the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

special decree recognizing the efforts of the senior officers and generously awarded
junior officers and soldiers. 50
On 23 April, the Allies reached the Oglio River and encountered General
Serurier’s troops retreating to Lecco. The same day, Bagration attacked the French rear
guard of 1,000 men with 6 guns defending the bridge at Palazzollo. 51 The French
defended their positions resolutely and their skirmishers effectively checked the Russians
troops. Bagration appealed to Povalo-Shveikovsky for reinforcements. However, instead
of moving his troops, Povalo-Shveikovsky arrived to Polazzollo in person to see the
fighting. As a result, Bagration was not reinforced and failed to capture the bridge, which
was destroyed by the retreating French rear guard. 52 Suvorov reproached Povalo-
Shveikovsky for failing to reinforce Bagration and urged his other commanders to march
immediately to the sound of guns. 53 According to the Russian sources, the French
casualties amounted to 60 killed and wounded and 20 captured. Official reports showed
Russian losses as 1 killed and 2 wounded. 54
On 24 April the main army crossed the Oglio River. Bagration moved the
Cossacks to harass the retreating French troops; they captured over 150 men. He then
continued the pursuit and, on 24 April, his Cossacks under Adrian Denisov and Peter
Grekov raided Bergamo, seizing 130 men, 19 guns, a flag, and supplies. 55 Bagration
50 A.V. Suvorov: Documents, IV, 27; Petrushevsky, Generalissimo Prince Suvorov, 538-39.
51 Suvorov to Paul, 1 May 1799, A.V. Suvorov: Documents, IV, 41.
52 Miliutin, Campaign of 1799, I, 282; Gachot, Souvarow en Italie, 119-20, 125; Buturlin,
Campagne de 1799, 30.
53 Suvorov’s Notes on Povalo-Shveikovsky’s Actions at Polazollo, 24 April 1799, A.V.
Suvorov: Documents, IV, 31; Orlov, Study of Suvorov’s Military Operations, 70.
54 Suvorov to Paul, 1 May 1799, A.V. Suvorov: Documents, IV, 41; Record of Service,
Correspondence of Bagration, 18. Journal of Military Actions of the Allied Armies, in Ibid., 25;
Count Komarovsky’s Journal of Military Operations, in Correspondence of Suvorov, 224-25.
Unfortunately, such returns and statistics are highly suspect and probably useless.
55 Suvorov to Paul, 1 May 1799, A.V. Suvorov: Documents, IV, 41; Zapiski donskogo
atamana Denisova [Notes of the Don Cossack Ataman Denisov], (St. Petersburg, 2000), 98-100;
M. Bogdanovich, Pokhodi Suvorova v Italii i Shveitsarii [Suvorov’s Campaigns in Italy and
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