1799, III, 22.
62 Dispotision for a General Attack into the Riviera, 12 August 1799, in Ibid., III, 283-87.
63 Rodger, War of the Second Coalition, 163.
64 General Jacques Schmitt, Joubert: La vie bréve d’un grenadier bressan, (Bourg-en-Bresse,
1999), 359-61; Macdonald recalled that Joubert “had begged [Moreau] to remain with him.”
Recollections, 277.
65 Gachot, Souvarow en Italie, 314-18; Jomini, Histoire critique et militaire, XII, 98; Saint Cyr,
Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire militaire (Paris, 1831), I, Pieces justificatives No. 42.
66 Baraguey-d’Hilliers to Bernadotte, 1 August 1799, in Miliutin, Campaign of 1799, III, 294;
Saint Cyr, Memoires, I, 219-20.
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