Suvorov's Italian campaign. On June 6-8, 1799, a battle took place on the Trebbia River. The result was the complete defeat of MacDonald's French Neapolitan army.
The parties' plans. Disagreements between Suvorov and Gofkrigsrat
In a three-day battle near the Adda River, Suvorov's army defeated Moreau's French army. The remnants of the French troops fled to Genoa. On April 18 (29), 1799, Suvorov solemnly entered Milan. Here he planned an offensive westward to invade France. But first it was necessary to defeat the army of MacDonald, and then finish off the troops of Moreau.
Thus, the Russian commander decided not to pursue the defeated Moro troops, believing that they now do not pose a threat. A great danger came from MacDonald's Neapolitan army, located in Central and Southern Italy, which could strike at the flank and rear of the allied forces. The Directory ordered MacDonald to help Moreau, and at the end of April, French troops moved out of Naples and headed north.
Meanwhile, the plans of Alexander Suvorov increasingly diverged from the plans of the Austrian gofkrigsrat (court military council). The Russian commander wanted, first of all, to destroy the French armies in the field, thereby freeing his hands for further operations. Therefore, I did not want to waste time and energy on the siege of strong fortresses. The allied army in Italy numbered about 100 thousand people. Suvorov had only 36 thousand soldiers under his command (18 thousand Russians and the same number of Austrians). The rest of the troops, on the instructions of the Austrian high command, were engaged in the siege of fortresses or were garrisoned in the already captured cities, were inactive. In particular, General Krai with 20 thousand soldiers blockaded Mantua, Peschiera and Ferrara. 4, 5 thousand. Lutterman's detachment (later reinforced by the troops of Hohenzollern) was left to tax the Milan citadel; 4, 5 thousand detachment of Ott was sent to occupy Pavia; Vukasovich with 8 thousand soldiers, sent in the direction of Novara, behind the retreating French division Grenier; 3 thous. the detachment of Prince Rogan moved along the shore of Lake Komskoe, to the Tavern, etc.
Alexander Vasilyevich more than once tried to gather the main forces of the allied army for a decisive offensive. However, the Vienna Council got in the way. On May 1 (12) and 2 (13), 1799, the Russian commander-in-chief received two rescripts from Emperor Franz, in which he was ordered to confine himself to hostilities on the left bank of the Po River and engage in the seizure of fortresses, primarily Mantua. The Austrian high command especially sharply opposed Suvorov's plan for a campaign of allied forces in France. Austrian generals were supposed to report their actions to Vienna and receive orders from there, over the head of the Russian commander-in-chief. The Austrians fettered the initiative of the Russian commander, doomed him to treading water and passivity. The allies were wasting time, allowing the enemy to recover, launch a counteroffensive and seize the strategic initiative. As a result, the war became protracted. Suvorov offered to end the war in one strategic operation, but he was not allowed to. In addition, the Austrians were irritated by Suvorov's actions to form the Piedmontese national troops. The Austrian government planned to return Northern Italy to its rule, so the Italian national troops were potentially dangerous.
Continuation of the Allied offensive. Liberation of Piedmont
Vienna's instructions were late, it was impossible to control the army in Italy from Austria, the gofkrigsrat only interfered with Suvorov. On April 20, the Allies set out from Milan to the Po River. The troops marched in two columns along the right bank of the Adda River: on the right were Russian units under the command of Rosenberg, on the left - the Austrians under the command of Melas (divisions of Ott, Zopf and Frohlich). A day later, the allies approached the Po River. Thus, the Russian commander could act both against the enemy troops in Piedmont and against the advancing forces of MacDonald from the south.
Meanwhile, MacDonald's army (about 30 thousand people) was very slowly moving north. In early May, the French were in Rome and reached Florence only on May 13 (25). The Moro army at this time recovered in the Genoa region, replenished its ranks to 25 thousand soldiers. Moro's main forces were located between Valenza and Alessandria. This area is located at the confluence of the Po, Tanaro and Bormida rivers, and the position of the French was very strong. The flanks were covered by the Po River, the fortresses of Valenza and Alessandria. From the front, the Tanaro River closed off the French. Thus, French troops blocked the path to Piedmont from the east and to the Riviera through the Apennines.
Since MacDonald's army at this time did not cause fear, Suvorov decided to strike at Moreau and liberate Piedmont. From this area there were roads to Switzerland and France. On April 24 (May 5), the Russian commander sent Rosenberg's corps along the left bank of the Po River to the Pavia area. The advance detachment under the command of Bagration, having crossed to the right bank, was supposed to occupy Voghera and conduct reconnaissance in the direction of Tortona. The Austrians also walked along the same right bank, crossing the river at Piacenza. Ott's division was sent to Parma to observe the enemy stationed at Modena. On April 27 (May 8), the vanguards of Bagration and Karachay began a siege of Tortona, which Suvorov considered "the key of Piedmont." On April 29 (May 10), after the approach of the Zopf and Frohlich divisions, Torton was captured with the help of local residents. The French detachment (about 700 people) locked themselves in the citadel.
After that, Suvorov decided to go to Turin - the capital of Piedmont. Rosenberg was supposed to move to Borgo-Franco on the river. Po, sending a detachment of Major General Chubarov with three battalions and one Cossack regiment to occupy Valenza. Chubarov's vanguard (3 thousand people), which crossed on May 1 (12), was met by the divisions of Grenier and Victor. In the battle of Bassignano, the advanced Russian forces were defeated. The losses of the Chubarov brigade in this battle reached 1, 5 thousand people (among the wounded was Chubarov himself), the French losses - about 600 people.
The French did not take advantage of this success. Moreau decided to leave Piedmont. He feared a blow from superior enemy forces, and did not expect reinforcements. On May 2 (13), the vanguard under the command of Bagration took Novi. On May 5 (16), the Allies defeated the French at Marengo. Here the Vktor division clashed with the Austrian division of Lusignan. The Austrians would have had a hard time, but Bagration came to their aid. After a stubborn battle, the French retreated, losing about 500 people. Our losses are about 350 people.
Moreau retreated beyond the river. Bormida. Casale and Valencia were occupied by the troops of Miloradovich and Shveikovsky. Soon the allies captured Alessandria, the French were blocked in the citadel. On May 14 (25), the columns led by Rosenberg and Melas approached Turin. The city was defended by the French garrison of General Fiorella (3, 5 thousand soldiers). The French were offered to surrender, but they refused. An artillery duel began. On May 15 (26), the allies again offered Fiorella to lay down their arms, he refused. The bombardment of the fortress continued. At this time, the inhabitants of the city revolted, which were the local national troops. They let the Russian-Austrian troops into the city. About a hundred Frenchmen were killed, two hundred were taken prisoner. The rest locked themselves in the citadel. In Turin, large trophies were captured: about 300 guns, 20 thousand rifles and a huge amount of ammunition.
Thus, the Allies took possession of Northern Italy. Without major battles, with minimal losses, the Allies occupied Piedmont. Local residents rendered great assistance to the Austro-Russian troops. The French held only in Mantua, in the citadels of Tortona, Turin and Alessandria. Moro's army, without engaging in battle, retreated to the Riviera, to the Genoa region. However, the position of 120 thousand. the allied army was still complicated by the fragmentation of its forces. The Corps of the End, reinforced to 24 thousand soldiers, continued the siege of Mantua. Detachments of Hohenzollern and Klenau (about 6 thousand people), directed to Modena and Bologna, were allocated from the Krai corps. Ott with 6 thousand people was sent by Suvorov to Parma; 6 thous. division of Povalo-Shveikovsky to Alessandria; Vukasovic, with the 6 thousandth vanguard of the main forces located at Turin, was located at Moncalieri and Orbassano; the detachments of Frohlich, Seckendorf, Lusignan had their own tasks; Bellegarde's corps went to Milan and Alessandria, etc. The Russian field marshal himself with Melas's corps and the Russian division of Foerster (about 28 thousand people) remained in the Turin region.
With his initiative, Suvorov caused another discontent at the Vienna court. In particular, the Austrian government was irritated by the restoration of local Italian power - the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Austrians argued that in the territories occupied by the allied army there could be no other power than the Austrian emperor. Gofkrigsrat transferred all the supplies of the allied army to Melas, which narrowed the possibilities of the Russian commander-in-chief. All proclamations and announcements after May 16 were published not on behalf of Suvorov, but from Melas. The Austrian high command demanded from Suvorov to focus all attention on the siege of Mantua and other fortresses, the protection of the already occupied territories.
Macdonald's army offensive
After the capture of Turin, the main forces of Suvorov's army were located in Piedmont. Suvorov developed a new strategic plan, which consisted of three simultaneous strikes against the enemy, Massena's army in Switzerland, Moreau and MacDonald in Italy. The army of the Austrian Archduke Charles was supposed to act against the French Massena. Suvorov himself aimed to defeat the Moro army in the Riviera. The troops were to launch an offensive from Turin and cut off the French retreat to France along the coast. Against MacDonald's troops, the commander-in-chief fielded the Edge corps, the detachments of Ott and Klenau. The total number of this group was supposed to be 36 thousand soldiers.
However, the French also did not sleep and developed their own offensive plan. Given the impossibility of transporting artillery along the poor coastal road and the lack of local funds to supply the army, the French abandoned the idea of joining forces in the coastal area. It was decided to unite the forces of MacDonald and Moreau at Tortona. The main blow was dealt by the army of MacDonald, advancing in the direction of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Tortona. Moro's forces were to deliver an auxiliary strike from the south, diverting the main forces of the Allies. If Suvorov was heading with his army to MacDonald, then Moreau had to attack his rear. In order to distract the enemy, mislead him and ensure secrecy, false rumors were spread about the arrival of strong reinforcements by sea from France to Genoa, about the connection and joint action of Moreau and MacDonald on Turin. Small French troops created the appearance of a serious force west of Turin.
On May 29 (June 9), 1799, MacDonald's army went on the offensive. French troops were moving in three columns. The right column was advancing on Bologna, it included the divisions of Montrichard and Ryusca. The middle column went to Modena, it included the divisions of Olivier, Vatrenia and the Salma brigade. The left column was advancing in the direction of Reggio, it was Dombrowski's division. In total, MacDonald had about 36 thousand soldiers. By the end of the day on May 31 (June 11), the French reached the Bologna - Formigine - Sassuolo - Vezano line. There they met the Austrian troops of Ott, Klenau and Hohenzollern. There were 14 thousand French.people, Austrians - 9 thousand. On June 1 (12), the French attacked at Modena the Hohenzollern detachment, which, having lost up to 1600 people, 3 banners and 8 guns, only thanks to the support of Klenau, was able to retreat beyond the Po to Mantua. As a result, MacDonald opened his way to Parma, where he moved on the morning of June 2, leaving the divisions of Olivier and Montrichard at Modena to watch the Corps of the Edge at Mantua.
Battle of the Tidone River
Meanwhile, the Russian commander-in-chief, having learned about the training of Moro's troops at Genoa, on May 29 (June 9) decided to concentrate the army at Alessandria. Leaving for the blockade of the citadel of Turin and the provision of the rear from the Savoy and Dauphiné 8 thousand Keim's detachment, Alexander Suvorov himself, having made 90 kilometers in 2, 5 days, arrived on June 1 from Turin to Alessandria. On this day, Suvorov had 34 thousand soldiers at hand. Soon a detachment of Bellegarde arrived, which strengthened the allied army to 38, 5 thousand people.
Having received news of the offensive of MacDonald's army, Suvorov decided to meet and attack the most powerful enemy. Ott's detachment was supposed to delay the enemy, Krai received instructions to strengthen Hohenzollern and Klena, so that they would operate in the rear of the French army. Bellegarde with 14 thousand corps remained at Alessandria to continue the siege of the citadel and fend off a possible blow from Moro's troops. The Russian field marshal took 24 thousand people with him.
On June 4 (15), 1799, at 10 o'clock in the evening, after building a bridge across Bormida, Alexander Vasilyevich with 24 thousand soldiers quickly marched towards MacDonald. 5 (16) the allies reached Casteggio. Here the Russian field marshal issued an order: "Take the enemy army to the full." On the night of June 6 (17), news was received that Ott's detachment had attacked the enemy at Piacenza and withdrew across the Tidone River. Suvorov immediately came to the rescue and by 10 o'clock in the morning his troops reached Stradella. The French, trying to destroy the detachment of Ott, on June 6 (17) attacked him on Tydon. MacDonald ordered the divisions of Montrichard and Olivier to join the main forces. The news of the battle forced Suvorov to continue the forced march, despite the fatigue of the soldiers and the summer heat. At the decisive moment, Ott's squad was reinforced with Melas's vanguard. Then Suvorov himself arrived with part of the Russian troops and threw the enemy back behind Tidone. In this battle, Suvorov had 14-15 thousand people, extremely tired with accelerated marches (the troops covered 80 kilometers in 36 hours), against 19 thousand French. About Suvorov's march to Trebbia Moreau later said: "This is the pinnacle of military art." The French withdrew to Trebbia, preparing, after the arrival of two divisions, to attack the enemy again.
