Rivoli 1797 Campaign Order of Battle
Encyclopedia
Rivoli 1797 Campaign Order of Battle
In the Battle of Rivoli
on 14 and 15 January 1797, the French Army of Italy
led by Napoleon Bonaparte crushed the main Austrian army led by Jozsef Alvinczi. The battle occurred during the fourth Austrian attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua
. After crippling Alvinczi's army on the 14th, Bonaparte left Barthélemy Joubert
and Gabriel Rey
to finish off the Austrians and raced south with André Masséna
to deal with a relief column led by Giovanni di Provera
. On 16 January, Masséna, Pierre Augereau, and Jean Sérurier
trapped Provera near the Mantua siege lines and forced his surrender.
In the Battle of Rivoli
Battle of Rivoli
The Battle of Rivoli was a key victory in the French campaign in Italy against Austria. Napoleon Bonaparte's 23,000 Frenchmen defeated an attack of 28,000 Austrians under Feldzeugmeister Jozsef Alvinczi, ending Austria's fourth and final attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua...
on 14 and 15 January 1797, the French Army of Italy
Army of Italy (France)
The Army of Italy was a Field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best known for its role during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic...
led by Napoleon Bonaparte crushed the main Austrian army led by Jozsef Alvinczi. The battle occurred during the fourth Austrian attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua
Siege of Mantua (1796-1797)
In the Siege of Mantua, which lasted from 4 July 1796 to 2 February 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besieged and blockaded a large Austrian garrison for many months until it surrendered...
. After crippling Alvinczi's army on the 14th, Bonaparte left Barthélemy Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert was a French general. He joined the royal French army in 1784 and rose rapidly in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte recognized his talents and gave him increased responsibilities...
and Gabriel Rey
Gabriel Venance Rey
Gabriel Venance Rey or Antoine Gabriel Rey, born 24 July 1763 – died 20 April 1836, became a general officer in the army of France during the French Revolutionary Wars and led a division under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797. He ran afoul of Napoleon and was not...
to finish off the Austrians and raced south with André Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
to deal with a relief column led by Giovanni di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Austrian army in Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.-Military...
. On 16 January, Masséna, Pierre Augereau, and Jean Sérurier
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, 1st Comte Sérurier , was a French soldier and political figure who rose to the rank of Marshal of France.-Early life:...
trapped Provera near the Mantua siege lines and forced his surrender.
France
- Army of Italy: Napoleon Bonaparte (48,610)
- Division: André MassénaAndré MassénaAndré Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
(8,851 including 2 cavalry regiments)- Brigade: Jean-Charles MonnierJean-Charles MonnierJean-Charles, comte Monnier , was a French infantry commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Hundred Days....
- Brigade: Guillaume Brune
- Brigade: Charles LeclercCharles LeclercCharles Victoire Emmanuel Leclerc was a French Army general and husband to Pauline Bonaparte, sister to Napoleon Bonaparte.-To 1801:...
- Brigade: Jean-Charles Monnier
- Division: Pierre Augereau (8,665 including 4 cavalry regiments)
- Brigade: Jean GuieuJean Joseph GuieuJean Joseph Guieu, also Jean Guyeux, joined the French royal army and quickly rose in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He fought in the War of the Pyrenees against Spain and became a general officer. After transferring to Italy, he held important commands under Napoleon Bonaparte in the...
- Brigade: François Point
- Brigade: Jean-Antoine VerdierJean-Antoine VerdierJean-Antoine Verdier was a French General during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.Born in Toulouse, he enlisted into the Régiment de la Fère on 18 February 1785...
- Brigade: Frédéric Walther (cavalry)
- Brigade: Jean Guieu
- Division: Barthélemy JoubertBarthélemy Catherine JoubertBarthélemy Catherine Joubert was a French general. He joined the royal French army in 1784 and rose rapidly in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte recognized his talents and gave him increased responsibilities...
(10,250 including 1 cavalry regiment)- Brigade: Honoré Vial
- Brigade: Claude Lebley
- Brigade: Thomas Sandos
- Division: Gabriel ReyGabriel Venance ReyGabriel Venance Rey or Antoine Gabriel Rey, born 24 July 1763 – died 20 April 1836, became a general officer in the army of France during the French Revolutionary Wars and led a division under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797. He ran afoul of Napoleon and was not...
(4,156 including 2 cavalry regiments)- Brigade: Antoine Veaux
- Brigade: Louis Baraguey d'HilliersLouis Baraguey d'HilliersthumbLouis Baraguey d'Hilliers was a French Army general who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was the father of Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers, a Marshal of France.-French Revolution:...
- Brigade: Joachim MuratJoachim MuratJoachim-Napoléon Murat , Marshal of France and Grand Admiral or Admiral of France, 1st Prince Murat, was Grand Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808 and then King of Naples from 1808 to 1815...
- Division: Jean SérurierJean-Mathieu-Philibert SérurierJean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, 1st Comte Sérurier , was a French soldier and political figure who rose to the rank of Marshal of France.-Early life:...
(10,230 including 2 cavalry regiments)- Alexandre DumasThomas-Alexandre DumasThomas-Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie, was a hero of the French Revolution and General in Napoleon's army. He is better known as Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, General of the French Revolution and the father of author Alexandre Dumas, père, and grandfather of author Alexandre Dumas, fils...
and Claude DallemagneClaude DallemagneClaude Dallemagne started his career in the French army under the Bourbons, fought in the American Revolutionary War, rose in rank to become a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars, took part in the 1796 Italian campaign under Napoleon Bonaparte, and held military posts during the...
each led small divisions under the supervision of Sérurier. It is unknown which brigades were assigned to each division. - Brigade: Jean Davin
- Brigade: Sextius MiollisSextius Alexandre François de MiollisSextius Alexandre François de Miollis was a French military officer serving in the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars.-Biography:...
- Brigade: André Monleau
- Brigade: Emmanuel de Serviez
- Brigade: Jean de La Salcette
- Alexandre Dumas
- Reserve: Bonaparte
- Brigade: Charles Dugua (658 in 2 cavalry regiments)
- Brigade: Claude Victor (1,800 including 1 cavalry regiment)
- Brigade: Jean LannesJean LannesJean Lannes, 1st Duc de Montebello, was a Marshal of France. He was one of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals. Napoleon once commented on Lannes: "I found him a pygmy and left him a giant"...
(2,000)
- Division: André Masséna
Austria
- Field Army: FZM Jozsef Alvinczi (28,022)
- Independent columns:
- Brigade 1: OB Franz de LusignanFranz Joseph, Marquis de LusignanFranz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan , a Spaniard, joined the Austrian army and fought against Prussian soldiers and Belgian rebels. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he played a significant role at the Battle of Rivoli in 1797 and became a general officer. He led brigade- and division-sized...
(4,556)- 4,556 in 4 bns and 12 coys
- Brigade 2: GM Anton LipthayAnton Lipthay de KisfaludAnton Lipthay de Kisfalud , also Anton Liptai or Anton Liptay, served in the Austrian army, attained general officer rank, and fought in several battles against the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early career:Born in Nógrád, Hungary in 1745, Lipthay joined...
(5,065)- 5,065 in 4 bns and 6 coys
- Brigade 3: GM Samuel Köblös (4,138)
- 4,138 in 5 bns and 6 coys
- Brigade 6: GM Josef VukassovichJosef Philipp VukassovichJosef Philipp von Vukassovich , also Josef Wukassovitch, was a Croatian soldier who joined the army of Habsburg Monarchy and fought against both Ottoman Empire and the First French Republic. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he commanded a brigade in the 1796–1797 Italian campaign against...
(2,871)- 2,795 in 3 bns and 5 coys, 76 in 1/2 sqn
- Brigade 1: OB Franz de Lusignan
- Division: FML Peter QuasdanovichPeter QuasdanovichPeter Vitus Freiherr von Quosdanovich was a general of the Austrian Empire. Feldmarschall-Lieutenant and Commander of the Order of Maria Theresa...
- Brigade 4: GM Joseph OcskayJoseph Ocskay von OcskoJoseph Ocskay von Ocskó joined the army of the Habsburg Empire and rose to the rank of general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. He fought in numerous actions in the 1796-1797 Italian campaign against the French army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte...
(3,521)- 2,692 in 4 bns, 829 in 8 sqns
- Brigade 5: GM Heinrich XV, Prince of Reuss-Plauen (7,871)
- 6,986 in 9 bns, 885 in 5-1/2 sqns
- Brigade 4: GM Joseph Ocskay
- Independent columns:
- Corps at VicenzaVicenzaVicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
: GM Adam BajalicsAdam Bajalics von BajahazaAdam Bajalics von Bajaháza, also Adam Bajalić von Bajaházy or Adam Bayalitsch, entered Austrian military service and fought against Prussia, Ottoman Turkey, and France...
(6,241)- 6,081 in 6 bns, 160 in 1 sqn
- Corps at PaduaPaduaPadua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
: FML Giovanni di ProveraGiovanni Marchese di ProveraGiovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Austrian army in Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.-Military...
(9,097)- 8,379 in 10 bns, 718 in 8-1/2 sqns
- Corps at Borgo ValsuganaBorgo ValsuganaBorgo Valsugana is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km east of Trento....
: GM Anton MittrowskyAnton Ferdinand MittrowskyAnton Ferdinand Mittrowsky von Mittrowitz und Nemyšl, or Anton Mittrovsky, served in the Austrian army for many years. He was promoted to general officer in the spring of 1796, just in time to lead a brigade against Napoleon Bonaparte during the 1796-1797 Italian Campaign of the French...
(3,570)- 3,497 in 4 bns, 73 in 1/2 sqn
- Mantua Garrison: FM Dagobert von WurmserDagobert Sigmund von WurmserDagobert Sigismund, Count Wurmser was an Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mounted several successful campaigns in the Rhineland in the initial years of the French Revolutionary Wars, he...
(18,493, including 9,800 fit for service)
Key
- FM: Feldmarschall, army commander
- FZM: FeldzeugmeisterFeldzeugmeisterFeldzeugmeister was a military rank in various European armies , especially in the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found in the beginning of the 20th century in some European countries...
, army or corps commander - FML: Feldmarschal-Leutnant, corps or division commander
- GM: General-major, brigade commander
- OB: Oberst or colonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
- bns: infantry battalions
- coys: light infantry companies
- sqns: cavalry squadrons