Battle of Fombio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Fombio
Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the First Coalition
The Battle of Fombio
Date 7–9 May 1796 Location Fombio, Lombardy 45°09′00″N 9°42′00″E / 45.1500°N 9.7000°E / 45.1500; 9.7000 Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon Bonaparte Amédée Laharpe  † Claude Dallemagne	Johann Beaulieu Anton Lipthay Anton Schübirz
Strength
11,500	Lipthay: 5,000 Schübirz: 1,580
Casualties and losses
450	1,568, 20 guns

The Battle of Fombio was an important fight during the French Revolutionary Wars. It happened between May 7 and 9, 1796. The French Army of Italy, led by the famous Napoleon Bonaparte, fought against the Austrian army. This battle was a key moment because Napoleon managed to cross the Po River behind the Austrian forces. This move put both the city of Milan and the Austrian supply lines in danger. Because of this threat, the Austrian army had to quickly move east.

How the Campaign Started

After forcing the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont to agree to peace, Napoleon turned his attention to the Austrians. The Austrian army had retreated to the north side of the Po River. Napoleon ordered one of his generals, Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, to attack the Austrians near Valenza. This was a distraction to keep them busy.

Meanwhile, Napoleon formed a special group of 3,500 grenadiers (elite soldiers) and 1,500 cavalry. He put Claude Dallemagne in charge of this group. Dallemagne's job was to march quickly east along the south bank of the Po River. Another division, led by Amédée Emmanuel François Laharpe, followed Dallemagne. Napoleon's plan was to surprise the Austrians by crossing the Po River near Piacenza. This would allow his army to attack the Austrians from their side.

The Battle at Fombio

On May 7, Dallemagne's advance group quickly captured a ferry near Piacenza. They crossed the river fast, with Jean Lannes being the first French soldier on the north bank. Soon, both Dallemagne's and Laharpe's troops had set up a strong position on the north side of the river.

Austrian forces, led by Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud, soon found the French. Lipthay had about 4,000 foot soldiers and 1,000 cavalry. Several small fights happened throughout the day. When the main Austrian commander, Johann Peter Beaulieu, heard about the French crossing, he ordered his army to pull back. He wanted them to move towards the Adda River. At the same time, another French general, Pierre Augereau, got his 7,000 soldiers across the Po River further west using a captured boat.

Attacking Fombio Village

On the morning of May 8, Dallemagne's advance group, with support from Laharpe's 6,500 soldiers, attacked the village of Fombio. Colonels Lannes and François Lanusse led the left and center parts of the attack. Dallemagne himself led the right side.

At first, Lipthay's Austrian troops fought bravely, even using their cavalry to counterattack. But Lipthay decided to retreat to avoid being surrounded by the French. His Austrian and Neapolitan cavalry helped cover their escape towards Codogno. The French then attacked Lipthay again in Codogno. The Austrians had to fight their way back to Pizzighettone, where there was a bridge over the Adda River. Lipthay's forces lost 568 men on May 7 and 8. The French reportedly lost 150 killed and 300 wounded in the first part of the battle.

Night Attack and Aftermath

That evening, as Laharpe's soldiers marched through Codogno, an Austrian general named Anton Schübirz von Chobinin attacked the town. He had 1,000 foot soldiers and 580 cavalry. In the dark streets, there was a confused fight. Sadly, General Laharpe was killed during this clash. It's thought he might have been hit by friendly fire (meaning by his own side's soldiers by accident).

Napoleon's chief of staff, Louis Alexandre Berthier, quickly took command. He sent two more French army groups into the fight. Schübirz's Austrian forces pulled back around dawn on May 9. Since they were cut off from the bridge at Pizzighettone, Beaulieu directed his retreating units to head for the bridge at Lodi, which was further north. This led to the Battle of Lodi on May 10. In that battle, Beaulieu tried to get his army safely behind the Adda River, and Napoleon tried to stop him.