Battle of Casteggio - Montebello
9th June 1800

Outpost Clashes East of Casteggio

by Dave Hollins, UK

Meanwhile, 6è Légère returned in force around 9a.m. They stormed the Austrian pickets pushing them back through Santa Giulietta as far as Rivalta (now Romero) on the St. Zeno stream, just 2 kms east of Casteggio. O'Reilly deployed his infantry, Hussar squadron and artillery in Rivalta and on the hills to the south, from where his men halted the 6è Légère. However, in the distance, the rest of Watrin's Division could be seen advancing down the road. As Watrin arrived, Général Gency renewed his attack around 11.00 a.m. attempting to outflank the Austrian defenders by sending four battalions on to the hills, as two continued to march across the flatter ground directly towards the village.

After ferocious resistance lasting half an hour, O'Reilly found himself outflanked on both sides. As the fire from in front increased, the Austrians evacuated Rivalta to withdraw on the more defensible position of Casteggio. Thus far, Berthier's instructions to Lannes had proved correct: the Austrians were much weaker than his own force.

However, as O'Reilly withdrew, FML Ott (at right) was starting to get his troops into Casteggio, led by FML Vogelsang's Division. Equally unaware of the size of the opposition approaching him, Ott's first task was to cover O'Reilly. Around noon, GM Gottesheim was directed to scale the hills to the south, which overlooked the main road, with six battalions. Up the tracks marched the Ogulin Grenzer Battalion, IR57 J. Colloredo and IR17 Hohenlohe at the Sturmschritt (attack pace); then they deployed. Vogelsang retained IR18 Stuart in reserve behind the village. Surveying the situation, he realised that if the action escalated, his own right wing could be turned by a force moving along the hills, access to which was possible by several local tracks. He ordered Baron Crossard to take two companies of IR57 J. Colloredo and find a good flank anchor point.

O'Reilly's men were now falling back into Casteggio village. His Grenzers and Jaegers were deployed to garrison the upper village, while the two Light Battalions, supported by a battery, held the lower part around the main Turin-Mantua road. Located at the foot of a spur of the Apennines, Casteggio (with a population of about 2,500) and it's small castle commanded the only defensible defile between Stradella and Voghera. Enclosed by low stone walls, the settlement could be held provided control was retained of the high ground immediately to the south.

The main road ran into the village over one bridge, which was surrounded by some fortified houses, an inn and an agricultural storehouse, then it turned right through a small square, over another stone bridge and then left to continue west. The fields on the flatter areas around the road were growing with high rye and corn, so that it was hard to see opposing troops until they came within very close range.Lannes reached Casteggioasing what was apparently a small Austrian rearguard, Gency and 6è Légère were surprised to find themselves under fire from a line of white-clad infantry with their light guns on the hills above them. As fire increased from Austrian outposts on the road ahead, Général Gency deployed two battalions of the 6è Légère into line and marched them obliquely to the right, off the road, to draw the Austrian fire away from the column. As Vogelsang had anticipated, Watrin led the remaining battalion of 6è Légère together with the 40è demi-brigade up to the hills to the south (on the French left). From there a track led into the right of Gottesheim's line.

Lannes remained on the road with 22è demi-brigade, four guns and 12è Hussars. Impatient for action, he directed a single battalion of the 22è to march straight at Gottesheim's position along the hill crest. Moving off at the pas de charge through the tall crops, almost immediately they ran into sustained Austrian canister fire and as the rate of fire increased, the French infantry fell back in disorder. Unaware of the additional Austrian units advancing from the west, Lannes thought he could break through the village and unleashed the 12é Hussars against the light troops blocking the main road in front of Casteggio. The French hussars charged up the road, breaking up the outposts, despite an attempted countercharge by O'Reilly's squadron of 8. Nauendorff Hussars. Chasing the infantry, 12é Hussars hurtled into the eastern village and over the first bridge, scattering the 3rd and 4th Light Battalions into the nearby buildings, before sweeping on over the second bridge.

There, behind a quickset hedge, which had gaps in it, stood Oberst Schustekh with a squadron of Bussy Jäger zu Pferd and Gottesheim's three from 8. Nauendorff Hussars. Detaching the Bussy to move into the French rear, Schustekh charged them from in front with his Hussar squadrons. Despite initial resistance, 12è Hussars were overwhelmed and forced to cut their way back to their own lines. As they galloped back through the village, men from 3rd Light Infantry took their opportunity to fire on them from inside the buildings, felling several troopers. As Ott and his staff took stock of the situation, messengers were sent galloping back to Schellenberg to order him to march up as quickly as possible with his troops, who had broken camp from Voghera half an hour behind Vogelsang. The French too were desperate for reinforcements.

As Austrian troops continued to fire from the hills, Lannes despatched an urgent message to Lt-Gen. Victor, who had just reached Broni, 10 km back up the road. On their receipt, Victor quickly hastened the march of his troops. At 1300, Général de Brigade Oliver Rivaud ordered his two demi-brigades (43è and 96è) to break into pas de course (a light run).

Back in the hills south of Casteggio, Ott's urgent priority was his vulnerable right wing. Baron Crossard had found a hill that overlooked what appeared to be an important crossroads, but this small force had marched too far, leaving Gottesheim's flank exposed. Général Mahler, leading Watrin's four battalions, had reached the crestline and prepared to attack Gottesheim's right. In the meantime, the last of Lannes' advance-guard, Général Mainoni with Valhubert and his 28è demi-brigade had arrived. Watrin immediately directed them up on the left flank to support Mahler, who was already making considerable progress driving back the Austrian right.

As the two battalions of IR17 positioned there shattered under the pressure, Mahler and Mainoni gradually began to roll up Gottesheim's force and the whole Austrian line swung back west, as IR 57 also began to give ground. In response, Vogelsang committed his reserve, the three battalions of IR18 Stuart, to stem the disorder, as the French lost some of their formation in the undulating ground. After helping reform several broken units, these Bohemian battalions assailed Mahler's left, while Gottesheim rallied his six battalions. Gradually, the Austrians gained the upper hand until one battalion of the 40è broke up and fled down the slopes. In a last move to help Watrin, Lannes belatedly sent the two battalions of 22è demi-brigade up the slopes directly at the Austrian line, but before they could engage, Vogelsang's force was back along the crestline overlooking the road.

Defective Presumptions

Lannes was starting to realise that Berthier's instructions were based on several defective presumptions, so that his hasty attack had now left his troops potentially fatally exposed. Additional Austrian troops were now visible, moving up the main road, and Lannes could not be sure what might be behind them. In the village, the Austrian Light Battalions had re-established their positions as the French artillery deployed either side of the road to bombard the village The 6è Légère shifted their line northwards, apparently reconnoitering the lower Coppa for a crossing point.

Lannes' entire force was now committed to the battleline. Schellenberg's reinforcements would soon be arriving and if Vogelsang were to descend towards the main road, he could cut the French advance-guard off from any support. Up in the hills, the only steady French resistance came from 28è demi-brigade, covering the extreme left of the French line. In a final bid to break them and stabilise his own line, FML Ott despatched two squadrons of 10. Lobkowitz Light Dragoons with a Cavalry Artillery battery up the local tracks on to the heights. Moving on to the Austrian right, they ran into the stubborn 28è. Their commander, Valhubert, put himself at the head of all three grenadier companies and led a bayonet charge against the Austrian squadrons, putting them to flight. After steadying his men, Valhubert directed a series of ferocious volleys, which felled several Austrian troopers and halted the advance of the Austrian right.

In response, the Austrian battery was unlimbered and turned on the 28è. Commanding the main part of the demi-brigade, Chef de Bataillon Taupin ordered Capitaine Boy to take his company forwards and silence the gunners. Hit by a stream of accurate French fire, the Austrian gun crews fell back out of range with their pieces, but Capitaine Boy had pushed forward and found himself cut off by elements of the Austrian Dragoons. A further bayonet charge unsettled this cavalry long enough to allow Boy's platoon to escape. Nevertheless, as Austrian fire increased and Watrin's men were driven down the slopes, the 28è had also to withdraw.

Those first Austrian reinforcements, two regiments from FML Schellenberg's division, had arrived to help the defenders in the village. Somewhat out of breath from a forced march, Schellenberg directed them down the river bank to cover the road as well as the village. IR 28 deployed to the left and behind the village with IR40 deployed in the second line. Uncertain as to how the approaching French reinforcements would affect their attack, the Austrian command left IRs 51 and 13 in Montebello village, 2 km to the south-west.

More Battle of Casteggio-Montebello 9th June 1800

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