Battle of Valvasone

Overview

The Battle of Valvasone, 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 and Goricizza. The next days, a French division cut off and captured an Austrian column at Gradisca d'Isonzo. 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.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Valvasone, fought at the Tagliamento River crossing, was part of Napoleon Bonaparte's drive into Habsburg-controlled northeastern Italy during the War of the First Coalition. Archduke Charles's army, badly outnumbered by a French force of roughly 40,000 against 5,000, was forced to conduct a rear guard action before withdrawing to the northeast. The defeat left the Austrian position in the region untenable. In the days following, a French division intercepted and captured an Austrian column at Gradisca d'Isonzo, compounding Austrian losses to approximately 2,500 men. Together, these actions pushed Habsburg forces further back toward the Austrian heartland and contributed to the pressure that would eventually compel Austria to seek terms, advancing the French consolidation of control over northern Italy in the closing phase of the 1796–1797 campaign.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (8)