Teufelsbrücke

Teufelsbrücke 

a bridge over the Reuss River in Switzerland across which Russian troops fought their way on Sept. 14 (25), 1799, in the course of Suvorov’s Swiss Campaign of 1799. The road that ran along the Reuss from the village of Urseren to the bridge passed through a narrow (about 3 m) tunnel about 60 m long that was defended by a French detachment. Russian chasseurs were able to bypass the tunnel in a flanking movement, proceeding along the mountains and through the river gorge. They then repulsed the enemy and broke through to the Teufelsbrücke. Braving enemy fire, the Russian troops crossed the narrow, half-destroyed bridge, which was 22–23 m high, and reached the left bank of the river, thereby opening the way to the north.