When did the Battle of Ponte Novu take place?
The Battle of Ponte Novu took place on the 8th and the 9th of May 1769, on a Genovese bridge over the river Golo in north central Corsica, in the Castello-di-Rostino commune.
Questions about Battle of Ponte Novu
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the significance of the Battle of Ponte Novu for Corsica?
The Battle of Ponte Novu effectively ended the fourteen-year Corsican Republic. It opened the way to French annexation of the island, which was completed the following year. The bridge at Ponte Novu controlled the only road through the mountains to Corte, the Corsican capital and political center.
Who commanded the forces at the Battle of Ponte Novu?
French forces were led by the Comte de Vaux, a seasoned professional with a mountain warfare expert on his staff. The Corsican defense was directed by Carlo Salicetti, second-in-command to Pasquale Paoli, who was nearby but absent from the battle line.
Why did Prussian mercenaries fire on Corsican troops at the Battle of Ponte Novu?
The reasons remain disputed. The most sympathetic account holds that the Prussians, who had previously served the Genoese, believed they were stopping an unauthorized retreat rather than firing on their own side. Some historians have argued that deliberate coordination with the French was the most logical explanation, but no record of such an arrangement survived the battle.
What did Voltaire write about the Battle of Ponte Novu?
Voltaire wrote admiringly about the battle in his Précis du Siècle de Louis XV. He described Corsicans building a rampart of their dead to shield themselves while reloading, with the wounded mixed among the slain to strengthen it, and concluded that bravery is universal but such acts are seen only among free people.
Did Napoleon Bonaparte have any connection to the Battle of Ponte Novu battlefield?
Napoleon Bonaparte walked the Ponte Novu battlefield in 1790 alongside Pasquale Paoli. He personally testified to the Corsican defense behind a rampart of the slain before the bridge, corroborating the image Voltaire had recorded in his chronicle of Louis XV's reign.