It is impossible to suppose that Cialdini's
corps d'armee, being so large, is destined to cross the Po only at one
point of the river below its course: it is extremely likely that part of
it should cross it at some point above, between Revere and Stellata,
where the river is in two or three instances only 450 metres wide. Were
the Italian general to be successful--protected as he will be by the
tremendous fire of the powerful artillery he disposes of--in these
twofold operations, the Austrians defending the line of the Colli Euganei
could be easily outflanked by the Italian troops, who would have crossed
the river below Lago Scuro. Of course these are mere suppositions, for
nobody, as you may imagine, except the king, Cialdini himself, Lamarmora,
Pettiti, and Menabrea, is acquainted with the plan of the forthcoming
campaign. There was a rumour at Cialdini's headquarters to-day that the
Austrians had gathered in great numbers in the Polesine, and especially
at Rovigo, a small town which they have strongly fortified of late, with
an apparent design to oppose the crossing of the Po, were Cialdini to
attempt it at or near Lago Scuro. There are about Rovigo large tracts of
marshes and fields cut by ditches and brooks, which, though owing to the
dryness of the season [they] cannot be, as it was generally believed two
weeks ago, easily inundated, yet might well aid the operations the
Austrians may undertake in order to check the advance of the Italian
fourth corps d'armee.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35