Beaulieu, nevertheless, contrived to withdraw his troops in much better style than Buonaparte had anticipated.

He gathered the scattered fragments of his force together, and soon threw the line of the Mincio, another tributary of the Po, between himself and his enemy.

The great object, however, had been attained: the Austrian general escaped, and might yet defend Mantua, but no obstacle remained between the victorious invader and the rich and noble capital of Lombardy.

The garrison of Pizzighitone, seeing themselves effectually cut off from the Austrian army, capitulated.

The French cavalry pursued Beaulieu as far as Cremona, which town they seized; and Napoleon himself prepared to march at once upon Milan.
It was after one of these affairs that an old Hungarian officer was brought prisoner to Buonaparte, who entered into conversation with him, and among other matters questioned him "what he thought of the state of the war ?" "Nothing," replied the old gentleman, who did not know he was addressing the general-in-chief,--"nothing can be worse.