Battle of Caldiero, 1796
Part of French Revolutionary Wars
Date 12 November 1796 Location Caldiero, in present-day Italy Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
French Empire	Austria
Commanders
Napoleon Bonaparte	Jozsef Alvinczi
Strength
13,000	12,000
Casualties and losses
1,800 and 2 guns	1,300

v • d • e War of the First Coalition Verdun – Valmy – Jemappes – 1st Mainz – Neerwinden – Famars – 1st Arlon - Hondshoote – Wattignies – Kaiserslautern - Toulon - Wissembourg - 2nd Arlon - Villers-en-Cauchies – Tourcoing – Tournay – 3rd Arlon - Ushant – Fleurus – Vosges – 1st Dego – Luxembourg – Genoa – Groix – Quiberon - Hyères – 2nd Mainz – Loano - Montenotte – Millesimo – 2nd Dego – Mondovì – Fombio – Lodi – Borghetto – Lonato – Castiglione – Neresheim – Amberg – Würzburg – Rovereto – 1st Bassano – 2nd Bassano – Calliano – Caldiero – Arcole – Expédition d'Irlande – Rivoli – Mantua – Fishguard – Neuwied - Camperdown War in the Vendée – War of the Pyrenees – Flanders Campaign - Anglo–Spanish War

v • d • e French Revolutionary Wars Italian Campaigns 1st Dego - Loano – Montenotte – Millesimo – 2nd Dego – Ceva – Mondovì – Fombio – Lodi – Borghetto – Lonato – Castiglione – Rovereto – 1st Bassano – 2nd Bassano – Calliano – Caldiero – Arcole – Rivoli – 1st Mantua – Magnano – Cassano – Trebbia – 2nd Mantua – Novi – Genoa – Montebello – Marengo – Pozzolo

In the Battle of Caldiero on 12 November 1796, an Austrian army led by Jozsef Alvinczi inflicted a rare tactical setback on Napoleon Bonaparte and a French army during the War of the First Coalition, which was part of the French Revolutionary Wars. This action was part of a campaign which concluded with an Austrian defeat at the Battle of Arcole a few days later.

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Forces 1.2 Bassano 1.3 Calliano 1.4 Verona 2 Battle 3 Result 4 References 4.1 Footnotes

[edit] Background

On 2 November, Feldzeugmeister Alvinczi launched the third attempt to raise the Siege of Mantua by crossing the Piave River with an army of 28,000 men and advancing west. At the same time, a second Austrian column under Feldmarschal-Leutnant (FML) Paul Davidovich moved south against Trento with 18,000 men.^[1] Alvinczi hoped to break through to the relief of Field Marshal Dagobert von Wurmser's 23,708-man garrison (of whom only 12,420 were well enough to fight) in Mantua.^[2]

To face the twin threats, Bonaparte deployed a 10,500-man division led by General of Division (GD) Claude Vaubois against Davidovich in the north and GD André Masséna's 9,500-man division at Bassano on the Brenta River. In reserve lay GD Pierre Augereau's 8,300-man division at Verona and 4,300 in other units. GD Charles Kilmaine with 8,800 men blockaded Wurmser's garrison in Mantua.^[3]

[edit] Forces

See Arcola 1796 Campaign Order of Battle.

[edit] Bassano

On 6 November, Bonaparte with 19,500 men, including Massena, Augereau, and a reserve brigade, attacked Alvinczi at Bassano del Grappa. In the hard-fought Second Battle of Bassano, Alvinczi and his two division commanders, FML Peter Quasdanovich and FML Giovanni di Provera, repelled their outnumbered opponents. French losses were 3,000 killed, wounded, and captured, while Alvinczi's army suffered about 2,800 casualties.^[4]

[edit] Calliano

On 7 November, Davidovich routed Vaubois in the Battle of Calliano, inflicting 4,400 casualties on the French for an Austrian loss of 3,500.^[5] Bonaparte focused on the threat from the north as he pulled back his eastern force to Verona. Davidovich remained inactive because he was under the mistaken impression that Masséna's division reinforced Vaubois.

[edit] Verona

By 11 November, Alvinczi's advance elements reached Caldiero, 15 km east of Verona. Believing that Verona was being evacuated, General-Major (GM) Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Hechingen moved forward. But Bonaparte sent the divisions of Masséna and Augereau across the Adige River to engage the Austrians. Hohenzollern lost 400 men and pulled back to a ridge running north of Caldiero. Bonaparte determined to attack the Austrians the next day.

[edit] Battle

Bonaparte sent a total of 13,000 men to attack Hohenzollern's position.^[6] Masséna drove against the Austrian right and Augereau attacked the Austrian left, The Austrians, who had fortified themselves in several villages, sturdily resisted the French assaults. A violent rain and hail storm blew in the faces of the French troops, making it difficult for them to prime their muskets. At mid-day, Masséna began making headway on the Austrian right. In the afternoon, the brigades of GM Adolf Brabeck and GM Anton Schübirz arrived on the field. Soon the Austrians forced back Masséna. Provera also appeared and drove back Augereau. The arrival of nightfall allowed the French to pull safely back into Verona.^[7]

[edit] Result

The French suffered 1,000 killed and wounded, plus 800 men and two artillery pieces captured. The Austrian lost 950 killed and wounded, and 350 captured.^[8] After losing three straight battles, Bonaparte contemplated a retreat behind the Adda River, abandoning the blockade of Mantua. But when the Austrians dawdled rather than taking advantage of their opportunities, the French commander determined to attack his opponent again. Stripping Vaubois and Kilmaine of every available man, Bonaparte fell upon Alvinczi at the Battle of Arcola on 15 to 17 November and defeated the Austrians.

[edit] References

• Boycott-Brown, Martin. The Road to Rivoli. London: Cassell & Co., 2001. ISBN 0-304-35305-1
• Chandler, David. The Campaigns of Napoleon. New York: Macmillan, 1966.
• Fiebeger, G. J. The Campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte of 1796-1797. West Point, NY: US Military Academy Printing Office, 1911. Quoted in Napoleon in Italy OSG wargame study folder.
• Smith, Digby. The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill, 1998. ISBN 1-85367-276-9

[edit] Footnotes

1. ^ Chandler, p 101
2. ^ Boycott-Brown, p 448
3. ^ Boycott-Brown, p 448
4. ^ Smith, p 126
5. ^ Smith, p 126-127
6. ^ Chandler, p 103
7. ^ Boycott-Brown, p 456
8. ^ Smith, p 127