Battle of Fombio
Napoleon Bonaparte turned his attention to the Austrians after forcing the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont to sue for peace at the end of the Montenotte Campaign. The Austrian army under Feldzeugmeister Johann Peter Beaulieu retreated to the north bank of the Po River. Bonaparte ordered General of Division Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier to launch a pinning attack on Beaulieu's positions near Valenza. He formed an advance guard of 3,500 grenadiers and 1,500 cavalry. This force went under the command of General of Brigade Claude Dallemagne. Then he sent Dallemagne on a rapid march to the east along the south bank of the Po. The advance guard was followed by General of Division Amédée Emmanuel François Laharpe's division. Bonaparte intended to turn the Austrian left flank by crossing the Po near Piacenza.
Early on the 7th of May, the advance guard seized a ferry near Piacenza and quickly crossed the river. Colonel Jean Lannes became the first Frenchman on the north bank. Soon both Dallemagne and Laharpe's commands formed a bridgehead on the north bank. General-major Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud's forces numbered 4,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry. These troops soon detected the French and several clashes occurred during the day. When Beaulieu heard about the incursion, he ordered General-major Josef Philipp Vukassovich to march from Valeggio to Lipthay's support. He also ordered his army to pull back in the direction of the Adda River. Meanwhile, General of Division Pierre Augereau got his 7,000 soldiers across the Po farther west by using a captured barge.
On the morning of the 8th of May, Dallemagne's advance guard assaulted the village of Fombio. This force was supported by Laharpe's 6,500-strong division. Colonels Lannes and François Lanusse led the advance guard's left and center columns while Dallemagne personally commanded the right column. At first Lipthay resisted stoutly, using his hussars to counterattack. He decided to withdraw to avoid being trapped by the flanking columns. His Austrian and Neapolitan cavalry covered the retreat to Codogno. The French attacked Lipthay again in Codogno and the Austrians had to fight their way back to Pizzighettone. There stood a bridge over the Adda River. Lipthay's losses numbered 568 men on 7, the 8th of May. One report stated that the French suffered 150 killed and 300 wounded in the first volley.
That evening, as Laharpe's 51st Line Infantry Demi-Brigade marched through Codogno, General-Major Anton Schübirz von Chobinin attacked the town from the west. He brought 1,000 foot soldiers and 580 uhlans with him. In one confused clash in the dark streets, Laharpe was killed, possibly by friendly fire. Bonaparte's chief of staff, General of Brigade Louis Berthier took charge. He rushed two more demi-brigades into the fight before Schübirz withdrew about dawn on the 9th. Cut off from the bridge over the Adda at Pizzighettone, Beaulieu directed his retreating units to make for the bridge at Lodi, farther north. The Battle of Lodi followed on the 10th of May as Beaulieu tried to get his army safely behind the Adda and Bonaparte attempted to head him off.
The defeat forced the Austrian army to withdraw to the east. This withdrawal happened after Bonaparte crossed the Po River at Piacenza in Beaulieu's rear. That move threatened both Milan and the Austrian line of communications. The threat forced the Austrian army to withdraw to the east. This strategic point became decisive for the campaign. The French Republic secured Milan following these events. The battle marked a turning point where the Austrians lost their position along the river. Their retreat allowed Napoleon to advance further into Italian territory without immediate resistance.
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Common questions
Who commanded the Austrian forces at the Battle of Fombio?
Feldzeugmeister Johann Peter Beaulieu commanded the Austrian army during the Battle of Fombio. General-major Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud led the 4,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry troops that engaged the French near Piacenza.
When did the main fighting occur at the Battle of Fombio?
The primary assault on the village of Fombio took place on the morning of the 8th of May 1796. Casualties were recorded for both sides on the 7th of May and the 8th of May 1796.
Where was the Battle of Fombio fought relative to other locations?
French forces crossed the Po River near Piacenza before advancing eastward to seize the village of Fombio. The engagement occurred along the south bank of the Po River and continued as troops retreated toward Codogno and Pizzighettone.
How many casualties did the Austrians suffer during the Battle of Fombio?
Austrian losses numbered 568 men by the 8th of May 1796. One report stated that the French suffered 150 killed and 300 wounded in the first volley alone.
Why did General-major Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud withdraw from Fombio?
General-major Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud withdrew to avoid being trapped by the flanking columns of Dallemagne and Laharpe. His Austrian and Neapolitan cavalry covered the retreat to Codogno after resisting stoutly with hussars.