Battle of Rovereto

Battle of Rovereto
Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the First Coalition

Battle of Rovereto
Date4 September 1796
Location
Rovereto, present-day Italy
45°53′00″N 11°03′00″E / 45.8833°N 11.0500°E / 45.8833; 11.0500
Result French victory
Belligerents
France First French Republic Habsburg monarchy Austria
Commanders and leaders
France Napoleon Bonaparte
France André Masséna
France Claude-Victor Perrin
Habsburg monarchy Paul Davidovich
Strength
20,000[1] 20,000[1]
Casualties and losses
750[1] 6,000 killed or wounded, 4,000 prisoners, 25 guns, 7 colours[1]
Battle of Rovereto is located in Northern Italy
Battle of Rovereto
Location within Northern Italy
Battle of Rovereto is located in Europe
Battle of Rovereto
Battle of Rovereto (Europe)

Map
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100km
62miles
15
Battle of Tarvis (1797) from 21 to 23 March 1797
14
Battle of Valvasone (1797) on 16 March 1797
13
Siege of Mantua (1796–1797) from 27 August 1796 to 2 February 1797
12
Battle of Rivoli from 14 to 15 January 1797
11
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10
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9
Battle of Bassano on 8 September 1796 Second Battle of Bassano on 6 November 1796
8
7
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6
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5
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Lodi
4
Battle of Lodi on 10 May 1796
3
Battle of Fombio from 7 to 9 May 1796
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Montenotte campaign from 10 to 28 April 1796
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Second Battle of Saorgio (1794) from 24 to 28 April 1794
  current battle
  Napoleon as subordinate
  Napoleon in command

In the Battle of Rovereto (also Battle of Roveredo) on 4 September 1796 a French army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte defeated an Austrian corps led by Paul Davidovich during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The battle was fought near the town of Rovereto, in the upper Adige River valley in northern Italy.

The action was fought during the second relief of the siege of Mantua. The Austrians left Davidovich's corps in the upper Adige valley while transferring two divisions to Bassano del Grappa by marching east, then south down the Brenta River valley. The Austrian army commander Dagobert von Würmser planned to march south-west from Bassano to Mantua, completing the clockwise manoeuvre. Meanwhile, Davidovich would threaten a descent from the north to distract the French.

Bonaparte's next move did not conform to the Austrians' expectations. The French commander advanced north with three divisions, a force that greatly outnumbered Davidovich. The French steadily pressed back the Austrian defenders all day and routed them in the afternoon. Davidovich retreated well to the north. This success allowed Bonaparte to follow Würmser down the Brenta valley to Bassano and, ultimately, trap him inside the walls of Mantua.

  1. ^ a b c d Histoire militaire de la France, p.100.