Capture of Brescia
Capture of Brescia | |||||||||
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Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the Second Coalition | |||||||||
Brescia City Plan Bibliothèque nationale de France | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Russian Empire Habsburg Empire | French Republic | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Alexander Suvorov Pyotr Bagration Philipp Vukassovich Paul Kray Johann Zopf | Barthélemy Schérer Gen. Bouzet | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
>20,000[1] | 1,100[1] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
absent[1] | The entire garrison and 46 cannon captured[1] |
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of the French Revolutionary Wars
- 1st Saorgio
- Méribel
- Epierre
- 2nd Saorgio
- 1st Dego
- Monte Settepani
- Loano
- Montenotte Campaign
- 2nd Dego
- Ceva
- Fombio
- Lodi
- Borghetto
- Lonato
- Castiglione
- Peschiera
- Rovereto
- 1st Bassano
- 2nd Bassano
- Calliano
- Caldiero
- Arcole
- Rivoli
- 1st Mantua
- Faenza
- Valvasone
- Tyrol
- Tarvis
- Fall of the Republic of Venice
- Verona
- Magnano
- Brescia
- Cassano
- Bassignana
- 1st Marengo
- Modena
- Trebbia
- 2nd Marengo
- 2nd Mantua
- Novi
- Gavi
- 2nd Novi
- Genola
- 3rd Novi
- Genoa
- Fort Bard
- Chiusella
- Montebello
- Marengo
- Pozzolo
- Porto Ferrajo
The capture of Brescia took place on 21 April 1799,[a] during the Second Coalition war: General Field Marshal Count A. V. Suvorov's Russian and Habsburg troops took the fortress city of Brescia, having captivated the French garrison of General Bouzet.[2]
Alexander Suvorov-Rymniksky, realising the importance of the impression of his first encounter with the French, sent here the vanguard of Kray and the division of Zopf, a total of 15,000 men assembled, and ordered Vukassovich to descend from the mountains also to Brescia; in all, more than 20,000 men. Field Marshal Suvorov ordered to assault the fortress, and not to conclude with the commandant of the honourable capitulation: "otherwise, — he said, — the enemy will hold in every blockhouse, and we will lose both time and men".[1]
The Austrians, approaching the town, opened artillery fire and occupied the dominant heights on the north side; Bagration positioned himself on the west side and blocked the French possible escape routes. Bouzet would not have been able to defend a vast city with a small force, so he retreated to the citadel. Perhaps because the inhabitants were annoyed by French extortions and force, they opened the city gates to the Russo-Austrian coalition and rushed to chop down the arbres de la liberté [fr]. Bouzet responded to an offer to surrender by firing shots. However, the French did not endure.[2] Suvorov was right: after a harmless skirmish commandant, frightened by the active preparations for the assault, agreed to send him a firm offer of unconditional surrender; 46 cannons were taken; losses killed and wounded were not. The capture of Brescia provided the Allies with a good foundry, ensured communication with Tyrol, opened a better road for communication with the Mincio and further with the Adige, made a strong moral impression on the country (the anti-Republican party raised its head) and on the troops: "the army demanded to be led to new victories".[1][2]
The Allied army would further clash with Schérer's army at Lecco.
See also
- Battle of Cassano
- Battle of Bassignana (1799)
- First Battle of Marengo (1799)
- Battle of Modena (1799)
- Battle of the Trebbia
- Second Battle of Marengo (1799)
- Battle of Novi
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f Orlov 1892, p. 69.
- ^ a b c Petrushevsky 1884, p. 47.
Sources
- Petrushevsky, Alexander (1884). "Итальянская кампания: Адда; 1799" [Italian Campaign: Adda; 1799]. Генералиссимус князь Суворов [Generalissimo Prince Suvorov] (in Russian). Vol. 3 (1st ed.). St. Petersburg: Типография М. М. Стасюлевича. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- Orlov, Nikolay Aleksandrovich (1892). Разбор военных действий Суворова в Италии в 1799 году [Analysis of Suvorov's military actions in Italy in 1799] (in Russian). St. Petersburg: Типография Тренке и Фюсно. ISBN 9785998994289.
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