Montenotte campaign
On the 10th of April 1796, the Montenotte campaign began with an action at Voltri. It ended on the 28th of April with the Armistice of Cherasco. This twenty-day span marked the start of the Italian Campaign of 1796, 1797. Napoleon Bonaparte commanded his first army during this period. He faced two distinct enemies: the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont and the Habsburg Monarchy. The French Republic sought to drive both powers out of the War of the First Coalition. By late April, Sardinia had quit the coalition entirely. The fighting stretched from Genoa in the east to Cuneo in the west. Montenotte Superiore sat at a junction of roads near Carcare municipality. Yet the broader theater covered hundreds of miles of Ligurian Alps terrain.
Morale within the Army of Italy was not high when March 1796 arrived. Units were strung out across numerous small detachments. Their communications lines remained exposed to enemy interference. Soldiers depended on fraudulent contractors for meager rations. These contractors amassed private fortunes while men went hungry. Officers and men alike quitted their units daily to search for food. Pay had been months in arrears due to a practically bankrupt government. Every type of equipment was in short supply. Whole battalions lacked shoes. Many men possessed no muskets or baynets. Transport facilities amounted to only 200 mules. Part of the army existed in a mutinous frame of mind. Royalist agents worked openly within the ranks. The nominal force of 106,000 men had dwindled to 37,600 by March 1796. Only 60 field guns accompanied these troops into battle.
The First French Republic aimed to expel Sardinia-Piedmont from the coalition alliance. To achieve this, they needed to defeat Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi's 21,000-man Sardinian army. They also faced Johann Peter Beaulieu's 28,000-strong Habsburg army. Several passes crossed the Ligurian Alps between the Italian Riviera and Piedmont. The Col de Tende lay guarded on the north by Cuneo fortress city. The Tanaro River passed through Ceva town. The Colle di Cadibona sat between Savona and Carcare. The Bocchetta Pass stood north of Genoa. The coastal strip could not support an army without heavy supplies. Piedmont and the Po valley offered rich resources to the north. Operations stretched from the Col de Tende west to Voltri east. Savona lies on the coast west of Genoa. A road crosses the Colle di Cadibona to reach Carcare on the Bormida River. From Millesimo to Ceva is about thirty miles. From Ceva to Mondovì covers another distance. Once past Mondovì, roads exit mountains into plains around Cuneo.
Beaulieu moved first against French positions on the 10th of April. He accompanied Sebottendorf and 3,200 men across the Turchino Pass. They attacked Cervoni's 5,000 Frenchmen in the Battle of Voltri. Philipp Pittoni von Dannenfeld's 4,000-strong column traversed the Bocchetta Pass simultaneously. The attack was badly organized and poorly coordinated. It used a surprisingly small number of troops. Cervoni conducted a masterly withdrawal to the west. Beaulieu declined to pursue him. He left two battalions to hold Voltri. Four more units marched through hills to Sassello by a difficult road. Argenteau and Mathias Rukavina von Boynograd assembled 4,000 soldiers near Montenotte on the 11th of April. This force advanced southeast toward 2,000 French soldiers at Monte Negino. Antoine-Guillaume Rampon repulsed several Austrian attacks during that day. Bonaparte ordered Laharpe to attack Argenteau the next day with two brigades. Masséna enveloped the Austrian flank with the third brigade. On the 12th of April, the French army defeated Argenteau's soldiers at Montenotte. Laharpe mounted a frontal attack with 7,000 troops from Monte Negino. Masséna moved north with 4,000 men to turn Argenteau's weak right flank. Eleven thousand more troops were moved up behind striking forces. Masséna's flanking movement broke through the enemy line. Argenteau withdrew his battered force to Dego.
Bonaparte turned west against Colli's army on the 13th of April. Augereau's division easily pushed back Provera's weak force in the Battle of Millesimo. Provera and 1,000 picked troops occupied a ruined hilltop castle called Cosseria. Bonaparte ordered Cosseria castle to be stormed instead of bypassing it. Austro-Sardinians repelled several assaults with heavy French casualties throughout the day. Provera surrendered the following morning when defenders ran out of food, water, and ammunition. On the 14th of April, Bonaparte directed Masséna and Laharpe to attack Argenteau in the Second Battle of Dego. After inflicting 1,500 French casualties, most outnumbered Austrians were killed, wounded or captured. Argenteau led the remnant of his force back to Acqui. Beaulieu ordered Vukassovich's brigade to Dego on the 14th. A poorly written order caused his subordinate to arrive a day too late. At dawn on the 15th of April, Vukassovich surprised Meynier's troops in the act of looting the town. He routed the French forces. Masséna hastily recalled Laharpe to retake Dego. Several hours later, heavily reinforced French retook the town after a tough fight. Bonaparte supervised the assault personally. Vukassovich retreated to Acqui. Augereau attacked Sardinians at Montezemolo before they pulled back to Ceva. On the 16th of April, Augereau attacked the Sardinians again but was repulsed in the Battle of Ceva.
On the 19th of April, Bonaparte ordered Sérurier to attack San Michele while Augereau flanked the river line from north. Augereau's effort failed due to high water levels. Sérurier's soldiers fought their way across the river then dispersed searching for food and plunder. Colli counterattacked and threw the French back. That same day, Bonaparte switched supply lines from exposed Cadibona Pass to safer route via Imperia and Ormea. He called up Masséna to make a three division attack on San Michele position. Laharpe guarded army rear against Austrian attack. Faced with heavy French concentration, Colli abandoned Corsaglia River line night of 20/the 21st of April. Vigorous French pursuit soon overran Sardinian rearguard. Colli barely arranged troops before Sérurier attacked him in Battle of Mondovì. French general formed least experienced troops into three columns covering them with veterans in open order. Leading central column, Sérurier launched charge with Masséna's division support. Brushing aside spotty resistance, French broke Sardinian lines forcing abandonment of Mondovì. Dichat was killed during fighting. Stengel received mortal wound leading dragoons in pursuit. On morning of the 23rd of April, French commander received letter from Colli requesting armistice. Bonaparte urged men forward to conquer territory as possible. Arrival of ragged hungry French soldiers prompted outbreak of looting. Several men were shot to discourage practice. By the 25th of April, Sérurier reached Fossano while Masséna held Cherasco center. Augereau occupied Alba right flank. Laharpe brought up rear.
Bonaparte and his soldiers knocked Sardinia out of war in single brief campaign. French suffered 6,000 casualties during entire operation. Total Austrian and Sardinian losses stood around 25,000. With Sardinia-Piedmont pacified, French directed attentions on major enemy Austria. Soon Bonaparte launched new offensive resulting in victories over Beaulieu at battles of Fombio and Lodi in May. Historian Martin Boycott-Brown listed reasons for victory. He noted disastrous separation between Beaulieu and Argenteau armies. Separation also existed between Austrian and Piedmontese forces. If Austrians concentrated closer to Piedmontese positions, it would have been less easy for Bonaparte to effect their separation. Defeat of Piedmontese became almost inevitable from moment Bonaparte managed drive wedge between allies. Obliging Piedmontese to draw ever further from only source of help made them vulnerable. It would be easy to heap blame for this on Beaulieu. Yet he was given difficult hand to play. Coming off second best against one greatest strategists history war is not surprising. Under Armistice of Cherasco signed the 28th of April, territory east Stura di Demonte and Tanaro Rivers passed under French control. Fortresses Cuneo, Ceva, Tortona acquired French garrisons. Sardinians granted permission cross territory if wished. Secret clause allowed Bonaparte cross Po River at city Valenza.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Montenotte campaign begin and end?
The Montenotte campaign began on the 10th of April 1796 with an action at Voltri. It ended on the 28th of April 1796 with the signing of the Armistice of Cherasco.
Who commanded the French Army during the Montenotte campaign?
Napoleon Bonaparte commanded his first army during the Montenotte campaign from the 10th of April 1796 to the 28th of April 1796. He faced two distinct enemies: the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont and the Habsburg Monarchy.
What were the total casualties for France in the Montenotte campaign?
French forces suffered 6,000 casualties during the entire operation. Total Austrian and Sardinian losses stood around 25,000 men throughout the fighting period.
Which territories passed under French control after the Armistice of Cherasco?
Under the Armistice of Cherasco signed on the 28th of April 1796, territory east of the Stura di Demonte and Tanaro Rivers passed under French control. Fortresses including Cuneo, Ceva, and Tortona acquired French garrisons following this agreement.
How many soldiers did Napoleon have available by March 1796?
The nominal force of 106,000 men had dwindled to 37,600 troops by March 1796 due to desertion and supply issues. Only 60 field guns accompanied these troops into battle while transport facilities amounted to only 200 mules.