As the reenactors headed home, a journey of up to 24 hours for some of the British participants, the events switched to the Alessandria citadel. The contrast could not have been greater -- Marco Gioannini and Gioulio Massobrio had worked hard to make the event run superbly. The only problem was beyond their control as the weekend rain swelled the local stream with plenty of debris and forced the closure of the bridge linking the citadel with the city.
In the citadel the bicentennial exhibition will run until early September (open every day except Mondays). Lacking historical artifacts and aiming at a broad audience, the organizers opted for a rather different presentation, which works very well. Alongside a mix of familiar and unfamiliar pictures, they have placed news-style reports on Bonaparte's progress to the battlefield. Then comes the finale of light and pictures (mostly parts of General Lejeune's famous painting of the battle), which features a brief silence as General Desaix is killed and ends with the Marseillaise revolutionary anthem signaling the French victory. For the average visitor, the exhibition's approach greatly enhances the understanding and appreciation of the battle; for the aficionado, it is a different, enjoyable perspective. (A CD of many of the illustrations is available: contact Giulio Massobrio at giulio.massobrio@comune.alessandria.it.)
A two day military-historical meeting, part of a week long conference looking at all aspects of the era in Italy, was opened by Dr. David Chandler, author of the classic Campaigns of Napoleon and many other works. Despite his recent medical setbacks, he has not lost his usual self-deprecating humor. Taking the wider perspective, Dr. Chandler pointed out that three battles were fought nearby in the previous year of 1799. Then he turned to Napoleon Bonaparte, starting with his return from Egypt and the famous crossing of the Alps in the 1800 campaign. Dr. Chandler then examined his favorite topic of the campaign, the Bulletin and the Reports of the years following the battle of Marengo which Napoleon changed from describing a battle barely won at the last moment into the myth of a victory that developed as he had pre-planned.
Other speakers included Bernard Voykowitsch, author/publisher of Castiglione 1796, who presented an assessment of Austria's plans, especially that rather shadowy figure, Foreign Minister Thugut. Alain Pigeard discussed the French Army of the Reserve which Bonaparte led into Italy, focusing on the uniforms and key commanders. George Nafziger discussed the relevant drill and tactics. Brief debates were included in the program. One in particular displayed differences of opinion on the tactics and direction of the battle by the commanding generals in which Melas seemed to be gaining support among the audience.
The session concluded with two talks by Alan Forrest and Jean Bertaud, both of whom considered the Napoleonic military system, in terms of how it built esprit de corps and how the reality, especially of conscription, differed from the famous mythology. The organizers of this most informative event are hoping to publish the papers presented later this year.
As the Forum drew to a close around 5.30 p.m., the rumble of thunder became audible in the distance. Thoughts turned to the days of 1800 -- this storm was only slightly early, as exactly 200 years before the French and Austrians had contested Marengo village. The 14th dawned, just as it had done for Napoleon and Melas, in bright warm sunshine. For me, it was time to go home. Taking the train from Alessandria, Terry Crowdy and I crossed the main part of the battlefield around 12:30 p.m. as the anniversary time reached the moment of the Austrian assaults on the Fontanone. As we changed trains at Tortona, the heat was steadily rising. By 5:45 p.m., around the time Desaix was killed, we were flying back over the English Channel -- we had a small drink to mark the occasion for "the poor sods, who were there".
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