Battle of Casaglia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Casaglia
Part of the Neapolitan War
Johann Friedrich Mohr
Date 12 April 1815 Location Casaglia, present-day Italy 44°54′5.69″N 11°32′25.29″E / 44.9015806°N 11.5403583°E / 44.9015806; 11.5403583 Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Austrian Empire	Kingdom of Naples
Commanders and leaders
Johann Frimont Johann Friedrich von Mohr	Joachim Murat
Strength
4,500	7,000+
Casualties and losses
230 killed or wounded	~1,000 killed or wounded

The Battle of Casaglia was an important fight during the Neapolitan War in 1815. It happened near a village called Casaglia, which is about seven miles northwest of Ferrara in present-day Italy. In this battle, Austrian soldiers led by General Johann Friedrich von Mohr fought against Neapolitan soldiers led by their commander, Joachim Murat. The Austrians won, taking back the village of Casaglia from Murat's forces.

The Battle of Casaglia: What Happened?

Setting the Scene: After Occhiobello

Before the Battle of Casaglia, the Neapolitan army, led by Joachim Murat, had been defeated at the Battle of Occhiobello. After that loss, Murat's soldiers stopped moving forward. They set up a strong defensive line along the Po River.

Even from this new position, Murat's army was still a threat to the important city of Ferrara. Ferrara was held by the Austrians and had been under attack since April 7.

Austrian Plans: Breaking Through

The main Austrian commander on the north side of the Po River was Johann Frimont. He decided it was time to act. Frimont wanted to attack from his secure spot at Occhiobello. His goal was to push Murat away from Ferrara and make him stop attacking the city.

The Fight for Casaglia

Murat had placed General Ambrosio's division on his right side, northwest of Ferrara. These soldiers were dug in around the villages of Ravale and Casaglia.

On the morning of April 12, the Neapolitan soldiers defending Ravale were quickly defeated and forced to retreat. On the very same day, an Austrian group led by General Mohr attacked a larger Neapolitan force. These Neapolitan soldiers were strongly dug in at Casaglia.

There was tough fighting inside the village. But by evening, the Austrians managed to break the spirit of the defenders. They successfully pushed the Neapolitan soldiers out of their positions.

Neapolitan Retreat and Aftermath

As the Neapolitans retreated, they suffered many losses. The remaining soldiers fell back towards Bologna. A large number of them even left Murat's army completely.

The next day, the town of Mirandola was taken by the Austrians without much fighting. Murat was then forced to leave his defensive spot. He finally pulled all his troops away from Ferrara, ending the threat to the city.