the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

arrived later that day with the rest of his advance guard. It was raining entire day so his
troops had to move on the muddy roads. One of the soldiers later recalled, “We were
soon ordered to prepare for march. General Peter Ivanich [sic] Bagration was with us that
night; he deployed us in line and stood in front of us - [he had] a big nose, harsh voice
and courageous [appearance]; he addressed us and we shouted, “We are glad to comply.”
He wanted volunteers, so we all came forward.” 56
The next day, Suvorov began concentrating his forces on the Adda River where
the French finally decided to give battle and halt the Allied offensive. The Allied troops
were deployed on the following positions along the river: General Rozenberg (9,000) and
Vukassovich (7,000) were at Caprino, near Brivio. Ott (5,000) was at St. Gervasio, Jean
Zopf (5,000) at Canonika, near Trezzo. Melas with 13,000 men was at Trevilio, near
Cassano. Seckendorf with 1,500 men occupied Crema, while Hohenzollern was at
Pizzighettone. The Allied army amounted to 48,500 men. Bagration’s advance guard (3
infantry battalions and 3 Cossack regiment, totaling 3,000 men) marched from Palazzolo
to Caprino and then pursued the French to Lecco. 57
The French army took up positions on the opposite bank of the Adda River.
Despite the numerical weakness of his troops, Scherer decided to exploit the steep banks
and the width of the Adda River to halt the Allies until the reinforcements arrived.
However, he dispersed his troops along the river, further weakening them. Serurier with
8,000 men covered territory from Lecco to Trezzo. Grenier’s troops (8,000) were
between Vaprio and Villa Pompeana, while Victor (8,000) protected the distance from
the latter to Robecco. François Peter Laboissière with 4,000 men was on the Po River. In
Switzerland]. (St. Petersburg, 1846), 30; Petrushevsky, Generalissimo Prince Suvorov, 540;
Miliutin, Campaign of 1799, I, 282; Orlov, Gryazev’s Notes, 37.
56 N. Polevoi, “Rasskazi russkago soldata,” in Russkaia voennaia proza XIX veka, [Russian
Military Prose of XIX Century] (St. Petersburg, 1989), 170.
57 Miliutin, Campaign of 1799, I, 282-83; Jomini, Histoire critique et militaire,, XI, 270;
Bogdanovich, Suvorov’s Campaigns in Italy and Switzerland, 31-32; Orlov, Study of Suvorov’s
Military Operations, 74; Clausewitz, Die Feldzuge von 1799, V, 228-29.
29