How the "sorcerer" Napoleon defeated the Kingdom of Sardinia
Attack on the Castle of Cossaria, April 13, 1796. Nicolas Antoine Taunay
General situation
In March 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte took command of the inferior and severely disorganized Army of Italy, quickly restored order, and launched an offensive into northern Italy. Moreover, his opponents—Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia (Piedmont-Sardinia)—had a complete advantage in manpower. artillery, fortresses, arsenals. They had much better supplies and material resources.
The allies (the Austrians and Sardinians) were preparing to attack themselves, but Bonaparte forestalled them. He immediately seized the strategic initiative and decided to attack the enemy piecemeal, not allowing them to recover and take advantage of their superior resources. He acted decisively and swiftly, falling upon the enemy "out of the blue."
From April 6 to 9, 1796, the French commander crossed the Alps along the so-called “cornice” of the coastal mountain range.
Russian and Soviet historian Evgeny Tarle wrote in his monograph “Napoleon”:
The famous author of the multi-volume stories General Jomini, a learned strategist and tactician of Napoleon's campaigns, a Swiss who was first in Napoleon's service and then defected to Russia, notes that literally from the very first days of this first command, Bonaparte displayed a courage bordering on audacity and contempt for personal danger: he and his staff marched along the most dangerous (but shortest) route, the famous "Cornice" of the Maritime Alps, where throughout the entire journey they were under the guns of English ships cruising just off the coast. Here, for the first time, one of Bonaparte's traits became apparent. On the one hand, he never displayed that show-offiness, daring courage, and fearlessness that was characteristic, for example, of his contemporaries—Marshals Lannes, Murat, Ney, General Miloradovich, and, of later military leaders, Skobelev; Napoleon always believed that, unless absolutely necessary, a military leader should not expose himself to personal danger during war, for the simple reason that his death alone could lead to confusion, panic, and the loss of a battle or even the entire war. However, he also believed that if circumstances dictated that personal example was absolutely necessary, a military leader should not hesitate to face fire.
As a result, he was able to disrupt the enemy's plans, led by Austrian Field Marshal Johann Beaulieu and Sardinian General Michelangelo Colli-Marchi, and began to defeat the enemy troops piecemeal. In the First Battle of Montenotte, the Austrian corps of General von Mercy-Argenteau was routed.Oh, how this young Bonaparte walks!»).
This forced the Austrians to abandon their initial plans and begin regrouping their forces in the face of the developing offensive of the French army.
"Six Victories." The Battle of Millesimo and Dego
After the initial setback, the Sardinian troops retreated to Millesimo, while the Austrians retreated to Dego. Communication between the two groups was maintained through a Piedmontese brigade, which occupied the heights of Biestro between them. The Sardinian troops blocked the road to the kingdom's capital, Turin. The right flank of their position rested on the Cossaria hill, which dominated the area. Colli withdrew his troops from his former right wing.
At Dego, the Austrians closed the Acqui road leading to the Milan region. The Austrians were covering Lombardy and its capital, Milan, and relied on the region's rich resources. The allies hoped to stop the enemy at this point and then launch a counteroffensive. Time was on their side; they could consolidate their position and receive reinforcements from the rear.
The allies could wait. Bonaparte, unlike the enemy, couldn't. He lacked strong reinforcements and reserves. He needed to maintain the initiative, and to do so, he had to constantly advance, not giving the enemy time to recover. Up to 9 soldiers participated in the offensive on Millesimo.
By the evening of April 13, 1796, General Pierre Augereau's division had driven the Austrians out of the Millesime gorges with a swift attack and blocked General Provera's 2-strong force on Cossaria Hill. The Austrians dug in an old castle and repelled all French attacks, hoping to be rescued by Sardinian troops. They used huge boulders, which they dropped on the French.
Napoleon ordered the capture of the commanding heights. The assault columns were led by Brigadier Generals Banel and Joubert, and Adjutant General Quesnel. The future Marshal, the brave Lannes, also distinguished himself. The battle was fierce. The Austrians defended desperately, meeting the enemy with rifle volleys. They were lucky to hold the commanding heights.
The French suffered heavy losses—up to 1 killed and wounded. Generals Banel and Quesnel were killed. Joubert managed to break through to the castle wall with several soldiers, but was struck by a stone and carried out unconscious.
Ceremonial Portrait of General Banel at the Battle of Millesimo. Art by Justin Mortimer.
On April 14, Augereau's division fought at Millesimo, Masséna's division in the center attacked Dego and Biestro, and La Harpe's division on the right wing began an enveloping maneuver. At Dego, the French committed approximately 12 troops to the battle. After a fierce battle, Masséna's and La Harpe's soldiers, taking advantage of the rugged terrain, took the fortifications of Dego. Joubert recaptured the heights of Biestro.
All attacks by Colli's Sardinian troops aimed at lifting the blockade of Cossaria were repulsed. The Piedmontese troops were routed and fled, losing almost half their manpower. General Provera, seeing that no help was coming, raised the white flag.
Austrian General Giovanni Provera captured by the French at the end of the Battle of Millesimo, 14 April 1796. Illustration published in Jean-Baptiste Madou's Life of Napoleon, Brussels, 1827.
Early in the morning of April 15, the second battle for Dego took place. Reinforcements from Voltri—Vukassovich's grenadier division—arrived for the Austrians. The Austrians stormed the town, and after two hours of fierce fighting, the French gained the upper hand. Bonaparte's adjutant, Lanusse, distinguished himself in the battle, leading the decisive attack. For his heroic deed, he was promoted to brigadier general. The Austrian division was completely routed.
In this battle, French Brigadier General Jean-Jacques Coss was mortally wounded. When Napoleon approached, the dying Coss told him he would die happy if the French won the battle, and Bonaparte promised him victory.
It's worth noting that Generals Banel and Coss, who died in these battles, began their service as privates. Like many French generals and marshals of the Napoleonic Wars, they rose to prominence thanks to their talent, initiative, determination, and courage.
As a result, Bonaparte cut off the Sardinian army from the Austrians and opened the road to Turin and Milan. The Piedmontese troops were already greatly demoralized by the unsuccessful start of the war. The Austrians retreated to the northeast, and Beaulieu gathered his forces at Acqui.
The Death of General Coss, with General Bonaparte on horseback to the right. Artist: Paul-Émile Boutigny.
Battle of Mondovi
Napoleon decided to finish off the Sardinian army first and turned west with about 17 soldiers. The great French commander believed that the enemy's field forces should be dealt with first, with fortresses being secondary. La Harpe's division was left to observe the Austrians.
The Sardinian commander, Colli, with 13 soldiers held a strong position in a fortified camp on the Ceva. On April 17, the Sardinians repelled attacks by the advanced French brigades of Joubert and Beyran. However, threatened with outflanking, Colli retreated during the night, abandoning his artillery. His battalions crossed the Tanaro and Corsagli rivers, taking up a new advantageous position.
The right flank of the Sardinian army under General Bellegarde was adjacent to the church of Madonna del Vico, the strong center of General Disch (8000 soldiers and 15 cannons) stood at San Michele, and the left flank under Pilati stretched to Lezegno.
On April 19, the French resumed their offensive. Sérurier's division attacked from the front, while Augereau's division was supposed to cross the Tanaro and outflank the enemy's left flank. Due to flooding, Augereau was unable to cross the river in time. Sérurier's units advanced with mixed success. Initially, the French attack was repulsed, but then they managed to take San Michele. In the confusion, Colli himself nearly became captured. On the morning of the 20th, the Sardinians counterattacked and recaptured part of the position.
Napoleon launched another attack. Sérurier's division was to attack the enemy's right flank, while Masséna's division was to outflank the left. After several skirmishes, Colli withdrew his troops back to Mondovì.
The French troops, inspired by the offensive, continued their assault and on April 21st once again breached the enemy's defenses, captured the redoubts, and stormed the city. The Sardinians fled to Cherasco, pursued by Murat's cavalry. In these battles, the Sardinians lost up to 4,5 men.
The Battle of Mondovì. Drawing by Thomas-Charles Naudet and Pierre Lebeau
Pursuing the enemy, the French occupied Cherasco and reached the approaches to Turin. This was the complete defeat of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The army was routed, and its remnants were demoralized. Revolutionary sentiment also began to grow in the kingdom. The frightened royal court opted for a separate peace.
Napoleon accepted this truce and did not occupy Turin, as he needed to concentrate all his efforts on the Austrian army. Bonaparte understood that only speed and decisiveness could save him. He noted, "Weakness in numbers must be compensated for by speed of movement."
Having smaller forces overall, in each battle Bonaparte was able to concentrate his forces against the scattered armies of the enemy and gain an advantage at a specific point.
The French Army of Italy had changed dramatically under the influence of Bonaparte and its victories. The former rabble of ragged soldiers had transformed into a powerful fighting force. Much property, cannons, rifles, and ammunition had been captured. At Cherasco, the French already had 60 guns with full ammunition. The soldiers received regular provisions and pay. Discipline improved. Morale noticeably improved. This was now a victorious army, crushing the enemy.
Reinforcements began arriving through the passes from French lands. New recruits and soldiers fresh from hospitals flocked to the arm of the successful and generous commander. Rumors of rich lands being captured began to circulate. Kellermann's Alpine Reserve Army was being freed, and the Austrians no longer had time to invade France.
The French army of Italy in 1796.
Conclusion
During the initial battles, Bonaparte managed to separate the two allied armies—the Austrians and the Sardinians—and opened the roads to the region's main cities, Turin and Milan. Then, at the Battle of Mondovì, he routed Colli's Sardinian army and advanced to the approaches to Turin, the de facto capital of Piedmont.
Under threat of complete defeat, Piedmont entered into separate negotiations. On April 28, 1796, in Cherasco, King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia signed an armistice agreement separating him from the anti-French coalition. The French received Piedmont's main fortresses and the right of transit for their troops through the kingdom.
On May 15, 1796, peace between France and Piedmont was signed in Paris. Sardinia ceded to the French the cities of Cuneo, Ceva, Alessandria, and Tortona. The disputed lands of Savoy and Nice were also ceded to France. Sardinia effectively became a satellite of France, refusing any alliances except with the French. The kingdom became a rear base for the French army fighting in Italy, supplying it with all necessary supplies and materials.
In an order to the army on April 26, 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte wrote:
Soldiers, in fifteen days you have won six victories, captured 21 banners, 55 cannons, numerous fortresses, and conquered the richest part of Piedmont. You have taken 15 prisoners, and lost 10 men killed and wounded. You were deprived of everything—and now you have received everything. You have won battles without cannons, crossed rivers without bridges, made difficult marches without shoes, rested without wine and often without bread. Only the phalanxes of republicans, the soldiers of Freedom, are capable of such feats!
As a result, the French "miracle hero and sorcerer," as the great Russian commander Alexander Suvorov called him, achieved his first strategic objective. He seized the initiative in the war, separated and defeated two enemy armies, and forced Piedmont to capitulate. He secured the resources of the Kingdom of Sardinia for further war and the invasion of Italy.
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