Battle of the bridge of Lodi

The battles of the bridge of Lodi opposes, the May 10th 1796 (21 Floréal year IV), the Armée with Italy of the general Bonaparte with the united armies ordered by the general Sebottendorf, for the catch of the bridge of Lodi on the Adda. She concludes in a victorious way the second part of the countryside of Italy.

Countryside preceding the battle

Bonaparte surprises everyone by its beginning of countryside: it separates the armies Austrian and Piedmontese, and beats the latter, forcing the Royaume of Piedmont-Sardinia to conclude a separate peace. It misleads then the general Beaulieu by crossing the Po with Plaisance whereas this one awaited it upstream 80 km. Beaulieu succeeds in nevertheless avoiding being turned and crossing the Adda. When Bonaparte reaches that point, it finds there only the rear-guard ordered by Sebottendorf, which seeks to destroy the bridge.

Conditions of the battle

The Sebottendorf general arranged his soldiers on two lines: three battalions with the outlet of the bridge supported by the guns, five others behind with the cavalry.

The French Army which arrives on other bank starts by establishing its guns along bank, so as to prevent the Austrian sappers from blowing up the bridge.

Bonaparte sends Kilmaine to seek a ford in the south, and Beaumont in north, with their riders. If all is well, they will emerge in two hours on the right and on the left of the Austrians, forcing the decision.

Good weather.

Unfolding

Around seventeen hours, seeing large division Masséna which approaches Lodi behind, Bonaparte traverses the rows. It is a question of convincing these infantrymen who have walked for six hours of the morning to run under fire towards other bank, with a chance on three to arrive living other side.

The Savoyards under the orders of the Major Deceived, ordering the 2 {{E}} police officers, receive the mission of being the first to cross the bridge. The Austrians retain their fire then draw with grapeshot on the first which begin. Many falls but the shootings made smoke. Accustomed to the torrents of the mountain, the Savoyard ones noticed that the depth of the river decreases by a blow. They slip into the fast flood and emerge of the bridge while howling. The first Austrian line yields.

At the time when the second line counter-attacks, the French riders which made the turn charge. The Neapolitan cavalry can only protect the retirement from the Austrians at nineteen hours.

Assessment

Bonaparte enters to Milan, capital of Lombardy, a few days later. After having conquered the Piedmont, the French Army seizes the Lombardy, and eliminates an army from the emperor of Austria.

Rue

This battle gave its name to a street of the 6th district of Paris.

Random links: