Battle of Caldiero (1805)

45.42388888888911.190555555556Koordinaten: 45 ° 25 ' 26 " N, 11 ° 11' 26" E

Cape Finisterre - Wertingen - Haslach- Jungingen - Elchingen - Ulm - Trafalgar - Caldiero - Ried - Lambach - Bodenbühl - Steyr - Amstetten - Mariazell - St. Pölten - Cape Ortegal - Dürnstein - Schöngrabern - Wischau ( Vyškov ) - Austerlitz

The Battle of Caldiero found between 29 and October 31, 1805 between the French Armée d'Italie under Marshal André Masséna and an Austrian army under the command of Archduke Charles of Austria -Teschen in Caldiero 15 km east of Verona during the Third War Coalition instead. The Austrians managed with difficulty to repel the attack of the French. The output is rated differently, because not only the French retreated from the battlefield, but also the Austrians began to retreat after the battle resulted in the defeat at Ulm from Italy. Therefore, it is claimed by the literature of the victory in part, for the French, while others speak of a defensive victory of the Austrians.

Prehistory

It was intended that the Austrian army should march under Archduke Charles in the Lombardy. But his troops were in September to not strong enough yet. In addition, the Austrians have greatly underestimated the strength of the French troops under Massena. In addition, the fortresses of Verona, Legnano, Peschiera and Mantua were in French hands. The Archduke therefore decided to await the French attack. He had stationed on the occupation of Venice and a corps under Johann von Hiller at Trent Part of his troops. The main army have focused the Austrians in a secure position at Caldiero. The Austrians held the crest of a nearby mountain village of train occupied. Your extreme right wing leaning against a deep gorge. The center was near the place Caldiero. The left wing stretched out to the river Adige. Various Verschanzugen have reinforced the main points of the Austrian positions.

Course

As Massena from the victory of Napoleon at Ulm learned, he decided to attack. On the morning of October 29 the French went over the Adige River. They broke the resistance outworked Austrian units and advanced by some fierce fighting before. The Austrian advance guard had to retreat towards Caldiero gradually. The French achieved further success. However, Massena decided to order the main attack on the positions at Caldiero until the next day. The Archduke was able to take the opportunity to secure the points endangered by reinforcements against an attack. He hoped to be able to even go on the counteroffensive and prepared their units before. Massena, in turn, intended to break through the enemy's center through a bypass action of the Austrian left wing. The other wing should be cut off and driven to the nearby swamps. Then the rest of the main body of the French should attack the weakened Austrians.

Because on the morning of the 30th a dense fog obstructed the view of the Archduke pushed to its attack plans. Already advanced units were involved in battles. The French attack column to evade the enemy was defeated by the Austrians after heavy fighting. Massena won from the strong noise of battle the impression that the bypass was successful, and allowed to attack the Austrian center. The Austrians were advancing themselves and it came to hours of heavy fighting. Finally, the exhausted Austrians began to recede and the French victory seemed certain. Engagement of Archduke with a Grenadier Division presented the undecided position restored. On the other hand Massena ordered a new attack on the Austrian center and put himself at the head of the attack on the heights of Corsagnola, which he regarded as a crucial point of the Austrian positions. A critical success did not succeed to the French. The French attacked with all available forces once again to the Austrian center. Once again, the French victory seemed imminent, a complete success failed to reserve units of the Austrians. This forced Massena to retreat. Another French attack a day later also failed.

Follow

The Austrians were able to keep it, but as the Archduke received the news of the defeat at Ulm, which enabled the rise of Napoleon to Vienna, this forced him to retreat in the direction of Ljubljana. Both sides were able to claim victory for yourself.