Devil's bridge over Reuss

Devil's bridge (Teufelsbrücke) over Reuss in the canton Uri (Switzerland)... It evokes some pages from the Russian history...

Here is it:
In 1799, Russia's Coalition partner Austria requested 79 years old Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov as Supreme commander of the planned Austro-Russian force in Northern Italy. Suvorov took command in February. The campaign opened with a series of Suvorov's victories (Cassano d'Adda, Trebbia, Novi). This last victory virtually expelled French forces from Italy. Suvorov himself gained the rank of "prince of the House of Savoy" from the king of Sardinia.

However, Suvorov's success aroused Austrian fears for their position in Italy. So, Austria and Great Britain pressed Paul I to adopt a new strategy that would send Suvorov and his army to Switzerland instead of into France as the old Field Marshal planned.

Suvorov was to unite in Switzerland with the Army of Rimskiy-Korsakov and, reinforced by the Austrian armies, face Masséna who was then threatening Switzerland. However, Masséna was moving against Rimsky-Korsakov, defeating him at Zürich (25-26 September). Meanwhile, the Army of Austrian Archduke Charles was already moving away from Switzerland to the Rhine in a separate operation altogether, to reach the allied armies in the Netherlands.
At Taverna, Suvorov found the ammunition and supplies promised by his Austrian allies had not been delivered and five days were lost gathering what was available. On 19 September, Suvorov's troops attacked Le Courbe holding the St Gotthard Pass, the quickest though most difficult route to Switzerland. On 25 September, Russian light troops outflanked the French positions as the latter tried to hold the Lucerne-Lach tunnel and the Devil's Bridge. As Bagration's men struck the flank, Suvorov stepped on to the bridge, under fire, calling to his army, "See how an old Field Marshal faces the enemy!"

The next day as he had arrived at Altdorf Suvorov learned of the Russian defeat at Zürich. With no roads nor boats to ferry them across the lake there, the Russians appeared trapped and the French were closing in. However, despite his own age and illness, Suvorov decided to force a way through to Glarus. Bagration's advance guard again threw back the French (Molitor) while Rosenberg's rear guard held off Masséna, before rejoining Suvorov at Glarus on 4 October. Again, Suvorov found no Austrian army nor supplies. He decided that to evade the French forces awaiting him, he would march into the 9,000 foot high mountains of the Panikh range towards Ilants. After a difficult march, the Russian army reached Ilants on October 8, finally beyond the reach of the French.

Suvorov's successful escape gained him the grudging admiration of Europe and the nickname "the Russian Hannibal". When Suvorov battled his way through the snow-capped Alps his army was checked but never defeated. For this marvel of strategic retreat, Suvorov became the fourth generalissimo of Russia. He was officially promised to be given the military triumph in Russia but the court intrigues led the Emperor Paul to cancel the ceremony.

Early in 1800 Suvorov returned to Saint Petersburg. Paul refused to give him an audience, and, worn out and ill, the old veteran died a few days afterwards on 18 May 1800, at Saint Petersburg. Lord Whitworth, the English ambassador, and the poet Derzhavin were the only persons of distinction present at the funeral.