Fort Bard, Aosta Valley, Italy. Napoleon inspects the new path that bypasses the fort and reaches Donnas in two and a half hours’ march, finding it impossible to advance artillery. During the night, the commander of the army’s artillery, General Marmont, orders the wagon wheels, chains, and anything else that might make noise to be wrapped in twisted hay. He spreads straw and mattresses still in the houses on the pavement. He then unties the horses and has his men fire the artillery in perfect silence. Covered by the roar of the Dora River and a thunderstorm that breaks out around midnight, they manage to get four eight-guns through. Then the alarm is raised, and under a hail of fire, two more cannons manage to get through, before the column halts. Thanks to this ruse, only six of the army’s 40 cannons make it through.
