The Kentucky Gazette

The victories and rapid conquest of the French republicans have nevertheless these three years filled the universe with astonishment; but of all those glorious exploits that inspired mankind with reverence for the republican name, and struck slaves and despots with terror, there is, all circumstances duly weighed, not a single one that presented such innumerable obstacles, and promises such lasting advantage as the late unparalleled success of the French army of Italy. Indeed what is the conquest of Belgium, of Holland in comparison the late captures in Piedmont? After the famous victory of Fleurus, Jourdan swept without much difficulty, the whole coalesced army out of the plains of Belgium, to the other side of the Maese; — another victory, that of Juliers, pushed the Grand Austrian army on the other side of the Rhine: Holland was then in a manner open it being deprived of its best bulwark: and, what rendered its fall the more certain confided to the protection of the English, to the protection of the wreck of an army covered with disgrace, and accustomed to fly at the appearance of a Republican! A sudden frost by transforming the watery element into a solid mass, removing all further obstacles: and whilst Moreau, Pichegru, Vandamme advanced at the head of three columns and in three different points to take possession of Holland, the armies of Jourdan and Ney chaud, kept the Austrian and Prussian forces in a manner nailed to their positions on the other side of the Rhine: and these alone could have saved Holland or at least have rendered its conquest difficult.

But how different were the obstacles and imminent dangers that presented themselves to assail Piedmont! Here nature and art had exhausted every means to transform the whole country into one immense and impregnable fortress; several angles of the Alps formed on the side of France natural barriers that seemed to defy every effort of human skill and to traverse the summits of these mountains rising above the clouds, covered with everlasting snow, inaccessible during the winter: and nearly insurmountable during the summer season — for every pass leading in a meandering direction over rocks and along precipices to the vallies was guarded by a fort although it could not be deemed practicable but for wild goats or men equally as nimble and daring. The roads through the defiles were all rendered impenetrable by fortified towns, of which Piedmont contained no less than forty, disposed in such a manner that they defended all the defiles and avenues to them; the avenues of the fortresses were protected by a numerous army; but all these formidable obstacles vanished before the invincible courage of the French Republicans.

In less than a fortnight the Austro Sardinian army was annihilated. the principal fortresses taken, and, the king of Sardinia obliged to deliver up the remaining strongholds. which secure to the French the conquest of all Italy. The king of Sardinia. senior of the crowned heads, has already appealed to the generosity of the French republicans for his existence.

See Gazette Extras