THE FRENCH DRIVEN FROM NAPLES. 141 river. He abandoned his tents and baggage, to- chapter XV gether with nine of his heaviest cannon ; leaving '- — even the sick and wounded to the mercy of the enemy, rather than encumber himself with any thing that should retard his march. The remainder of the artillery he sent forward in the van. The infantry followed next, and the rear, in which Sa- luzzo took his own station, was brought up by the men-at-arms, to cover the retreat. Before Allegre could reach Suzio, the whole Span- They retreai ° _ ' ^ onGaeta. ish army had passed the Garigliano, and formed on the right bank. Unable to face such superior num- bers, he fell back with precipitation, and joined himself to the main body of the French, now in full retreat on Gaeta. * Gonsalvo, afraid the French might escape him, sent forward Prospero Colonna, with a corps of light horse, to annoy and retard their march until he could come up. Keeping the right bank of the river with the main body, he marched rapidly through the deserted camp of the enemy, leaving little leisure for his men to glean the rich spoil, which lay tempting them on every side. It was not long before he came up with the French, whose movements were greatly retarded by the difficulty of dragging their guns over the ground completely 5 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, lib. 2, cap. 110. — Abarca, Reyes MS., cap. 189. — Ulloa, Vita di de Aragon, torn. ii. rey 30, cap. 14, Carlo v., fol. 22, 23. — Giiicciar- sec. 6. — Zurita, Anales, torn. v. dini, Istoria, p. 330. — Gamier, lib. 5, cap. 60. — Senarega, apud Hist, de France, torn. v. pp. 448, Muratori, Rerum Ital. Script., torn. 449. — Chronica del Gran Capitan, xxiv. p. 579.
