Battle of Caldiero (1813)

Battle of Caldiero
Part of the War of the Sixth Coalition
Date 15 November 1813[1] Location Caldiero, present-day Italy 45°25′26″N 11°11′26″E / 45.42389°N 11.19056°E / 45.42389; 11.19056 Result Franco-Italian victory[1]
Belligerents
French Empire Kingdom of Italy	Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Eugène Beauharnais	Johann von Hiller Paul von Radivojevich
Strength
16,000–24,000[1]	8,000–18,000[a]
Casualties and losses
500–1,000[1] killed & wounded (San Michele)	1,500[1] killed & wounded 900[1]–1,000 captured 2 guns (San Michele)

200km
125miles

Mincio

3

Caldiero

Feistritz

1

  

War of the Sixth Coalition: Campaign Italy 1813 1814

The Battle of Caldiero on 15 November 1813 saw an army of the First French Empire under Eugène de Beauharnais opposed to an Austrian Empire army led by Johann von Hiller. Eugène, who was the Viceroy of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy inflicted a defeat on Hiller's troops, driving them from Caldiero. The action took place during the War of the Sixth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Caldiero is located 15 kilometres (9 mi) east of Verona on the Autostrada A4.

When Austria entered the war against Napoleon in August 1813, Eugène attempted to defend the Illyrian Provinces east of Italy. Ultimately, the Austrians compelled the Franco-Italian army to retreat to the Adige River. As Hiller's forces closed in on Verona from the north and east, Eugène tried to fend them off. The viceroy pushed back the northern force, then rushed back to attack Paul von Radivojevich's Austrians at Caldiero. On the 15th, his divisions under François Jean Baptiste Quesnel and Marie François Rouyer drove the Austrians back to Soave. Then Eugène pulled most of his troops back to the west bank of the Adige, leaving only Pierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet's division on the east bank. Hiller attacked Marcognet between San Michele and San Martino Buon Albergo on the 19th, but was repulsed after a hard fight. By this time, a new Austrian threat appeared to the south at Ferrara.

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