eleven o’clock
But during this time Gardannes ' division , which had been struggling with the enemy from early morning , was driven back upon Marengo , followed by the first Austrian line , which forced Chamberlhac 's division to retreat in like manner . There an aide-de-camp sent by Bonaparte ordered the two divisions to rally and retake Marengo at any cost . General Victor reformed them , put himself at their head , forced his way through the streets , which the Austrians had not had time to barricade , retook the village , lost it again , took it a third time , and then , overwhelmed by numbers , lost it for the third time . It was then eleven o'clock . Desaix , overtaken by Bonaparte 's aide-de-camp , ought at that hour to be on his way to the battle . Meanwhile , Lannes with his two divisions came to the help of his struggling comrades . This reinforcement enabled Gardannes and Chamberlhac to reform their lines parallel to the enemy , who had now debouched , through Marengo , to the right and also to the left of the village .