Editing Battle of Marengo (section)

===French counter-attack===
However, Desaix, in charge of the force Bonaparte had detached southwards, had hastened his advance and reached a small road junction north of Cascina Grossa (3&nbsp;km west of San Giuliano).<ref name="Hollins607"/> Shortly before 5:00&nbsp;pm, he reported to Bonaparte in person with the news that his force (6,000 men and 9 guns of Boudet's division) was not far behind. The story goes that, asked by Bonaparte what he thought of the situation, Desaix replied: "This battle is completely lost. However, there is time to win another."<ref>Chandler, p. 269</ref>

The French were fast to bring up and deploy the fresh troops in front of San Giuliano, and the Austrians were slow to mount their attack. Boudet and the 9<sup>ème</sup> Légère ([[9th Light Infantry Regiment]]) were quickly moved on to the exit from the main vine belt, where they surprised the head of Saint-Julien's column. As the Austrian infantry deployed on the south side of the road, the 9<sup>ème</sup> Légère conducted a steady withdrawal for 30 minutes back to Desaix's position. There he had placed GdB Louis Charles de Guénand's brigade on the north side while most of the remaining French army (Monnier and Lannes) were forming up north from there. The Austrians deployed three artillery batteries on the north side of the road supported by a dragoon regiment.<ref name="Hollins607"/> GdB [[Auguste de Marmont]] massed the remaining French cannon against the Austrians as they advanced. Boudet's division advanced in line of brigades against the head of the Austrian column, defeating Saint-Julien's leading Austrian brigade. Zach brought forward GM Lattermann's grenadier brigade in line and renewed the attack. Faced with a crisis, Napoleon sent Desaix forward again and ordered a cavalry charge requested by Desaix. The 9<sup>ème</sup> Légère halted to face the main Austrian advance and Marmont's guns blasted the Austrians with grapeshot at close range.<ref name="Hollins607"/> Further back, an Austrian ammunition limber exploded. In the temporary heightening of confusion, Lattermann's formation was charged on its left flank by Kellermann's heavy cavalry (ca. 400 men) and disintegrated. At the decisive moment of the battle, Desaix was shot from his horse.<ref name="Hollins607"/> Zach and at least 2,000 of his men were taken prisoners.<ref>Arnold, pp. 177–180</ref>

[[File:Jean Broc - "Death of general Desaix".jpg|thumb|left|250px|Napoleon is presented the body of Desaix|alt=Oil painting featuring Napoleon in the foreground being presented by a soldier the body of Desaix. Desaix is wearing a white shirt and his chest is exposed to show the wound. Numerous and curious bystanders surround the scene.]]
Murat and Kellermann immediately pounced on the supporting Liechtenstein Dragoons who were too slow to respond and routed them as well.<ref name="Hollins607"/> The fleeing Austrian horsemen crashed into the ranks of Pilatti's rattled troopers and carried them away. As the mob of terrified cavalry stampeded past them, the exhausted Austrian infantry of the main body lost heart, provoking a wild rush to the rear. The gun teams fled, pursued by French cavalry, while their whole infantry line advanced westward.<ref>Hollins, ''Encyclopedia'', pp. 607–608</ref> The second grenadier brigade under GM [[Karl Philippi von Weidenfeld]] and some unpanicked cavalry delayed Boudet's advance long enough for O’Reilly's cavalry to return, and together with Frimont, they mounted a last defense around Marengo village as night fell, allowing the Austrian centre to reach safety behind the Bormida.<ref>Arnold, pp. 180–181</ref> Ott with the Austrian left failed to intervene and found his retreat through Castel Ceriolo blocked by French troops advancing northwest from the centre, but managed to fight his way back to the Bormida bridgehead.<ref name="Hollins608">Hollins, ''Encyclopedia'', p. 608</ref>

The Austrians fell back into Alessandria, having lost about half the forces they had committed. The Austrians had lost heavily in the 12 hours of fighting: 15 colours, 40 guns, almost 8,000 taken prisoner, and 6,500 dead or wounded.<ref>Fremont-Barnes, Gregory. ''The French Revolutionary Wars'', Routledge: New Edition, 2001, {{ISBN|978-1-57958-365-1}}, p. 56, gives 6,000 casualties and 8,000 prisoners, 40 guns. Similarly, Chandler and Asprey.</ref> French casualties (killed and wounded) were on the order of 4,700 and 900 missing or captured, but they retained the battlefield and the strategic initiative.<ref name="Benoit122"/> Desaix's body was found among the slain.<ref>Benoît, p. 137</ref>