卡萨诺战役 (1799年)

The Battle of Cassano (French: Bataille de Cassano, German: Schlacht bei Cassano) was fought in 1799 from 27 to 28 April (O.S.: 16 to 17 April) near Cassano d'Adda, which about 28 km (17 mi) ENE of Milan. The clash is part of the battle of the Adda River (Russian: Сражение на реке Адда, German: Schlacht an der Adda) or the so-called forcing of the Adda, which on the first day of 26 April (O.S.: 15 April) resulted in a minor victory for the Russians under the Count Suvorov over Barthélemy Schérer's French forces at Lecco. Then, on the second day, Suvorov's Austrians and Cossacks prevailed over Jean Moreau's army, who replaced Schérer as supreme commander, and trapped his isolated division on the third. The action took place during the War of the Second Coalition, as part of the larger conflict known as the French Revolutionary Wars. Moreau was not entirely responsible for his defeat, much of the responsibility for which lies with Schérer, who overextended his troops and failed to exploit the advantages of his position.

The battle of the Adda River was four separate combats. Lecco was a victorious combat for Suvorov's Russians, but it was only a diversionary attack. The key engagement on 27 April was the combat at Vaprio d'Adda (at the end there were about 11,000 Austrians and Cossacks and 7,000 French), which is north of Cassano; and on the same day, at Cassano itself, the Austrian Reisky regiment (1,911 men) successfully stormed the bridge-head fortifications—Moreau was thrown back everywhere. The French detachment cut off by the combat of Vaprio was afterwards surrounded at Verderio by Josef Philipp Vukassovich, who overcame the weakest French defenses in Brivio. Thus, the Allied army was able to overcome the river and the enemy obstacle simultaneously.

Background

While General Napoleon Bonaparte campaigned in Egypt (see French campaign in Egypt and Syria), the Second Coalition launched an invasion of French-occupied Italy. General of Division (MG) Barthélemy Schérer fought inconclusive actions the Austrians at Pastrengo, Verona, and Legnago on 26 March 1799. Feldmarschal-Leutnant (FML) Pál Kray and his Austrians then defeated Schérer at the Battle of Magnano on April 4. This defeat forced the French army into a long retreat.……

Forces

French Army

Schérer deployed the divisions of MGs Paul Grenier, Claude Victor, Jean Sérurier (each of the three divisions had around 8,000 men), and Pierre de Laboissière (4,000 men; from Villa Pompeiana to the Po River) to defend the line of the Adda River. Victor's and Grenier's divisions included the Polish and Helvetic legions.

Coalition Army

The Russian advance guard was led by Pyotr Bagration (~3,000 men), and the corps by General of the Infantry Andrei Rosenberg (9,000 men of General of the Infantry Povalo-Shveikovsky's division on its way from Caprino to Lecco).……

Battle of the Adda River

Schérer relied on the advantages of his defensive position, as the river is wide and deep, has very few fords and in its upper part, as far as Cassano, flows in elevated steep banks, of which the right, occupied by the French, prevails over the left. But Schérer failed to take all the advantages of this natural defensive line. He scattered 28,000 men over 100 kilometres (62 mi) along the river, nowhere having sufficient forces for defense.……

Lecco

On the night of April 26, Prince Bagration reported that Lecco was heavily occupied by the French.……

Results

Soon after the coalition's victory, Suvorov wrote to a Russian diplomat:"The Adda is a Rubicon, and we crossed it over the bodies of our enemies."

In the combats at Lecco, Vaprio, Cassano, and Verderio the French brought into the fray between 18,000 and 18,500 men; they suffered 2,500 killed and wounded, plus 5,000 soldiers, 27 cannon, and 3 colours captured. Losses at Verderio were 300 killed and wounded, plus 2,700 captured. The Austro-Russians lost 2,000 killed and wounded (or 2,500).……