Battle of Calliano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Calliano
Part of French Revolutionary Wars
Date 6–7 November 1796 Location Calliano, Trentino 45°56′N 11°5′E / 45.933°N 11.083°E / 45.933; 11.083 Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
First French Republic	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Claude Vaubois	Paul Davidovich
Strength
10,500	19,474
Casualties and losses
Calliano & San Michele: 4,400	Calliano & San Michele: 3,567

The Battle of Calliano was an important fight during the French Revolutionary Wars. It happened on November 6 and 7, 1796. In this battle, Austrian soldiers led by Paul Davidovich defeated a French group. The French were commanded by Claude Belgrand de Vaubois. This battle was part of Austria's third attempt to help their soldiers stuck in Mantua. The French army was surrounding the city of Mantua at the time.

Why Did the Battle of Calliano Happen?

By November 1796, the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, had surrounded the city of Mantua. The Austrian soldiers inside Mantua were running out of food. The Austrian Emperor, Francis I of Austria, sent a new army to break through the French lines. This new army was led by Jozsef Alvinczi.

Austrian Battle Plan

Alvinczi planned to attack Mantua from two sides. He would lead 28,000 soldiers from the east. At the same time, General Davidovich would lead 19,000 soldiers from the north. Davidovich's army would march down the Adige valley.

French Preparations

Napoleon didn't realize how strong Davidovich's army was. To stop the northern attack, he sent only 10,500 soldiers. This group was led by General Vaubois. The fighting started on October 27. On November 2, the French attacked the Austrians near a town called Cembra.

Clash at Cembra

Even though Vaubois's troops caused more damage to the Austrians, he decided to pull back. He moved his soldiers to Calliano because Davidovich kept moving forward. The French 85th Line Infantry Demi-Brigade had a very tough time. The Austrians took control of Trento on November 5.

What Happened During the Battle?

On November 6, Davidovich's Austrian army attacked the French at Calliano. Vaubois's soldiers fought them off, and the Austrians lost 753 men. That night, the French general moved some of his troops to guard other important spots. This made his main battle line weaker.

The Main Attack

At dawn on November 7, the Austrians attacked again. The fighting lasted all day, and Calliano changed hands many times. Some Austrian soldiers, called Grenz infantry, managed to get behind the French lines. This caused the French soldiers to panic. They started running away from the battle at 4 PM.

Battle Losses

The second day of fighting at Calliano was costly for the Austrians. They lost another 1,523 men. This brought their total losses for this part of the campaign to 3,567 soldiers. These heavy losses meant the Austrians couldn't chase the fleeing French very hard. Vaubois's French army lost 4,400 soldiers in total from the fights at Cembra and Calliano.

What Happened After the Battle?

Battles of San Michele, 2nd Bassano, and Calliano, Nov. 1796

On November 8, the French soldiers finally gathered again at Rivoli Veronese. Napoleon was very angry with his troops, especially the 39th and 85th Demi-Brigades. He released a strong message criticizing them. Meanwhile, in another area, Alvinczi's Austrian army defeated Napoleon's main army at the Second Battle of Bassano. This forced the French to retreat to Verona.

Communication Problems

The Austrian armies had trouble talking to each other. It took two days for messages to go between Davidovich and Alvinczi. Davidovich didn't attack the French at Rivoli because he thought a strong French general, André Masséna, was there with his troops. Masséna was briefly in charge, but he didn't bring any extra soldiers.

Another Fight at Rivoli: November 17

Davidovich finally attacked on November 17. The Austrians pushed the French back. Again, the French 85th Line Demi-Brigade broke and ran. Vaubois's division was defeated once more. The French lost 800 soldiers killed or wounded, and 1,000 were captured. This included two generals and 7 cannons. The Austrians lost only 600 men. This same area would be fought over again in January 1797 during the famous Battle of Rivoli.

Final Retreat: November 21

Davidovich's victory at Rivoli came too late. Napoleon had already won the Battle of Arcola between November 15 and 17. When Davidovich realized that Napoleon's main army was coming his way, he pulled back to Rivoli on November 20. The next morning, he ordered a full retreat to the north.

A short time later, Davidovich got a message saying Alvinczi's army was back in the field. Davidovich told his troops to go back to their positions at Rivoli. But by then, the French were already there. In the fight that followed, the French lost about 200 men. The Austrians lost 251 killed and wounded. The French also captured 608 Austrian soldiers, 3 cannons, and a bridging train. When Alvinczi heard that Davidovich was retreating, he also pulled his army back, ending this part of the campaign.

See also

• Siege of Mantua (1796-1797)
• Second Battle of Bassano, 6 November 1796
• Battle of Caldiero (1796), 12 November 1796
• Battle of Arcole, 15–17 November 1796