Editing Battle of Pozzolo

{{Short description|1800 battle during the Second Coalition}}
{{Distinguish|text=the [[Battle of Pozzuolo]] during World War I and [[Battle of the Mincio River (1814)]]}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = Battle of Pozzolo
| partof      = the [[Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars|Italian campaigns]] in the [[War of the Second Coalition]]
| image       = File:Battle of pozzolo 1836.png
| caption     = 1836 print depicting part of the battle
| date        = 25-26 December 1800
| place       = Town on the [[Mincio]] River, present-day [[Monzambano]], [[Italy]]
| coordinates = {{coord|45.3833|N|10.7000|E|source:wikidata}}
| result      = French victory
| combatant1  = {{flagicon|France|1794}} [[First French Republic|France]]
| combatant2  = {{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]]
| commander1  = {{flagicon|France|1794}} [[Guillaume Brune]]
| commander2  = {{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}}  [[Heinrich von Bellegarde]]
| strength1   = 66,000-70,000 men<br/>160 guns
| strength2   = 50,000 men<br/>100 guns
| casualties1 = 4,000 men
| casualties2 = 7,000–9,141 men<br/>29-40 guns
| map_type    = Europe
| map_relief  = 1
| map_size    = 300
}}
{{Campaignbox Second Coalition}}
{{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars in Italy}}

The '''Battle of Pozzolo''' also known as the '''Battle of the Mincio River''' and '''[[Monzambano]]''' (25-26 December 1800) was fought during the [[War of the Second Coalition]]. A [[First French Republic|French]] army under General [[Guillaume Brune]] crossed the [[Mincio]] River and defeated an Austrian force under General [[Heinrich von Bellegarde]]. The Austrians were subsequently pushed back to [[Treviso]] where the [[Armistice of Treviso]] was signed. This truce would lead to the [[Treaty of Lunéville]] and the withdrawal of Austria from the war.

== Background ==
Bellegarde had concentrated 50,000 troops at the Mincio river in anticipation of crossing to attack French forces on the other side. However, he postponed his attack following news of the Austrian defeat at the [[Battle of Hohenlinden]] in Germany on 3 December 1800. Taking advantage of this delay, General Brune, who commanded 70,000 men, launched his own attack.<ref name=enc>{{Cite book |last1=Hodge |first1=Carl Cavanagh |title=Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914 |date=2008 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-04341-3 |page=567 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y5zTkGKy4wEC |language=en}}</ref> He intended to make a decoy assault upon Pozzolo while his main force would cross at Mozambano.<ref name=cust60/> Another source credited the French with 66,000 soldiers and 160 guns and the Austrians with 38,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry, and 100 guns.<ref name=smith>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Digby |authorlink=Digby Smith |title=The Napoleonic Wars Data Book |year=1998 |location=London |publisher=Greenhill |isbn=1-85367-276-9 |page=192}}</ref>

== Forces ==
Brune's Army of Italy consisted of Right, Center, and Left Wings, an Advanced Guard, and a Reserve. [[Antoine Guillaume Delmas]] led the Advance Guard which numbered 10,510 soldiers, including 1,240 cavalry and 160 gunners with 12 artillery pieces. [[Pierre Dupont de l'Étang]] commanded the Right Wing which counted 9,760 infantry, 810 cavalry, and 380 artillerists with 28 guns. The Right Wing included two divisions under [[Jean-Charles Monnier]] and [[François Watrin]]. [[Louis-Gabriel Suchet]] directed the Center with 12,360 infantry, 1,120 cavalry, and no guns. The Center had two divisions under [[Louis Henri Loison]] and [[Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan de la Peyrière]]. [[Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey]] led the Left Wing which numbered 13,020 infantry, no cavalry, and 420 gunners with 17 artillery pieces. The Left Wing's two divisions were under [[Jean Boudet]] and [[Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau]]. [[Louis-Nicolas Davout]] and [[Claude Ignace François Michaud]] commanded the Reserve with 10,910 infantry, 4,380 cavalry, and 1,100 artillerists with 103 guns. [[Gaspard Amédée Gardanne]] led one division and [[François Étienne de Kellermann]] led the heavy cavalry division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nafziger |first=George |title=French Army of Italy, December 1800 |publisher=United States Army Combined Arms Center |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |url=https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/nafziger/800LBG.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231022139/https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/nafziger/800LBG.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2019}}</ref>

== Battle ==
Dupont's corps crossed the river near Pozzolo on Christmas Day 1800 under heavy Austrian artillery fire.<ref name=enc/><ref name=cust60>{{Cite book |last1=Cust |first1=Edward |title=Annals of the wars of the 19th century, compiled from the most authentic histories of the period: I |date=1862 |publisher=Murray |page=60 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09sGAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA60 |language=en}}</ref> This force made a [[feint]] on Pozzolo whilst a temporary bridge was constructed at nearby Molino della Bolta.<ref name=enc/><ref name=cust60/> Dupont moved two divisions and a battery of 25 artillery pieces across the new bridge and constructed defences.<ref name=cust60/>

Following reinforcement from Suchet, the French defeated an Austrian midday counterattack and successfully took the village of Pozzolo.<ref name=enc/> A second Austrian attack launched at 1:00 pm and was formed of Hungarian troops led by [[Konrad Valentin von Kaim]]. They retook the village and forced the French back to their bridgehead.<ref name=enc/><ref name=cust60/> Heavy French artillery fire prevented further progress and a renewed French assault recaptured the village, taking five guns and 700-800 prisoners.<ref name=enc/><ref name=cust60/>

Suchet then constructed a second bridge which allowed a whole French division to cross the river unopposed. The village of Pozzolo was bitterly fought over, changing hands a further three times before a final French assault secured it just before dusk.<ref name=enc/> It was during this fighting that General Kaim was mortally wounded.<ref name=cust60/> During the night, the Austrians took advantage of a clear moonlit night to attack the French bivouacs.<ref name=cust60/>

From 5:00 am on 26 December French troops constructed another bridge at [[Monzambano]], under the cover of dense fog and supporting fire from 40 guns. They then launched an assault upon the [[Monte Bianco]] hills, which were held by around 35,000 Austrians.<ref name=cust60/><ref name=enc/> The Austrians were driven back to [[Valeggio sul Mincio|Salionze]] and a French force under Delmas captured [[Valeggio sul Mincio]]. Later in the day an Austrian counterattack briefly retook the village before Delmas finally secured it. The French reinforced their positions during the afternoon and defeated an Austrian counterattack in the hills.<ref name=enc/>  

Austrian losses in the battle were around 7,000 men and 40 guns.<ref name=alison455/> A second source asserted that the French sustained 4,000 casualties, including [[General of Brigade]] André Calvin killed. The Austrians suffered losses of 807 killed, 4,067 wounded, 3,984 captured, and 313 missing, or a total of 9,171. General officer losses were Kaim killed and [[Charles Alain Gabriel de Rohan]] wounded. The French captured 14 3-pounder, six 6-pounder, and three 12-pounder cannons, and six 7-pounder [[howitzer]]s.<ref name=smith/>

== Aftermath ==
[[File:Pozzolo map.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|An 1819 map showing the opening stages of the battle]]

Bellegarde withdrew his forces overnight on 26-27 December and pulled back beyond the [[Adige]] river.<ref name=enc/> Brune cautiously followed up the Austrian retreat and paused at the river to await the arrival of his pontoon bridging teams.<ref name=alison455>{{Cite book |last1=Alison |first1=Sir Archibald |title=History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815 |date=1860 |publisher=W. Blackwood |page=455 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q96BAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name=cust61>{{Cite book |last1=Cust |first1=Edward |title=Annals of the wars of the 19th century, compiled from the most authentic histories of the period: I |date=1862 |publisher=Murray |page=61 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09sGAAAAcAAJ |language=en}}</ref> Bellegarde withdrew his troops further to attempt to join with some reinforcements which allowed the French to cross the Adige river unopposed.<ref name=cust61/>

After a series of small engagements, the French reached [[Treviso]] where [[Armistice of Treviso|an armistice was signed]] on 16 January 1801.<ref name=alison461>{{Cite book |last1=Alison |first1=Sir Archibald |title=History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815 |date=1860 |publisher=W. Blackwood |page=461 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q96BAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> The cessation of hostilities was made permanent with the [[Treaty of Lunéville]] on 9 February 1801, which ended the Austrian involvement in the war.<ref name=wars>{{Cite book |last1=Franceschi |first1=General Michel |last2=Weider |first2=Ben |title=Wars Against Napoleon: Debunking the Myth of the Napoleonic Wars |date=2008 |publisher=Savas Beatie |isbn=978-1-61121-029-3 |page=91 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vLQ0qn_fEAC |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pozzolo 1800}}
[[Category:Italian campaign (1799–1801)]]
[[Category:Province of Mantua]]
[[Category:Military history of Lombardy]]
[[Category:1800 in Italy]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1800]]
[[Category:Battles inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe]]
[[Category:Battles of the War of the Second Coalition involving Austria]]
[[Category:December 1800]]