Dego 1796: Austro-Piemontese diary
Initial Deployement
Austrian deployment follows the scenario rules.
Turn 1
Orders
- General Sebottendorf, commander of the Left Wing of the Austrian Army, orders Wukassowitsch and Pittoni to attack and capture Voltri, supposedly defended by General La Harpe troops.
- All other troops defend their position.
Status
Wukassowitsh and Pittoni, under command of General Sebottendorf have advanced swiftly towards Voltri. After having reconnoitred the Town, found empty, they have advanced boldly and have attested their troops outside the city. At short distance, on the road leading to Savona, they are able to see enemy troops, a force of roughly brigade size, defending the detroit between the sea and the mountains.
Turn 2
Orders
Wukassowitsh entrenches into Voltri, while Pittoni remains behind the town, in support. All other troops defend their positions.
Status
One of General Provera’s staff officer has reached Ceva during the night, communicating that a large enemy force, coming from Murialto, has crossed the Bormida bridge leading to Savona.
General Sebottendorf has deployed one brigade to defend Voltri, with the rest of the wing in support. Active reconnaissance has monitored the movement of Cervoni, who has retired during the morning but stopped his movement in the afternoon. Additional troops of unknown number have been seen joining Cervoni’s brigade.
Turn 3
Orders
- Wuka and Pittoni have been ordered by Feldzeugmeister Freiherr Beaulieu de Marconnay to advance and follow closely General Cervoni troops along the road to Savona, without attacking.
- Nicoletti has orders to advance towards Savona, marching from Sassello and following in the valley.
- Liptai has to advance towards Montenotte to reconnoitre the French defences, without attacking.
- Rukassowitz and his artillery has to leave his field defences and advance towards Millesimo and eventually join with General Provera.
- General Brempt has to leave immediately Ceva and defend the bridge of the Bormida river at the right of Millesimo.
Status
Battle of Voltri losses: General de Marconnay and brigate Wukassovich. Pittoni has lost about 1000 men.
Turn 4
Orders
- Nicoletti has orders to advance towards Savona, marching from Sassello and following in the valley.
- Liptai has to advance towards Montenotte to reconnoitre the French defences, without attacking.
- Ruka, Provera and Brempt will converge at the Bormida river bridge without crossing it.
- Brigades Wetz and Kern must occupy Acqui.
Status
General Nicoletti is sending out scouting parties to decide which is the best route to take.
General Liptay is advancing along the valley, he has just passed and found empty the town of Pontivrea. Some Piquets are reaching the heights close to Montenotte. The site fortifications have not increased in size respect to last week, they are occupied by a brigade-size force.
Spies in Savona have communicated you that General Napoleon has arrived during the evening in the city. High standing citizens simpatizzano to the Revolutionaries have offered him shelter in their home.
General Pittoni has informed you that his men are resting well. He has sent some piquets to reconnoitre Voltri. It is occupied by one or two battalions of the enemy.
During late afternoon General Colli sees enemy troops marching towards Ceva, coming from Garessio. All able bodies manning the defences! To arms!!
Turn 5
Orders
- General Pittoni should make an extreme effort and recapture Voltri today (he is hesitant since he lost one battle).
- All troops occupying Acqui shall move at maximum speed towards Voltri.
- General Nicoletti has been destitute of command. General Schrumpf takes command of the force in Sassuolo (this becomes a bonus to the the brigade orders execution). He is ordered to join Liptay and together move along the valley towards Altare.
- General Provera should join Brempt and then together they shall attack the French behind the river.
- Rukassovich shall leave the artillery in support for the Piemondtese attack, cross the river some distance from the bridge and attack the french right flank.
Status
- Provera has been preparing all day his troops for the march to meet Brempt, but his piquets, positioned along the road to Ceva, have identified two enemy brigades at late night, marching towards Millesimo. They are bivouaking along the road, 2-3 km from the Bormida di Millesimo river.
- General Brempt has been waiting all day in battle array for Provera to arrive. The austrian artillery has started a long bombardment in preparation for the attack, causing some disarray in the French troops.
- General Ruklassovich has crossed the river Bormida di Spigno, ready to attack the French on their right flank as soon as the main attack would start. Since the attack did not start he is now positioned in a menacing stance 3km south of Cairo.
- General Liptay has marched at full speed towards Altare, during late afternoon he has detected a long column of French troops along the costal road, going towards Savona.
- General Schrumpf has managed to extract the Dego garrison out and is marching to meet Liptay at the maximum speed of his troops.
- General Pittoni he is now enveloping Voltri and his garrison, but did not attack today. He will try tomorrow to overcome the small garrison, still about a thousand revolutionaries.
- General Wetz has managed to cross the Bormida river and is now marching towards Voltri.
Turn 6
Orders
- Brent attacca immediatamente supportato dalla artiglieria e da rukassovich sul fianco
- Proverà blocca millesimo e vitale con colli esce da Ceva in direzione dei francesi a marce forzate per attaccarli
- Pittoni riprende Voltri immediatamente
- Wetz prosegue verso voltri
- Brigate liptay e Nicoletti si riuniscono e proseguono per Altare
- Ordini immediati e perentori
Viva il Re
Status
Pittoni carries the assault of Voltri sword in hand. The french fire is ineffective. A melee ensues inside the village. The french take heavy losses and surrender.
Le colonne francesi che avanzavano verso Savone si fermano.
Colli marcia verso millesimo a tutta velocità ’.
Nicoletti procede verso Altare, ha appena superato Liptay.
General Liptay observes that Massena halts his divisions.
The austrian and Piedmontese troops bivouac along the road just outside Cairo.
Turn 7
Orders
- General Colli marches with Vitali to Ceva.
- The units who fought the battle at the Bormida Bridge renew the attack to the French, in the direction of Millesimo.
- Nicoletti and Liptay march towards Altare. They will cross the river.
- Pittoni hols Voltri
- Wetzel marches to Voltri
- Kerpen leaves Acqui and marches towards Millesimo.
Status
General Liptay (and Nicoletti) force has been contacted at sunset by Massena. They expect a battle starting early, tomorrow morning.
General Brempt and his force have contacted Napoleon’s force at noon, battle is starting.
Status
La seconda battaglia di Bormida.
Sono le 3 del mattino del 15 aprile 1796. L’aiutante da campo del colonnello Schrumpf, che l’altro ieri ha sostituito Nicolini, e’ appena arrivato. E’ molto stanco, impolverato, lacero. Vi comunica che il colonnello e’ morto alla testa dei suoi uomini, guidando l’ultimo disperato assalto della sua brigata. E’ riuscito a tenere a bada i rivoluzionari per tutta la mattina, causando ingenti perdite al nemico, ma poi la superiorita’ numerica l’ha fatto arretrare fino ad avere alle spalle le montagne liguri. Il suo ultimo gesto e’ stato quello di prendere in mano la bandiera del 33o reggimento e di guidare la carica di un drappello di granatieri che erano al suo fianco.
Turn 8
Orders
- Ordini per la campagna la divisione continua in ordine di marcia l’assalto su Napoleone fuggitivo verso Ceva.
- Pittoni taglia le linee di comunicazioni francesi avanzando di poco verso Savona.
- La brigata di Karp e Werz dovrebbero attaccare Monte Legino.
Status
Generale Conti, e’ la sera del 15 aprile 1796. Alcune vedette sui bastioni di Ceva hanno appena individuato colonne nemiche sulla strada per Millesimo. Impressionati dalle imponenti fortificazioni piemontesi esitano ad attaccare! La giornata e’ vinta!! Viva il Regno!
