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Coordinates: 45°23′N 07°52′E / 45.383°N 7.867°E / 45.383; 7.867
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Early on 15 May 1800, he Reserve Army started from [[Martigny]] to cross the Great St Bernard Pass. By 16 May, Lannes' Vanguard occupied Aosta after a skirmish with its Austrian defenders and was joined by Chabran's division.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=279}} By 17 May, the French had 12,300 infantry, 1,400 cavalry, and 14 artillery pieces in the Aosta Valley. The following day, Lannes' Vanguard defeated six Austrian infantry companies and three guns at [[Châtillon, Aosta Valley|Châtillon]]. GD [[François Watrin]]'s division captured the town while GB Jean Rivaud's cavalry brigade harassed the retreating Austrians. The French sustained only 90 casualties while capturing 350 of their foes despite the Austrians getting some belated cavalry support. On 19 May, the French encountered [[Fort Bard]] which proved to be a formidable obstacle defended by a bristling array of cannons. Though the fort had only 350 defenders, its commander Captain Stockard di Bernkopf determined to hold the place.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|pp=93–95}}
Early on 15 May 1800, he Reserve Army started from [[Martigny]] to cross the Great St Bernard Pass. By 16 May, Lannes' Vanguard occupied Aosta after a skirmish with its Austrian defenders and was joined by Chabran's division.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=279}} By 17 May, the French had 12,300 infantry, 1,400 cavalry, and 14 artillery pieces in the Aosta Valley. The following day, Lannes' Vanguard defeated six Austrian infantry companies and three guns at [[Châtillon, Aosta Valley|Châtillon]]. GD [[François Watrin]]'s division captured the town while GB Jean Rivaud's cavalry brigade harassed the retreating Austrians. The French sustained only 90 casualties while capturing 350 of their foes despite the Austrians getting some belated cavalry support. On 19 May, the French encountered [[Fort Bard]] which proved to be a formidable obstacle defended by a bristling array of cannons. Though the fort had only 350 defenders, its commander Captain Stockard di Bernkopf determined to hold the place.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|pp=93–95}}


On 21 May, the French bombarded Fort Bard with three [[Canon de 12 Gribeauval|12-pounder guns]] but this had little effect. An attempt was made to storm the fort, but it failed. Lannes used difficult footpaths to get his infantry and some cavalry past the fort, but it was impossible use the paths to move artillery. Finally, the French sneaked two [[Canon de 8 Gribeauval|8-pounders]], two [[Canon de 4 Gribeauval|4-pounders]], and two [[Obusier de 6 pouces Gribeauval|howitzers]] on the street past the fort. On 25 May, Bonaparte passed Fort Bard to join Lannes' Vanguard.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|pp=96–98}} Lannes failed in his first attack on [[Ivrea]] but tried again{{sfn|Dodge|2011|pp=178–179}} and captured Ivrea on 24 May. Led by [[Generalmajor]] (GM) Auguste-François Landres de Briey, the 800 Austrian defenders suffered 300 casualties and lost 14 guns.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=183}}<ref group=note>Another source stated that the French faced 2,000 Austrians, capturing 500 men and 15 guns (Arnold, p. 104).</ref> French losses were 7 killed and 25 wounded.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}} Behind Lannes, the French divisions were in the order Boudet, Loison, Monnier, and Chambarlhac. Chabran's division was given the task of reducing Fort Bard.{{sfn|Dodge|2011|pp=178–179}} Fort Bard finally surrendered on 2 June when the French gunners created a breach in the fort's walls.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=98}}
On 21 May, the French bombarded Fort Bard with three [[Canon de 12 Gribeauval|12-pounder guns]] but this had little effect. An attempt was made to storm the fort, but it failed. Lannes used difficult footpaths to get his infantry and some cavalry past the fort, but it was impossible use the paths to move artillery. Finally, the French sneaked two [[Canon de 8 Gribeauval|8-pounders]], two [[Canon de 4 Gribeauval|4-pounders]], and two [[Obusier de 6 pouces Gribeauval|howitzers]] on the street past the fort. On 25 May, Bonaparte passed Fort Bard to join Lannes' Vanguard.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|pp=96–98}} Lannes failed in his first attack on [[Ivrea]] but tried again{{sfn|Dodge|2011|pp=178–179}} and captured Ivrea on 24 May. Led by [[Generalmajor]] (GM) Auguste-François Landres de Briey, the 800 Austrian defenders suffered 300 casualties and lost 14 guns.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=183}}<ref group=note>Another source stated that the French faced 2,000 Austrians, capturing 500 men and 15 guns (Arnold, p. 104).</ref> French losses were 7 killed and 25 wounded.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}} Behind Lannes, the French divisions were in the order Boudet, Loison, Monnier, and Chambarlhac. Chabran's division was given the task of reducing Fort Bard,{{sfn|Dodge|2011|pp=178–179}} which finally surrendered on 2 June when the French gunners created a breach in the fort's walls.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=98}}


==Battle==
==Battle==
Between Ivrea on the north side and Romano Canavese on the south side, the Chiusella River flows east before emptying into the [[Dora Baltea]] River.<ref>{{google maps|title=Torrente Chiusella|access-date=June 13, 2024|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Torrente+Chiusella/@45.4009706,7.8917295,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x478883dfcaab2329:0x16664aa912f0ee7e!8m2!3d45.4049254!4d7.9037351!16s%2Fg%2F11h9_9zb3g?entry=ttu }}</ref> Late on 24 May, Lannes received the six artillery pieces that made it past Fort Bard. His troops marched toward the Chiusella line, but Lannes spent all day on 25 May reconnoitering the Austrian position. Hadik had 5,000 soldiers entrenched behind the Chiusella supported by 20 guns. There were 4,000 more troops holding some nearby heights. A significant number of defenders were hired Piedmontese soldiers.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}} Hadik's force included 2 battalions of the ''Michael Wallis'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 1½ battalions of the ''Franz Kinsky'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 47, the ''Lobkowitz'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 10, and 4 squadrons of the ''Kaiser'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 1. The two cavalry regiments were led by GM Joseph Palffy and GM Giovanni Pilati, respectively.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=183}}<ref group=note>Arnold's account of the battle mentioned the ''Latour'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 11. This is unlikely since that regiment was serving under [[Paul Kray]] in Germany (Smith, pp. 181–182).</ref> Since Hadik was convinced that he only faced one French division, he did not destroy the bridge.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}}
Between Ivrea on the north side and Romano Canavese on the south side, the Chiusella River flows east before emptying into the [[Dora Baltea]] River.<ref>{{google maps|title=Torrente Chiusella|access-date=June 13, 2024|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Torrente+Chiusella/@45.4009706,7.8917295,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x478883dfcaab2329:0x16664aa912f0ee7e!8m2!3d45.4049254!4d7.9037351!16s%2Fg%2F11h9_9zb3g?entry=ttu }}</ref> Late on 24 May, Lannes received the six artillery pieces that made it past Fort Bard. His troops marched toward the Chiusella line, but Lannes spent all day on 25 May reconnoitering the Austrian position. Hadik had 5,000 soldiers entrenched behind the Chiusella supported by 20 guns. There were 4,000 more troops holding some nearby heights. A significant number of defenders were hired Piedmontese soldiers.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}} Hadik's force included 2 battalions of the ''Michael Wallis'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 1½ battalions of the ''Franz Kinsky'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 47, the ''Lobkowitz'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 10, and 4 squadrons of the ''Kaiser'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 1. The two cavalry regiments were led by GM Joseph Palffy and GM Giovanni Pilati, respectively.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=183}} In addition, at least part of the ''Deutsch-Banat'' [[Grenz Infantry]] Regiment Nr. 12 was present. Since Hadik was convinced that he only faced one French division, he did not destroy the bridge.{{sfn|Arnold|2005|p=104}}<ref group=note>Arnold's account of the battle stated that the ''Latour'' Dragoon Regiment Nr. 11 was engaged. This is unlikely since that regiment served at the [[Battle of Stockach (1800)]] and [[Battle of Messkirch]] in Germany (Smith, pp. 181–182).</ref>


In fact, Lannes had 12,000 troops available, as follows.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=184}}
In fact, Lannes had 12,000 troops available, as follows.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=184}}
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==Notes==
==Notes==

Revision as of 00:12, 15 June 2024

Battle of Chiusella River
Part of the War of the Second Coalition

French infantrymen skirmishing by Felician Myrbach
Date26 May 1800
Standort
Romano Canavese, Italy
45°23′N 07°52′E / 45.383°N 7.867°E / 45.383; 7.867
Result French victory[1]
Austrian victory[2]
Belligerents
Frankreich Republican France Holy Roman Empire Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
Frankreich Napoleon Bonaparte
Frankreich Jean Lannes		 Holy Roman Empire Karl Hadik
Strength
12,000[3] 5,000[3] – 9,000[4]
Casualties and losses
300[1] – 1,700[3] 348[3] – 399[1]
Battle of Chiusella River is located in Northern Italy
Battle of Chiusella River
class=notpageimage|
Location within Northern Italy
Battle of Chiusella River is located in Europe
Battle of Chiusella River
Battle of Chiusella River (Europe)

The Battle of Chiusella River or Battle of Romano (26 May 1800) saw part of a French Republican army led by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte attack a Habsburg Austrian division led by Feldmarschall-Leutnant (FML) Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak during the War of the Second Coalition. In May 1800, Bonaparte's Reserve Army crossed the Great St Bernard Pass into the Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy. Though its advance was delayed by Fort Bard, the Reserve Army's vanguard under GD Jean Lannes moved past the fort and captured Ivrea. Hadik attempted to block the French at the Chiusella River north of Romano Canavese. After a hard-fought action, the Austrians withdrew toward Turin. Hadik's battle report finally convinced the Austrian army commander General der Kavallerie Michael von Melas that the main French threat was coming from the Aosta Valley.[5]

Background

Italian operations

By the beginning of 1800, the French armies in Italy had lost all the ground that Napoleon Bonaparte had conquered in his Campaign of 1796–97. The French Army of Italy under GD André Massena counted only 36,000 men fit to take the field. The army held a line from Genoa to the Col de Tende while 10,000 more held the passes through the Alps.[6]. GD Jean-de-Dieu Soult with 20,000 soldiers held Genoa, GD Louis-Gabriel Suchet defended the Col de Tende with 12,000 men, while GD Louis Marie Turreau was far to the northwest with 4,000 more at Mont Cenis.[7]

On 4 April 1800, Michael von Melas launched an offensive against Genoa with 62,000 troops. Guarding the mountain passes leading into northwest Italy was FML Konrad Valentin von Kaim with 31,000 men, while there were 20,000 more soldiers in various Italian garrisons.[8] Melas' forces also included 14,389 Piedmontese soldiers.[9] After desperate fighting between 6 and 19 April, Melas split the French Army of Italy in two, isolating Massena and Soult in Genoa. In this two-week period, the Austrians sustained over 8,000 casualties while inflicting 7,000 losses on the French.[10] Directing FML Peter Karl Ott von Bátorkéz and 24,000 men to carry out the Siege of Genoa, Melas and FML Anton von Elsnitz with 28,000 troops drove Suchet's outnumbered corps west along the Mediterranean coast. By 11 May, Melas was in Nice and his troops reached the Var River.[11]

Reserve Army

Bonaparte returned to France from Egypt on 9 November 1799[12] and immediately conspired to overthrow the unpopular French Directory.[12] He succeeded in the Coup of 18 Brumaire (9 November 1799)[13] and on 25 December, Bonaparte became First Consul, a position in which he exercised dictatorial power.[14] On 25 January 1800, Bonaparte ordered GD Louis-Alexandre Berthier to create a 60,000-man Reserve Army at Dijon. To mask this from Coalition spies, various strategems were employed, so that the Austrian government did not appreciate that the Reserve Army was a real threat to its operations in Italy.[15]

Berthier was appointed Commander-in-chief of the Reserve Army with GD Pierre Dupont as Chief of staff.[16] The army's Chief of Artillery was General of Brigade (GB) Auguste de Marmont who commanded 48 guns.[17] The initial organization of the Reserve Army was as follows.[16]

List of French Reserve Army units on 10 May 1800[16]
Corps Divisions Strength
Vanguard GD Jean Lannes 8,000
GD Guillaume Duhesme GD Louis Henri Loison 7,000
GD Jean Boudet 8,000
GD Claude Perrin Victor GD Jean-Charles Monnier 4,000
GD Jacques Chambarlhac 6,000
GD Joseph Chabran 5,000
GD Joachim Murat Cavalry 4,000
Reserve Army Grand Total 42,000

Bonaparte intended for the Reserve Army to march to Geneva and use the Great St Bernard Pass to enter northwestern Italy. Chabran's division would use the Little St Bernard Pass and join the army at Aosta. Turreau would advance from Mont Cenis and a token force would use the Simplon Pass. By agreement, GD Jean Victor Marie Moreau, the army commander in Germany, was supposed to send GD Claude Lecourbe's corps across the Gotthard Pass.[18] On 13 May 1800, Moreau informed Bonaparte that he could only spare GD Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey leading a smaller corps.[17] Ultimately, Moncey brought 11,500 soldiers into northern Italy.[19]

Photo shows a narrow valley and houses dominated by Fort Bard.
Fort Bard overlooks the road passing along the Aosta Valley.

Early on 15 May 1800, he Reserve Army started from Martigny to cross the Great St Bernard Pass. By 16 May, Lannes' Vanguard occupied Aosta after a skirmish with its Austrian defenders and was joined by Chabran's division.[20] By 17 May, the French had 12,300 infantry, 1,400 cavalry, and 14 artillery pieces in the Aosta Valley. The following day, Lannes' Vanguard defeated six Austrian infantry companies and three guns at Châtillon. GD François Watrin's division captured the town while GB Jean Rivaud's cavalry brigade harassed the retreating Austrians. The French sustained only 90 casualties while capturing 350 of their foes despite the Austrians getting some belated cavalry support. On 19 May, the French encountered Fort Bard which proved to be a formidable obstacle defended by a bristling array of cannons. Though the fort had only 350 defenders, its commander Captain Stockard di Bernkopf determined to hold the place.[21]

On 21 May, the French bombarded Fort Bard with three 12-pounder guns but this had little effect. An attempt was made to storm the fort, but it failed. Lannes used difficult footpaths to get his infantry and some cavalry past the fort, but it was impossible use the paths to move artillery. Finally, the French sneaked two 8-pounders, two 4-pounders, and two howitzers on the street past the fort. On 25 May, Bonaparte passed Fort Bard to join Lannes' Vanguard.[22] Lannes failed in his first attack on Ivrea but tried again[23] and captured Ivrea on 24 May. Led by Generalmajor (GM) Auguste-François Landres de Briey, the 800 Austrian defenders suffered 300 casualties and lost 14 guns.[2][note 1] French losses were 7 killed and 25 wounded.[4] Behind Lannes, the French divisions were in the order Boudet, Loison, Monnier, and Chambarlhac. Chabran's division was given the task of reducing Fort Bard,[23] which finally surrendered on 2 June when the French gunners created a breach in the fort's walls.[24]

Battle

Between Ivrea on the north side and Romano Canavese on the south side, the Chiusella River flows east before emptying into the Dora Baltea River.[25] Late on 24 May, Lannes received the six artillery pieces that made it past Fort Bard. His troops marched toward the Chiusella line, but Lannes spent all day on 25 May reconnoitering the Austrian position. Hadik had 5,000 soldiers entrenched behind the Chiusella supported by 20 guns. There were 4,000 more troops holding some nearby heights. A significant number of defenders were hired Piedmontese soldiers.[4] Hadik's force included 2 battalions of the Michael Wallis Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 1½ battalions of the Franz Kinsky Infantry Regiment Nr. 47, the Lobkowitz Dragoon Regiment Nr. 10, and 4 squadrons of the Kaiser Dragoon Regiment Nr. 1. The two cavalry regiments were led by GM Joseph Palffy and GM Giovanni Pilati, respectively.[2] In addition, at least part of the Deutsch-Banat Grenz Infantry Regiment Nr. 12 was present. Since Hadik was convinced that he only faced one French division, he did not destroy the bridge.[4][note 2]

In fact, Lannes had 12,000 troops available, as follows.[3]

List of French units at the Battle of Chiusella River on 26 May 1800[3][note 3]
Divisions/Brigades Units
GD François Watrin 6th Light Infantry Regiment
22nd Line Infantry Regiment
40th Line Infantry Regiment
GD Jean Boudet 9th Light Infantry Regiment
30th Line Infantry Regiment
59th Line Infantry Regiment
GB Jean Rivaud 12th Hussar Regiment
21st Horse Chasseur Regiment

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ^ Another source stated that the French faced 2,000 Austrians, capturing 500 men and 15 guns (Arnold, p. 104).
  2. ^ Arnold's account of the battle stated that the Latour Dragoon Regiment Nr. 11 was engaged. This is unlikely since that regiment served at the Battle of Stockach (1800) and Battle of Messkirch in Germany (Smith, pp. 181–182).
  3. ^ Smith's order of battle did not include Rivaud's cavalry which was mentioned in Arnold's account (Arnold, p. 105). Rivaud's units are from the Marengo order of battle (Smith, p. 186).
Citations
  1. ^ a b c Arnold 2005, p. 105.
  2. ^ a b c Smith 1998, p. 183.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Smith 1998, p. 184.
  4. ^ a b c d Arnold 2005, p. 104.
  5. ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 100–107.
  6. ^ Dodge 2011, p. 158.
  7. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 57.
  8. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 68.
  9. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 64.
  10. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 70.
  11. ^ Dodge 2011, pp. 170–171.
  12. ^ a b Phipps 2011, p. 448.
  13. ^ Phipps 2011, pp. 457–462.
  14. ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 23–24.
  15. ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 35–36.
  16. ^ a b c Dodge 2011, p. 172.
  17. ^ a b Chandler 1966, p. 278.
  18. ^ Chandler 1966, pp. 275–276.
  19. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 111.
  20. ^ Chandler 1966, p. 279.
  21. ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 93–95.
  22. ^ Arnold 2005, pp. 96–98.
  23. ^ a b Dodge 2011, pp. 178–179.
  24. ^ Arnold 2005, p. 98.
  25. ^ "Torrente Chiusella" (Map). Google Maps. Google. June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.

References

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