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Battle of Montenotte
Part of the French Revolutionary War
Date 12 April 1796
Location Cairo Montenotte, present-day Italy
Result French victory
Belligerents
France French Republic Habsburg Monarchy Habsburg Austria
Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia
Commanders
Napoleon Bonaparte Eugène Argenteau
Strength
9,000, 18 guns[1] 6,000
Casualties and losses
800[2] 2,500, 12 guns

Verdun – Valmy – Jemappes – 1st Mainz – Neerwinden – Famars – 1st Arlon - Hondshoote - Dunkirk – 1st Wissembourg – Wattignies – Kaiserslautern - Toulon - 2nd 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 – Kehl – Rivoli – Mantua – Fishguard – Neuwied - Camperdown

War in the Vendée – War of the Pyrenees – Flanders Campaign - Anglo–Spanish War
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

The Battle of Montenotte was fought on 12 April 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, between French forces under General Napoleon Bonaparte and an Austrian force under Count Feldmarschal-Leutnant (FML) Eugène Argenteau. The battle was fought near the village of Cairo Montenotte, in northwestern Italy, and ended in a French victory.

Contents

Background

During the spring of 1796, the politically-connected Bonaparte arrived to take over the Army of Italy, his first army command. His Austrian opponent, Feldzeugmeister Johann Beaulieu was also new to the Italian theater of operations. Beaulieu's ally, the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont also fielded an army against the French. Bonaparte planned to advance from the Ligurian coast to drive a wedge between Beaulieu's 28,000-man Austrian army to the northeast and FML Michelangelo Colli's 21,000-strong Austro-Sardinian army to the northwest.

Forces

See Montenotte 1796 Campaign Order of Battle.

Opening moves

On 10 April, the left wing of the Austrian army under Beaulieu attacked a French brigade at Voltri, now a suburb of Genoa. The local French commander, General of Brigade Jean Cervoni made a fighting retreat and escaped intact. Due to poor staff work, the attack of Argenteau's right wing did not begin until 11 April.[3] On that day, the Austrians moved with 3,500-4,000 soldiers against a French position on Monte Negino. The 1,200 French defenders, led by Colonel Antoine Rampon, fought off all Austrian attacks during the day. Thwarted in his design, Argenteau camped near Montenotte and sent for a reinforcement of some cannons.[4][5]

These moves precipitated an immediate counteroffensive by Bonaparte, who moved General of Division (MG) André Masséna's two divisions from Savona through the Cadibona Pass to Carcare. Satisfied that Beaulieu was too far to the east to intervene effectively, Bonaparte determined to crush Argenteau. From Carcare he ordered two brigades of MG Amédée Laharpe's division to attack Argenteau, while Masséna took Laharpe's third brigade to cut in behind the Austrians.

Battle

On 12 April, 9,000 French soldiers faced 6,000 Austrians.[6] Laharpe attacked frontally while Masséna worked his way across the mountains with Jean Menard's brigade to turn the Austrian right flank. Argenteau tried to stop the French manoeuvre, but acted too late. Masséna charged and the Austrians were routed, most of their losses being troops captured. By the next morning, only 700 of Argenteau's men were with the colors.[7] The rest were lost in combat or scattered.

Results

The battle was General Bonaparte's first victory in the Montenotte Campaign. The French reported 800 killed, wounded, and missing. The Austrians lost 2,500 killed, wounded, and captured, most of the casualties being prisoners. The 1st battalion of the Terzi Infantry Regiment # 16 was cut off and captured.[8] Argenteau's survivors regrouped in Dego, about 6 km to the north-northeast. The next actions would be the Battle of Millesimo on 13 April and the Second Battle of Dego on 14-15 April.

References

  • Boycott-Brown, Martin. The Road to Rivoli. London: Cassell & Co., 2001. ISBN 0-304-35305-1
  • Chandler, David. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Macmillan, 1979. ISBN 0-02-523670-9
  • 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. Reprinted in Bonaparte in Italy Operational Studies Group wargame study folder.
  • Smith, Digby. The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill, 1998. ISBN 1-85367-276-9

Footnotes

  1. ^ Chandler, Dictionary, p 285. Strengths are from Chandler.
  2. ^ Smith, p 111. Losses and the 18 French guns are from Smith.
  3. ^ Chandler, Campaigns, p 67
  4. ^ Fiebeger, p 5
  5. ^ Boycott-Brown, p 211. This author insists on calling the position Monte Negino. Other authorities use Legino.
  6. ^ Chandler, Dictionary, p 285
  7. ^ Chandler, Campaigns, p 66
  8. ^ Smith, p 111. Smith writes that 14,000 French faced 9,000 Austrians.

External links

See also








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