The Battle of Valvasone (16 March 1797), also known as the Battle of Tagliamento, saw a First French Republic army led by Napoleon Bonaparte attack a Habsburg Austrian army led by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen. The Austrian army fought a rear guard action against the French vanguard led by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte at the crossing of the Tagliamento River but was defeated and withdrew to the northeast. The French troops crossed the river at Valvasone and the battle developed on the opposite bank, mainly between the little villages of Gradisca (now in the municipality of Sedegliano) and Goricizza (now in the municipality of Codroipo). The next days, a French division cut off and captured an Austrian column at Gradisca d'Isonzo (Capitulation of Gradisca). The actions occurred during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. Valvasone is located on the west bank of the Tagliamento 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Udine, Italy. Gradisca d'Isonzo lies on the Isonzo River 14 kilometres (9 mi) southwest of Gorizia, Italy.

Battle of Valvasone
Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the First Coalition

Battle of Valvasone
Date16 March 1797
Location46°00′00″N 12°52′00″E / 46.0000°N 12.8667°E / 46.0000; 12.8667
Result French victory
Belligerents
France France Holy Roman Empire Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
France Napoleon Bonaparte
France Jean Baptiste Bernadotte
France Charles Dugua
France Jean Joseph Guieu
France Louis François Jean Chabot
France Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier
Holy Roman Empire Archduke Charles
Holy Roman Empire Adam Bajalics von Bajahaza
Units involved
France Army of Italy Holy Roman Empire Austrian Army
Strength
Valvasone: 40,000
Gradisca d'Isonzo: 18,000
Valvasone: 5,000
Gradisca d'Isonzo: 2,500, 10 guns
Casualties and losses
Valvasone: 500
Gradisca d'Isonzo: 0
Valvasone: 700, 6 guns
Gradisca d'Isonzo: 2,500, 10 guns
Battle of Valvasone is located in Europe
Battle of Valvasone
Location within Europe
Map
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100km
62miles
15
Battle of Tarvis (1797) from 21 to 23 March 1797
14
13
Siege of Mantua (1796–1797) from 27 August 1796 to 2 February 1797
12
Battle of Rivoli from 14 to 15 January 1797
11
Battle of Arcole from 15 to 17 November 1796
10
Battle of Caldiero (1796) on 12 November 1796
9
Battle of Bassano on 8 September 1796 Second Battle of Bassano on 6 November 1796
8
Battle of Rovereto on 4 September 1796
7
Battle of Castiglione on 5 August 1796
6
Battle of Lonato from 3 to 4 August 1796
5
Battle of Borghetto on 30 May 1796
Lodi
4
Battle of Lodi on 10 May 1796
3
Battle of Fombio from 7 to 9 May 1796
2
Montenotte campaign from 10 to 28 April 1796
1
Second Battle of Saorgio (1794) from 24 to 28 April 1794
  current battle
  Napoleon as subordinate
  Napoleon in command

Bonaparte saw the Siege of Mantua to a successful conclusion when Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser surrendered on 2 February 1797. The French commander cleared his south flank by Claude Perrin Victor's victory over the Papal States at the Battle of Faenza the following day. Meanwhile, Emperor Francis II of Austria recalled Archduke Charles from Germany to hold northeast Italy. In March Bonaparte launched an offensive designed to break through the Austrian army's defenses. At Valvasone, the French encountered part of their opponents' army and drove it back. For the loss of 500 men, the French inflicted 700 casualties on the Austrians and captured six guns.

The following day, Bernadotte's French division isolated an enemy column and forced its surrender at Gradisca d'Isonzo. A total of 2,500 Austrian soldiers, 10 artillery pieces, and eight colors were captured. When several retreating Austrian columns made for the Tarvis Pass to the northeast, the French raced to cut them off. The Battle of Tarvis occurred over three days beginning on 21 March as the Austrians struggled to escape. Bonaparte's forward thrust carried his army within 75 miles (121 km) of Vienna, where the Preliminaries of Leoben were concluded in mid-April 1797.

References

edit
  • Chandler, David G. (1966). The Campaigns of Napoleon. New York, NY: Macmillan.
  • Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.