The Combat At Peschiera

6 August 1796

Order of Battle

by Berhard Voykowitsch

French

In the West

Sauret's Division (under Guieu) in pursuit of Quosdanovich (at Vestone in the Chiese valley)

    27e dbl (2,183), 29e dbl (1,039), 24e rch (271), 2 four pounder guns

AG d'Herbin (at Caino, north of Braccia)

    1 bn 22e dbl (652, of Massena), 39e db (1,148, of Despinoy)

GB Cervoni (Brescia garrison)

    25e db (2,300), 85e db (1,584)

Guarding back to Milan the Austrian prisoners made at Lonato 4 August

    Three elite carabinier coys of the 11 e dbl (300)

Total: 20 bns. 9,563 infantry, 327 cavalry, 72 artillery, 2 pieces

Peschiera garrison {GB Guillaume)

    3 coys 5e db (300), 5e bn sappeurs (186)

Total: 486 infantry, 37 cavalry

Massena's Division at Peschiera

GB Pigeon

    18e dbl (2,149)

GB Rampon

    32e db (2,565), 18e db (2,487), 11e db [I & III] (1,255)

GB Victor

    11e db II (722), 4e dbl (1,031)

Cavalry

    16e rd (209), 25e rch (209)

Artillery

    2 eight pounder guns, 2 six inch howitzers, 1 twelve pounder gun

Total: 15 tens 8 sqns, 5 pieces = 10,209 inf, 418 cav, 366 artillery

Napoleon's main force at Borghetto opposite Valeggio

Augerau's Division (+)

    AG Leclec
      4e db (1,869), 22e rch (245)
    GB Palletier
      69e db [I and II) (1,019), 45e db (1,082), 20e rd (351)
    GB Robert
      51e db (1,722), 17e dbl (1,073), 1e rh (3 sqns, 358), Guides (?)
    Artilbry
      3 eight pounder guns, 3 six inch howitzers, 1 twelve pounder gun

    Total 17 bns, 8 sqns, 7 pieces = 7,876 men (6,768 infantry, 945 cavalry, 94 artillery)

Despinois' Division (-)

    GB Bertin:
      5e db (-) (1,773), 1 eight pounder gun with 2 caissons, 1 six inch howitzer with 2 caissons

      Total: 3 bns. 1,773 infantry, 62 artillery, 2 pieces

Kilmaine's Reserve Division (-)

    GB Basumont
      5e rd (2 sqns, 146), 7e rh bis (346), 10e rch (413)
    AG Verdbr
      5e bn gren bn (421), 6e & 7e gren bns (379)
    GB Dommartin
      4 eight pounder guns with 15 caissons, 3 six inch howitzers with 7 caissons

    Total: 3 bns, 14 sqns, 7 pieces = 1,818 men (800 infantry, 905 cavalry, 113 artillery)

Serurier's Division (under Fiorella)

    GB Beaumont
      8e rd (160)
    GB Cherton
      19e db (1,692), 6e bn sapp (546)
    Serviez
      12e dbl (1,376), 69e db [III] (806)
    Artillery:
      4 eight pounder guns, 3 six inch howitzers, 4 twelve pounder guns

    Total: 7 bns, 4 sqns, 11 pieces = 4,848 men (3,593 infantry, 546 sappers, 160 cavalry, 549 artillery)

Note: The French OB during 6 August was identical to the one of the day before at the battle of Castiglione. I have only subtracted the losses in the battle.

Austrian

The Remnants of 1st Columm FNL Quosdanovich

Marching back to join Wurmser by the Adiga valley 18 bns, 5 coys, 11 1/4 sqns

    Gren Bns l'Aisne 3/4/46 (551), Gavasini 23/24/49 (492) & Kottulinsky 14/50/59 (648), IR 14 [I & II] Klebek (940), IR 53 [I & III] Jellacic (2,015), IR 45 [I] Lanermann (518), 5 coys Mahony Jager (636), 8 sqns HR 5 Wurmser (1,172), 2 sqns HR 2 Erdody (318), 11/4 sqn UR1 (169)

Rearguard against Sauret

    GM Furet Reuss (5 bns, 2 coys, 2 sqns)
      IR 10 [I & II] Kheul (1,862), IR 34 [I & II] Esterhazy (1,156), IR 59 [I] Jordis (478), 2 coys 3rd Karlstadter kB (373), 2 sqns HR 2 Erdody (318)

      Total: only 13 bns, 7 coys, 11 1/4 sqns = 16,138 men (14,151 infantry, 1,987 cavalry, pieces)

Had capitulated at Lonato 4 August 1796: Obr. Knorr (3 bns)

    IR 42 [I & II] Erbach (1,935), IR 37 [I] Devins (996), some Wurmser Hussars

    Note: IR 34 had had already surrendered at Desenzano 3 August before it was liberated again the same day; the grenadier battalions had suffered severely at Vobarno 4 August.

Fighting Against Massena at Peschiera

GM Bajelich (3 2/3 bns, 1 sqn = 3,009 men) had blockaded Peschiera since 31 July

    IR 26 [I & II] W. Schroder (1,576), IR 11 [II] Wallis (808), IR 4 [2/3 of I] Thurn (501), 3 coys Mahony Jagers (505), 1 sqn HR 5 Wurmser (180)

1 bn of Bajalich at Peschiera or somewhere else?

    IR 26 [III] W. Schroder (788)

GM Mitrovsky (4 1/3 bns) sent to Peschiera from main army 5 - 6 August

    IR 10 [III] Kheul (1,024), IR 11 [III] Wallis (887), IR 2 [I & II] Brechainville (1,668), 1/3 Grens Strasoldo 44/-/- (164)

Total 8 bns, 3 coys, 1 sqn = 6,989 or 7,777 infantry, 180 cavalry

Note: whereas Mitrovsky's force combined several units which had been engaged in the battle of Castilone 5 August 1796. Bajalich's troops hadn't suffered too much during the combats of 30 July and the blockade of Peschiera.

Austrian Main Army At Valeggio (opposing the French main force)

Right Wing: FML Davidovich

    GM Vukossovich: (4 bns, 4 coys, 1/4 sqn)

      IR 39 [I & II] Nadasdy (1,332), IR 52 [I & II] Eh. Anton (1,018), 4 coys 9th Warasdiner kB (954), 1/4 sqn UR 1 Meszaros (27)

    Col. Weidenfeld (5 bns. 1 sqn)

      IR 24 [I & II] Preiss (2.068), IR 27 [II & III] Strasoldo (711), IR 23 [III] Toscana (587), 1 sqn HR 5 Wurmser Hussars (180)

    Col. Schubirz (10 coy 3 sqns)

      2 coys Mahony Jagers (317), 6 coys Szluiner kB (1,361), 2 coys 3rd Karlstadter kB (37 1 ),1 sqn UR 1 Meszaros ( 1 47), 2 sqns HR 2 Erdody (368)

Left Wing: Sebbottendorf

    GM Spiegel (4 bns)

      IR 45 [II & III] Lattermann (844), IR 4 [I & II] Deutschmeister (1,282)
    GM Liptay (5 bns, 2 coys)
      IR 13 [I & II and 1/3 III] Reisky (1,428), IR 8 [I & 2/3 II] Huff (1,251) 1st IR 40 Mitrovsky (568), 2 coys 3rd Karlstadter kB (372)
    GM Gummer (3 bns)
      IR 19 [I & II] Alvinzy (1,170), IR 21 [II] Gemmingen (908)

    Cavalry: Col. Piaczek (9 sqns)

      4 sqns HR 2 Erdody (737), 4 sqns HR 4 Eh. Josef (588), 1 sqn UR Meszaros (147)

    Headquarter guard (2 coys, 2 sqn):

      IR 5 (1/3) 1st Garrison (145), 2 sqns DR 7 Stabsdragoner (197)

    Army reserve artillery:

      8 three pounder guns, 18 six pounder guns, 18 twelve pounder guns, 12 seven pounder howitzers, 2 cavalry six pounder guns, 2 cavalry seven pounder howitzers

At Valeggio

    IR 43 [1/3 of I] Thurn (251)

Total 21 1/3 bns, 16 coys, 15 1/4 sqns = 16,687 infantry, 2,391 cavalry, 6 pieces

At Verona

    IR 13 [1/3 of III] Reisky (179)

Sources:

I must admit that there doesn't exist any file at the Vienna War Archives detailing an order of battle as above. This OB was derived from files indicating the Austrian OB during the battle the day before and later orders containing e.g. the restructuring of Mitrovsky's brigade or the assignment of Vukassovich's brigade which had come from Mantua to Davidovich, etc. Unit strength is given as before the fighting 3 to 5 August. There are no Austrian reports on losses but Liptay's brigade had had heavy losses (about 1,000 men) on the 3 August and the whole army is said to have lost 2,000 on the 5 August.

4th Columm FML Meszaros at Goito:

    1st Brigade: GM Minkwitz:

      IR 56 [I & II] Colloredo (1,244), IR 25 [III] Brechainvilie (515), IR 50 Stein [III] (1,026)

    2nd Brigade: GM Hohenzollern

      6 coys 1st Banal kB (1,164), 3 sqns HR 4 Eh.Josef (468), 4 sqns UR 1 Meszaros (586)

    Artillery

      4 six pounder guns, 2 seven pounder howitzers, 4 twelve pounder guns

    Total: 4 tens, 6 coys, 7 sqns, 10 pieces = 5,021 men (3,949 infantry, 1,072 cavalry}

    At Goito:

      1 coy each of 39 Nadasdy & IRs 52 Eh. Anton, 2/4 sqn UR 1 Meszaros (53)

More Peschiera

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