"MY REASONS ARE THE SAME AS THOSE WHICH LED ME IN YEAR 4 [1796] TO BUILD A BRIDGE AT RONCO...". NAPOLEON I. Letter signed "Napo" to his adopted son and viceroy of Italy, Prince Eugène de Beauharnais. Bayonne, 27 June 1808. One p. in-4. Beautiful letter on the defence of the kingdom of Italy from Austria, particularly concerning the Arcole region. "My son, I received your letter of the 20th. I will wait for your reconnaissance of the Piave before taking a decision on the line to be fortified in Italy [there was a rumour that an Austrian troop was gathering on the Piave in Veneto]. I do not think that the position of the Adige square is Albaredo, but rather opposite Ronco [today Ronco all'Adige and Albaredo d'Adige, south-east of Verona], so as to guard the outlets of the marshes, by adding a bridge over the little river of Alpon [a tributary of the Adige that runs alongside Arcole and flows into the river near Albaredo]. My reasons are the same as those which led me in year 4 to build a bridge at Ronco, instead of at Albaredo. If the bridge were at Albaredo, the enemy would intercept the communication of this new stronghold with Verona, by throwing few people into the marshes. This position must meet the following requirements: 1° a bridge over the Adige as close as possible to the bend in the main road from Verona to Vicenza; 2° a point from which communication with Verona can be established without encountering any obstacles...". Napoleon I, Correspondance générale, Paris, Fayard, vol. VIII, 2011, no. 18426.