Eight o'clock in the evening, Napoleon, accompanied by his corps commanders and elite guards, arrived at Alessandria.
As their horses trotted along the streets, Napoleon noticed the whitecoats, glaring at them subtly, feeling bitter about their defeat against him. But he paid them no heed, as he focused on the task at hand.
Arriving at the Palazzo Ghini courtyard, Napoleon dismounted his horse and approached the man who was standing by the gates, who seemed to be the head of the Austrian Army of Italy, Melas.
Napoleon extended his hand, offering a handshake. "I'm the First Consul of France, Napoleon Bonaparte," he introduced himself in German. "Are you perhaps, General Melas?"
"I am indeed, General Melas of the Austrian Army," Melas responded in French, surprising Napoleon a little. "Why? did you assume that I can't speak your language like how you did earlier?"
Napoleon scoffed softly. "I meant no offense, General Melas. It's just a habit of mine when I get to talk with the Austrian generals. So, shall we proceed with the negotiations?"
Melas was taken aback for a moment by Napoleon's candid response, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded.
"Of course, Premier First Consul. Let us proceed with the negotiations," he replied, his tone remaining cordial.
The two generals, accompanied by their aides, stepped into the Palazzo Ghini.
Inside the chamber, the atmosphere was tense yet dignified. Napoleon and Melas took their seats at opposite ends of a long table. And they began exchanging terms, but the atmosphere in the chamber remained tense as both Napoleon and Melas carefully discussed each article of the Convention.
Each general was determined to secure the best outcome for their respective countries while ensuring that the terms were fair and just.
It took almost three hours of talking back and forth, and this is what they agreed upon:
ART. I — The armistice and suspension of hostilities between the Austrian and French armies were agreed upon, giving both sides much-needed respite and time for negotiation.
ART. II — The territory to be occupied by the Austrian Army of Italy was defined, including the cities of Peschiera, Mantua, and Borgo-Forte, as well as the left bank of the Po and Ferrara on the right.
ART. III — The French army was to occupy the region between the Chiesa, the Oglio, and the Po, as both sides defined their respective spheres of influence.
ART. IV — The territory between the Chiesa and the Mincio was declared a neutral zone, to be free from occupation by either army.
ART. V — Provisions were agreed upon for the Austrian army to draw supplies from the former duchy of Mantua, while the French army would be supplied by the province of Brescia.
ART. VI — The French army would take possession of several strategic castles and cities, including Tortona, Alessandria, Milan, Turin, Pizzighettone, Arona, and Placenza, on specified dates.
ART. VII — The fortress of Coni, along with the castles of Seva and Savona, and the city of Genoa, would be surrendered to the French army between the 16th and 20th of June.
ART. VIII — Fort Urbino was scheduled to be surrendered to the French army on the 26th of June.
ART. IX — The artillery of the evacuated places is to be divided as follows:
All artillery of the Austrian caliber and fount, to belong to the Austrian army.
All of Italian, Piedmontese, and French caliber and make, to belong to the French army.
The provisions to be divided: half to be at the disposal of the Commissary-general of the French army, and half at that of the Commissary-general of the Austrian army.
ART. X — The garrisons of the occupied places were to march out with the honors of war, heading directly to Mantua.
ART. XI — The Austrian army would withdraw its forces to Mantua in three columns, according to a specific schedule.
ART. XII — Commissioners from both sides were appointed to ensure the proper execution of the Convention's articles, including inventories, provisions, carriages, and other matters.
ART. XIII — Both sides agreed that no individual would be ill-treated due to their services or political opinions. Furthermore, those arrested in the Cisalpine Republic for political reasons would be released.
ART. XIV — Regardless of the response from Vienna, neither army would attack the other without providing a six-day notice.
ART. XV — During the suspension of hostilities, neither army would send detachments into Germany.
After much deliberation, the final terms of the Convention were agreed upon and written into the document. Napoleon and Melas put their signatures at the bottom, officially sealing the agreement. With the exchange of ratified documents, the armistice came into effect, putting a temporary halt to hostilities in Italy.
Napoleon felt weary after negotiating with General Melas for three hours. He rubbed his eyes, trying to ease the strain from the intense discussions. As he looked across the table, he could see similar fatigue in the eyes of General Melas.
"What will you do after this, Premier First Consul?" Melas asked curiously.
"I guess I'll return to France and handle the state of affairs," Napoleon said simply. "How about you, General Melas?"
"Return home," Melas replied. "Am I the only Austrian general to have asked you that question after negotiation?"
"You are the only one," Napoleon answered before rising to his feet. "Now that we have finished the negotiation and signed it, we can now go our separate ways."
He walked over to Melas' seat and offered a handshake. "It has been a pleasure, General Melas."
"It has been a pleasure, Premier First Consul," Melas responded, accepting the handshake with a firm grip.
With that, Napoleon exited the Palazzo Ghini with his aides. He breathed in the night air, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction. The negotiations had been a success, he had retaken the territories that the Austrians had captured from between 1797 and 1799.
He had done his part in defeating the Austrians, now it lay in the hands of General Moreau to deal a decisive blow.
"Where to now, Your Excellency?" Berthier asked.
"As much as I'd like to say Paris, we have to stop by Milan first. We need to reestablish the Cisalpine Republic and solidify our control over the region," Napoleon replied, his mind already shifting to the next phase of his plans.
"Very well, Your Excellency."
R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at f(r)eew𝒆bnovel.com Only