The Defence of the High Road
Fortebracco’s force made good progress until clearing the great wood they encountered enemy scouts. Deploying swiftly the enemy soon had the range of Fortebracco’s infantry, inflicting losses, who began to withdraw. This manoeuvre was covered by Garzaga’s Stradiots and Bracchio’s Men-at-Arms. Successfully slowing the enemy’s advance, they retreated through the woodland until they ended up with their backs to a small but deep stream with a bridge over it.
Garzaga held the edge of the wood while Bracchio took the arquebusiers and artillery across the bridge first, followed by the crossbows and finally the cavalry. However, this was not done without loss to the fire from the enemy artillery. Retiring a short distance to a line of low hills the force invited the enemy to cross the stream.
Only late in the day did the Cesenese cross the stream but under cover of darkness Bracchio slipped away having kept his force intact with only a few losses.
The Battle of Livenza
The army had just reached Livenza when the captain of stradiots approached Albengó at the gallop informing him that they had contacted the enemy at the river bridge and even now they were crossing and deploying into a battle line. Albengó quickly issued orders to his immediate captains and sent out messengers to the rest.
The army deployed in and around the hamlets of Livenza and their cultivated fields. A bell tower afforded Albengó’s army a good view of the enemy approach from where Gregorio di Lori relayed the information to an impatient Albengó. The Bertinorovan guns at the centre of the line in the village opened fire with the Cesenese responding shortly after.
It soon became apparent that the enemy centre comprised of infantry and artillery with heavy cavalry facing Albengó’s left flank and stradiots his right. Albengó had given Luc d’Attendolo command of his men-at-arms and the stradiots – they now moved towards the enemy stradiots. Could this flank be turned while Albengó’s veteran infantry held the enemy centre and left flank now exposed to the enemy men-at-arms?
But no sooner had Albengó mounted the bell tower to confirm his final battle decisions then the Cesenese began streaming from the field! Good del d’Attendolo was already at them, but the enemy had ordered troops and the men-at-arms and stradiots were held at bay by the murderous firepower from guns and arquebuses.
Albengó rushed down the tower steps yelling orders for his army to follow up the retreating enemy. It took time and he fumed at the thought that the Cesenese might escape. Finally his army cleared Livenza and made progress towards the Livenza Bridge.
Luc d’Attendolo, up ahead is already seeking to reach the riverbank and turn the enemy flank. He also sends word to Albengó that the enemy are trapped and cannot hope to get all their troops over the bridge before being caught by Albengó’s men.
Albengó left Luc d’Attendolo and men-at-arms on the right while switching the stradiots to his left flank where Captain Angeli immediately flushes out significant enemy numbers hidden in some orchards and woodland. Albengó leaves Angeli to hold them at bay while he throws his veteran pike & shot against the Livenza bridge hamlet support by all his artillery.
This is the final push but the hamlet is fiercely held. All of a sudden a shout goes up – Albengó stands in his stirrups – his trusty crossbowmen have broken through on the left. Soon the Cesenese guns fall silent and a mass of infantry fight amongst themselves to reach the bridge. The militia unit holding it is swept away in the panic.
Albengó enters the hamlet – the crossbowmen secure the enemy guns, while the pike and shot reform. From the smoke to the right cries of anguish are heard and Gregorio investigates the sound of the melee. Meanwhile crossbowmen busy looting the hamlet are quickly brought to book and the attack renewed. Gregorio returns battle stained but smiling, the enemy shot and swordsmen had briefly taken the culverins but had been chased off by the Bertinoro militia leading the counter attack!
Meanwhile the great cavalry fight on the right came to nought. The enemy men-at-arms retired over the bridge leaving the stradiots to retire and disperse southwards in the face of overwhelming odds.
To the north Captain Angeli shadows the dispersing Cesenese. At last victory is secured and Albengó orders that camp be made.
Albengó is shaken from his thoughts by Gregorio di Lori’s arrival. “The captains are ready to see you and receive their orders for tomorrow.”
Tomorrow Cesena would be his!
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