Battle of Fombio-Codogno | |||||||
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Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the First Coalition | |||||||
The Battle of Fombio-Codogno | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Austria | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
11,500 |
Lipthay: 5,000 Schübirz: 1,580 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
450[2] | 1,568, 20 guns | ||||||
The Battle of Fombio was fought between the French Army of Italy led by Napoleon Bonaparte and the Austrian army under Feldzeugmeister Johann Peter Beaulieu between 7 and 9 May 1796. It was the decisive strategic point of the campaign, as Bonaparte crossed the Po River at Piacenza in Beaulieu's rear, threatening both Milan and the Austrian line of communications. This threat forced the Austrian army to withdraw to the east.