1813 battle between Johann von Hiller's Austrian army and Eugène de Beauharnais's French army
A French victory near Verona that temporarily checked Austrian advances into northern Italy during the War of the Sixth Coalition.
Key Facts
- Date
- 15 November 1813
- Distance from Verona
- 15 kilometres east km
- Coalition
- War of the Sixth Coalition
- French commander
- Eugène de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Kingdom of Italy
- Austrian commander
- Johann von Hiller
- Outcome
- French victory; Austrians driven back to Soave
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After Austria entered the war against Napoleon in August 1813, Eugène de Beauharnais struggled to defend the Illyrian Provinces. Austrian forces under Hiller closed in on Verona from the north and east, compelling the Franco-Italian army to retreat to the Adige River and forcing Eugène to mount a counter-offensive against multiple converging threats.
On 15 November 1813, Eugène's divisions under Quesnel and Rouyer attacked Paul von Radivojevich's Austrian force at Caldiero, driving it back to Soave. Eugène had already repulsed the northern Austrian column before turning to strike Caldiero, achieving a local French victory in a rapidly deteriorating strategic situation.
Following the battle, Eugène withdrew most of his forces to the west bank of the Adige, leaving only Marcognet's division east of the river. On 19 November, Hiller attacked Marcognet between San Michele and San Martino Buon Albergo but was repulsed. A new Austrian threat soon emerged to the south at Ferrara, continuing pressure on the Franco-Italian position.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Eugène de Beauharnais, François Jean Baptiste Quesnel, Marie François Rouyer, Pierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet.
Side B
1 belligerent
Johann von Hiller, Paul von Radivojevich.