95-444: Iron Marshal may refer to: Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal , 1996 CBS Western TV movie Louis-Nicolas Davout , French military leader Floriano Peixoto , Brazilian soldier and politician Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Iron Marshal . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
190-521: A bridgehead . On the plain were spread numerous hamlets and farms that represented strategic points. The three main sites of the battle formed a triangle, with Marengo in the west, Castel Ceriolo in the north and San Giuliano Vecchio in the east. A small stream, the Fontanone, passed between Marengo and the Bormida. The First Consul had established his headquarters at Torre Garofoli, which was further to
285-553: A 300-man French detachment led by Achille Dampierre (which was finally captured) and moved southeast. This took his troops out of supporting distance from the Austrian main body. On the Austrian left, Ott hesitated to press hard against the French because GdB Jean Rivaud's small brigade of French cavalry hovered to the north. However, Desaix, in charge of the force Bonaparte had detached southwards, had hastened his advance and reached
380-490: A battle he could not lose. At Auerstädt, Davout won a battle he could not win" . As a reward, Napoleon let Davout and his men enter Berlin first on 25 October 1806. Davout added to his renown in the battles of Eylau and Friedland . Napoleon left him as governor-general of the newly created Duchy of Warsaw following the Treaties of Tilsit in 1807, and the next year awarded him with the title of Duke of Auerstädt . During
475-409: A hook shape, while Kaim attacked again, but this time against Victor's wings. A Laufbrücke (small bridge) was thrown over the Fontanone and supported by reserve artillery. GM Christoph von Lattermann ’s grenadiers crossed to engage Olivier Macoux Rivaud de la Raffinière ’s two demibrigades defending Marengo village, while Bellegarde and Frimont's four squadrons split Watrin off. Although Rivaud retook
570-401: A last defense around Marengo village as night fell, allowing the Austrian centre to reach safety behind the Bormida. Ott with the Austrian left failed to intervene and found his retreat through Castel Ceriolo blocked by French troops advancing northwest from the centre, but managed to fight his way back to the Bormida bridgehead. The Austrians fell back into Alessandria, having lost about half
665-472: A massive pursuit column in order to chase the French off the battlefield, with the advance guard commanded by GM Franz Xaver Saint-Julien . The column formed up around Spinetta, southeast of Marengo, and advanced down the New Road. However, delays in the flanks led to the Austrian army forming a crescent shape with a thinly stretched central sector. On the Austrian right wing, O'Reilly wasted time hunting down
760-594: A member of the Chamber of Peers . In 1822, Davout was elected mayor of Savigny-sur-Orge , an office he held for a year. His son Louis-Napoléon was also mayor of the city from 1843 to 1846. A main square bears their name in the city, as does a boulevard in Paris. Davout died in Paris on 1 June 1823. His remains rest in the Père Lachaise Cemetery , where an elaborate tomb marks his grave. Davout held
855-417: A message in which he explained that the "charge of Kellermann had broken the soldiers and this sudden and terrible change of fortunes finished by smashing the courage of the troops. The disorder of the cavalry which had disorganised our infantry precipitated its retreat." At the same time, Murat was writing to Berthier: "I especially have to tell you about Kellermann; through a powerful charge he managed to tilt
950-452: A narrow bridgehead. The movement began about 6 am with the first shots fired around 8 am, but the attack was not fully developed until 9 am. The 1,200-man Austrian advance guard, under Colonel ( Oberst ) Johann Maria Philipp Frimont and a division of 3,300 men under FML O'Reilly, pushed the French outposts back and deployed to become the Austrian right wing, driving the enemy from Pedrabona farm, then heading south to tackle
1045-404: A pyramid on the site of the battle. On 5 May 1805, a ceremony took place on the field of Marengo. Napoleon, together with Empress Joséphine seated on a throne placed under a tent, oversaw a military parade. Then, Chasseloup gave Napoleon the founding stone, on which was inscribed: "Napoleon, Emperor of the French and King of Italy, to the manes of the defenders of the fatherland who perished on
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#17328021162471140-475: A simpler uniform, with a leather helmet and smaller-caliber muskets , was introduced, little had reached the field armies by 1800. Efforts were made to standardize equipment, but many units used a variety of musket and saber patterns. Melas split his army into three corps facing the Bormida, in front of Alessandria. In the north Ott commanded Friedrich Heinrich von Gottesheim 's advance guard plus Joseph von Schellenberg and Ludwig von Vogelsang 's divisions. In
1235-447: A small road junction north of Cascina Grossa (3 km west of San Giuliano). Shortly before 5:00 pm, he reported to Bonaparte in person with the news that his force (6,000 men and 9 guns of Boudet's division) was not far behind. The story goes that, asked by Bonaparte what he thought of the situation, Desaix replied: "This battle is completely lost. However, there is time to win another." The French were fast to bring up and deploy
1330-465: A third of his men due to sickness and desertion. Davout went very far in humiliating the 33rd regiment, which was no exception. He defeated the Russians at Mohilev before he joined the main army at Smolensk , with which he continued throughout the campaign. During the retreat from Moscow he conducted the rear guard, which was deemed too slow by the emperor, and was replaced by Marshal Michel Ney in
1425-459: A wife and children; he thought that all was lost; he wanted to keep what he had got, " while on another occasion he remarked that, "I thought that Davout loved me, but he loved only France." Subsequently, Davout retired with the army beyond the Loire and made his submission to the restored Bourbon monarchy on 14 July, and within a few days gave up his command to Marshal Jacques MacDonald . Upon
1520-528: Is known that Desaix's arrival, while definitely expected, was not certain before the retreat. The bulletin explains that Desaix's forces were waiting in reserve with artillery pieces, which in reality was false, because they arrived late in the battle. Several participants to the fighting reveal the precarious condition of the army throughout the day, including Marmont in his Memoirs, Captain Coignet: "We were retreating in good order but all ready to start running at
1615-465: Is located in Via della Barbotta, Spinetta Marengo, Alessandria. This is the place where most of the fights between the French and Austrian armies took place. It is a part of Villa Delavo, with the park of the museum surrounding the village of Marengo. Napoleon sought to ensure that his victory would not be forgotten, so, besides the propaganda campaign, he entrusted General Chasseloup with the construction of
1710-665: The Battle of Auerstädt against the main Prussian Army, under the Duke of Brunswick , which had more than twice as many soldiers at its disposal (more than 63,000, to Davout's 28,000). His actions in this battle earned him the nickname 'Iron Marshal'. Napoleon after hearing reports about the alleged battle would mock Davout, telling his aide-de-camp “your Marshal must’ve been seeing double”, mocking Davout’s spectacle wearing. Historian François-Guy Hourtoulle writes: "At Jena, Napoleon won
1805-476: The Battle of Marengo , where his friend Desaix was killed while making a decisive contribution to the victory. Napoleon, who had great confidence in his abilities, finally promoted him to general of division and arranged his marriage to his sister Pauline's sister-in-law Aimée Leclerc, thus making him part of Napoleon's extended family, and gave him a command in the grenadiers of the Consular Guard . At
1900-579: The Battle of Vyazma . His inability to hold out against Mikhail Miloradovich in the Battle of Krasnoi , threatened his forces with destruction, until the arrival of the Old Guard led by Édouard Mortier . Davout managed to successfully cross the Losvinka brook, albeit at the cost of his rearguard's sacrifice. Davout's jammed carriages, fell into the hands of the Cossacks. Among the booty captured by
1995-747: The III Corps of the Grande Armée , Davout rendered his greatest services. At the Battle of Austerlitz , following a forced march of 48 hours to fall on the left flank of the Russian army , the III Corps bore the brunt of the allies' attack. In the subsequent War of the Fourth Coalition , Davout, with a single corps, with the intention to fall on the Prussian left wing, fought and won
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#17328021162472090-565: The War of the Fifth Coalition in 1809, Davout took part in the Battle of Eckmühl , and also distinguished himself in the Battle of Wagram , where he commanded the right wing. He was later made Prince of Eckmühl following the campaign. In 1810 Davout travelled to Compiègne with Napoleon to collect the 18-year-old bride Marie-Louise of Austria . In 1810 he was sent to Hamburg when Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte left for Sweden; Davout
2185-671: The first restoration of the Bourbon monarchy , he retired into private life, openly displaying his hostility to the Bourbons , and when Napoleon returned from Elba, Davout rejoined him. Appointed Minister of War, he reorganized the French Army insofar as time permitted, and he was so indispensable to the war department that Napoleon kept him in Paris during the Waterloo campaign . To what degree his skill and bravery would have altered
2280-422: The 6 Légère (6th Light Infantry Regiment) occupied Castel Ceriolo to the north, but soon Ott's lead units took it around 11:30 am and began putting pressure on the French right flank. Ott could not see any sign of the expected main French advance from Sale (to the northeast), so he sent GM Friedrich Heinrich von Gottesheim ’s reinforced advance guard to outflank Lannes north of Marengo. By 11 am Bonaparte
2375-450: The Austrian activity was not a diversionary attack to cover the anticipated retreat by Melas. His subordinates had brought their troops up in support of Victor's corps. Lannes's corps had deployed on the crucial right flank. GM Friedrich Joseph Anton von Bellegarde ’s part of Kaim's division had crossed the Fontanone north of Marengo and occupied La Barbotta farm. Lannes directed Watrin's infantry to drive Bellegarde back. They briefly crossed
2470-465: The Austrian pursuit into disordered flight back into Alessandria, with about 14,000 killed, wounded or captured. The French casualties were considerably fewer but included Desaix. The whole French line chased after the Austrians to seal une victoire politique (a political victory) that secured Bonaparte's grip on power after the coup. It would be followed by a propaganda campaign that sought to rewrite
2565-505: The Austrians formed a column to follow them, as Ott also advanced in the northern sector. Desaix's arrival at around 5:30 pm stabilized the French position, as the 9th Light Infantry Regiment delayed the Austrian advance down the main road and the rest of the army reformed north of Cascina Grossa. As the pursuing Austrian troops arrived, a mix of musketry and artillery fire concealed the surprise attack of Général de Brigade (GdB) François Étienne de Kellermann ’s cavalry, which threw
2660-446: The Austrians from responding to his offensive. However, Genoa surrendered on 4 June, freeing a large number of Austrians for operations against the French. On 9 June Gen. Jean Lannes beat Feldmarschallleutnant Peter Ott in the Battle of Montebello . This caused Bonaparte to become overconfident. He became convinced that Melas would not attack and, further, that the Austrians were about to retreat. As other French forces closed from
2755-484: The Austrians, forcing Napoleon's men into a general retreat. As Austrian troops crossed the Fontanone, their guns bombarded the French infantry in the vines. In a bid to further delay Schellenberg's advance, Bonaparte committed his main Guard battalion and its artillery, which moved to flank the column. After driving off Austrian dragoons with the aid of GdB Champeaux's remaining cavalry (under Joachim Murat ), they engaged
2850-438: The Bormida bridge to block the corps of General Louis Gabriel Suchet , which was mistakenly reported around 9 am from Acqui Terme to be approaching Alessandria from the south. Besides delaying the crossing of the Austrian left wing, this also meant that, being 30 kilometers away, Nimptsch's brigade would play no part in the battle. It took Bonaparte (5 kilometers away from Marengo) until about 10 am to recognize that
2945-577: The Emperor in the Battle of Austerlitz , Battle of Jena-Auerstedt , Battle of Wagram , and Battle of Waterloo . After Napoleon's fall, Marengo County , Alabama, first settled by Napoleonic refugees with their Vine and Olive Colony , was named in honour of this battle. Since then, numerous settlements were named Marengo in Canada and the United States (see places named Marengo ). Presently,
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3040-437: The Fontanone before Austrian reserve guns drove the French back. Kellermann's heavy cavalry brigade and the 8th Dragoons took up a covering position on the left, smashing an attempt by GM Giovanni Pilatti's light dragoon brigade which attempted to cross the steep-sided Fontanone at its southern end to envelop Victor's flank. On the right, GdB Pierre Champeaux was killed trying to stop the progress of Ott's column. A small part of
3135-431: The Fontanone stream near Marengo village were repelled, and General Jean Lannes reinforced the French right. Bonaparte realized the true position and issued orders at 11:00 am to recall the detachment under Général de Division (GdD) Louis Desaix while he moved his reserve forward. On the Austrian left, Ott's column had taken Castel Ceriolo, and its advance guard moved south to attack Lannes' flank. Melas renewed
3230-409: The Fontanone stream. Austrian headquarters debated building a bridge to the north to outflank the French, but the lack of pontoons and time forced the Austrians to cross the river Bormida and then launch a single, direct assault across the Fontanone bridge. The battle took place to the east of Alessandria, on a plain crossed by a river forming meanders, the Bormida, over which the Austrians installed
3325-420: The French at La Stortiglione farm. The Austrian centre (about 18,000 under Melas) advanced towards Marengo until halted by GdD Gardanne's French infantry deployed in front of the Fontanone stream. On the Austrian left, 7,500 men under FML Peter Ott waited for the road to clear before heading for the village of Castel Ceriolo well to the north of the French positions. This move threatened either an envelopment of
3420-423: The French right, or a further advance to cut the French line of communication with Milan. Gardanne's men gave a good account of themselves, holding up the Austrian deployment for a considerable time. When Gardanne's division was exhausted, Victor pulled it back behind the Fontanone and committed his second division under GdD Chambarlhac (this officer soon lost his nerve and fled). The French held Marengo village and
3515-407: The Guard, which formed the reserve. Victor was the one who would bear the brunt of the Austrian attack. The Austrian troops advanced from Alessandria eastwards across the river Bormida by two bridges debouching in a narrow bend of the river (the river being not easily crossed elsewhere). Poor Austrian staff work prevented any rapid development of their attack and the entire army had to file through
3610-510: The Russians in March 1813.) He defended the poorly fortified and provisioned city, through the long Siege of Hamburg , only surrendering on direct order by King Louis XVIII , who had come to the throne after Napoleon's abdication in April 1814. The French restored their authority with many reprisals among the population. During the siege, he expelled up to 25,000 of Hamburg's poorest citizens out of
3705-521: The Russians were Davout's war chest, a plethora of maps of the Middle East, Central Asia and India, and Davout's Marshal baton . The loss of his baton led him into disgrace and he would not meet with the emperor again until his return from Elba . In April 1813, on his return from Russia with 4,000, the remains of 70,000 men, Davout commanded the military district of Hamburg and Dirk van Hogendorp left. (The French had initially been driven out by
3800-485: The alternative would have meant that the army would have had to retreat along the river Po and leave Piedmont to the enemy without a fight. Nonetheless, by abandoning the San Giuliano plain, where the superior Austrian cavalry could have given him an edge, Melas probably made a serious mistake. Bonaparte knew that Ott had no way out from Alessandria, but he had no idea of Melas' position. Following his meeting with
3895-522: The army was in Piedmont and the neighbouring Po valley; only a few units were moved to winter quarters in better-supplied areas. Long distances from the home bases, from which the regiments drew reinforcements, meant that troop transports had to endure miserable conditions, so only about 15% reached the field army. The army of March 1800 was scarcely larger than at the conclusion of the 1799 campaign. Equipment and uniforms were improved and updated. Although
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3990-415: The army's officer corps, notably Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte , Joachim Murat (with whom he clashed strongly during the 1812 campaign), Louis-Alexandre Berthier and Baron Thiébault (who would harshly criticize Davout in his memoirs). Perhaps his fiercest anger was directed towards Bernadotte, who he perceived to have failed to come to his aid at Auerstadt, though close enough to observe the smoke and hear
4085-488: The ascension of Napoleon as emperor in 1804, Davout was named as one of the original 18 Marshals of the Empire . Davout was the youngest and least experienced of the generals promoted to marshal, which earned him the hostility of other generals throughout his career. On 18 June 1805 he was present at the Battle of Blanc-Nez and Gris-Nez after joining a Batavian flotilla , headed for Boulogne, as an observer. As commander of
4180-461: The attack. Faced with a crisis, Napoleon sent Desaix forward again and ordered a cavalry charge requested by Desaix. The 9 Légère halted to face the main Austrian advance and Marmont's guns blasted the Austrians with grapeshot at close range. Further back, an Austrian ammunition limber exploded. In the temporary heightening of confusion, Lattermann's formation was charged on its left flank by Kellermann's heavy cavalry (ca. 400 men) and disintegrated. At
4275-516: The balance in our favour." However, in the Bulletin de l'armée issued the following day, Napoleon sought to counterbalance Kellermann's charge with Jean-Baptiste Bessières 's: "The chef de brigade Bessières, in front of the reckless grenadiers of the guard, executed a charge with as much activity as valour and penetrated the line of the enemy cavalry; this resulted in the entire rout of the army." Another piece of work which attempted to justify
4370-561: The best relations with Michel Ney, Nicolas Charles Oudinot and Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr . His best friend was possibly Charles-Étienne Gudin de La Sablonnière , one of his subordinates, who was killed in battle in 1812. Davout was also noted for his loyalty to his long-time second wife Louise Aimée Julie Davout ( née Leclerc, sister of Charles Leclerc and sister-in-law of Pauline Bonaparte ) ( Pontoise , 19 June 1782 – Paris, 17 December 1868), whom he married in 1801 and who remained with him until his death. Their marriage
4465-465: The cannon fire. His anger was so intense that Davout requested to settle the matter with a personal duel, averted only by Napoléon's personal intervention. Bernadotte was eventually sent back to Paris in disgrace after being caught by Napoleon retreating without orders at the battle of Wagram. Bernadotte then caught the eye of the Swedish ambassador, looking for a well-connected French officer to take on
4560-477: The city into the cold winter, many of whom perished of cold and starvation. Between 1806 and 1814, when the French occupation came to an end by Davout's surrender, the population decreased by nearly one-half, to 55,000. Davout's military character has been interpreted as cruel and he had to defend himself against many attacks upon his conduct at Hamburg. He was a stern disciplinarian, who exacted rigid and precise obedience from his troops, and consequently his corps
4655-535: The core of Bonaparte's reserve was 30,000 men, mostly from the Batavian Republic , who had been used under Guillaume Marie Anne Brune to crush the rebellion in the Vendée . Additional veteran troops came from the remains of the former Army of England . The new military doctrine emphasised the offensive, mobility and the bayonet over linear firepower. In front of the Austrian army were stationed, in and to
4750-454: The day of Marengo." This pyramid was actually part of a very ambitious project meant to glorify Bonaparte's conquests in Italy. The field of Marengo was supposed to become the site of a "city of Victories" whose boulevards, named after Italian battles, would converge to the pyramid. In the event, the project was abandoned in 1815 and the stones recovered by the peasants. The column erected in 1801
4845-479: The decisive moment of the battle, Desaix was shot from his horse. Zach and at least 2,000 of his men were taken prisoners. Murat and Kellermann immediately pounced on the supporting Liechtenstein Dragoons who were too slow to respond and routed them as well. The fleeing Austrian horsemen crashed into the ranks of Pilatti's rattled troopers and carried them away. As the mob of terrified cavalry stampeded past them,
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#17328021162474940-528: The earliest sign of danger", Captain Gervais: "In this battle, we were many times on the verge of being defeated. The enemy cavalry, on a terrain favourable to this arm, charged us repeatedly. We were often obliged to concentrate and even to retreat", and General Thévenet: "There is no doubt that a part of the French army was repelled up to the Scrivia ". The Museum of Marengo "Museo della Battaglia di Marengo"
5035-472: The east. This headquarters, nowadays visitable, is situated in the street: "Strada Comunale Cerca" coordinates N44°53'37.01 E 8°48'14.12 The 30,000 Austrians and their 100 guns were initially opposed by 22,000 French and their 15 guns. Meanwhile, after the arrival of Desaix, 6,000 men would reinforce Bonaparte's army. The 1799 campaign had exhausted the Austrian army in Italy, casualties and disease reducing some regiments to 300 men. The largest component of
5130-579: The end of the day, the French overcame General Michael von Melas ' surprise attack, drove the Austrians out of Italy and consolidated Bonaparte's political position in Paris as First Consul of France in the wake of his coup d'état the previous November. Surprised by the Austrian advance toward Genoa in mid-April 1800, Bonaparte hastily led his army over the Alps in mid-May and reached Milan on 2 June. After cutting Melas's line of communications by crossing
5225-402: The exhausted Austrian infantry of the main body lost heart, provoking a wild rush to the rear. The gun teams fled, pursued by French cavalry, while their whole infantry line advanced westward. The second grenadier brigade under GM Karl Philippi von Weidenfeld and some unpanicked cavalry delayed Boudet's advance long enough for O’Reilly's cavalry to return, and together with Frimont, they mounted
5320-493: The following honours and awards: Davout was known as a methodical person in both military and personal affairs. Within the army and among his social peers, he was often considered cold and distant; while respected, he was not well-liked. During times of peace, he preferred to spend time with his family and care for his home, rather than cultivate his high social standing. Because of his stubborn personality and limited social skills, he developed many enemies and antagonists within
5415-424: The forces they had committed. The Austrians had lost heavily in the 12 hours of fighting: 15 colours, 40 guns, almost 8,000 taken prisoner, and 6,500 dead or wounded. French casualties (killed and wounded) were on the order of 4,700 and 900 missing or captured, but they retained the battlefield and the strategic initiative. Desaix's body was found among the slain. Bonaparte needed to depart for Paris urgently and
5510-403: The fortunes of the campaign of 1815 can only be surmised, but Napoleon has been criticized for his failure to avail himself in the field of the services of the best general he then possessed. Davout directed the gallant, but hopeless, defense of Paris after the Battle of Waterloo . He received the command of the army assembled under the walls of Paris, and would have fought, had he not received
5605-478: The fresh troops in front of San Giuliano, and the Austrians were slow to mount their attack. Boudet and the 9 Légère ( 9th Light Infantry Regiment ) were quickly moved on to the exit from the main vine belt, where they surprised the head of Saint-Julien's column. As the Austrian infantry deployed on the south side of the road, the 9 Légère conducted a steady withdrawal for 30 minutes back to Desaix's position. There he had placed GdB Louis Charles de Guénand's brigade on
5700-506: The head of the column. After a 15-minute firefight around 4:00 pm the Guard were surprised and destroyed by Frimont's cavalry. The French fell back c. 3 km and attempted to regroup to hold the village of San Giuliano. With the French outnumbered and driven from their best defensive position, the battle was as good as won by the Austrians. Melas, who was slightly wounded, and 71, handed over command to his chief of staff, General Anton von Zach , and Kaim. The Austrian centre formed into
5795-495: The line of the Fontanone until about noon, with both flanks in the air. First, at 8 am, Melas hurled FML Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak 's division (four battalions) at Victor's defenses, supported by Frimont's advance guard battery along the stream. Forced into a funnel by the bad ground and Fontanone stream, Hadik's attack came under fire from two sides and failed, with Hadik being killed. The Austrian commander then committed FML Konrad Valentin von Kaim 's division but this attack
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#17328021162475890-560: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iron_Marshal&oldid=1245053243 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Louis-Nicolas Davout Louis-Nicolas d'Avout ( French pronunciation: [lwi nikɔla davu] ; 10 May 1770 – 1 June 1823), better known as Davout , 1st Prince of Eckmühl , 1st Duke of Auerstaedt ,
5985-586: The main assault, and the Austrians broke the central French position. By 2:30 pm, the French were withdrawing, and Austrian dragoons seized the Marengo farm. Bonaparte had by then arrived with the reserve, but Berthier's troops began to fall back on the main vine belts. Knowing that Desaix was approaching, Bonaparte was anxious about a column of Ott's soldiers marching from the north and so he deployed his Consular Guard infantry to delay it. The French then withdrew steadily eastward toward San Giuliano Vecchio as
6080-406: The move. The Marengo farm garrison was abandoned and at around 2:30 pm Melas led two cavalry squadrons to capture them. At about 2:00 pm the French attacked Castel Ceriolo and delayed the advance of Schellenberg's column by attacking its tail. Aided by Frimont, Ott defeated Monnier and forced two-thirds of his command to retreat to the northeast. About the same time, Marengo had fallen to
6175-601: The name of her father to be given to a lighthouse. In 1897, the Phare d'Eckmühl was opened on the headland of Penmarc'h in Brittany. Battle of Marengo Originally: 22,000 men, 15 cannon The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria , in Piedmont , Italy . Near
6270-510: The next morning sent Berthier on a surprise visit to Austrian headquarters. Within 24 hours of the battle, Melas entered into negotiations (the Convention of Alessandria ) which led to the Austrians evacuating northwestern Italy west of the Ticino , and suspending military operations in Italy. Bonaparte's position as First Consul was strengthened by the successful outcome of the battle and
6365-536: The north side while most of the remaining French army (Monnier and Lannes) were forming up north from there. The Austrians deployed three artillery batteries on the north side of the road supported by a dragoon regiment. GdB Auguste de Marmont massed the remaining French cannon against the Austrians as they advanced. Boudet's division advanced in line of brigades against the head of the Austrian column, defeating Saint-Julien's leading Austrian brigade. Zach brought forward GM Lattermann's grenadier brigade in line and renewed
6460-540: The order of the provisional government to negotiate with the enemy. On 24 June 1815, Davout was sent by Joseph Fouché , the president of the provisional government, to the dethroned emperor at the Élysée Palace with a request to quit Paris, where his continued presence could lead to trouble and public danger. Napoleon received him coldly but left Paris the next day and resided at Château de Malmaison until 29 June when he departed for Rochfort. In later years, Napoleon said of Davout bitterly that "he betrayed me too. He has
6555-519: The passes were open, Bonaparte (who crossed on a mule) had threatened Melas' lines of communications in northern Italy. The French army then seized Milan on 2 June, followed by Pavia , Piacenza and Stradella, Lombardy , cutting the main Austrian supply route eastward along the south bank of the Po . Bonaparte hoped that Melas' preoccupation with the Siege of Genoa , held by Gen. André Masséna , would prevent
6650-471: The preceding campaign. After this victory, Napoleon could breathe a sigh of relief. The generals who had been hostile to him could see that his luck had not abandoned him. Thus, he had surpassed Schérer , Joubert , Championnet , and even Moreau , none of whom having been able to inflict a decisive blow on the Coalition. Moreau's victory at Hohenlinden , which was the one that in reality had put an end to
6745-443: The rear, north of Piacenza , Jean Thomas Guillaume Lorge 's division. Bonaparte's view was confirmed when Gen. Claude Victor-Perrin , supported by Divisional General Joachim Murat ’s cavalry, swiftly evicted FML Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough ’s Austrian brigade from Marengo village that afternoon. Victor then deployed divisional generals Gaspard Amédée Gardanne and Jacques-Antoine de Chambarlhac de Laubespin 's divisions along
6840-440: The remaining troops marching up from Genoa. The spy would advise Bonaparte to march via Sale on the northern side of the plain, so that he could be engaged by the Austrian left wing; meanwhile the main force would move through Marengo village in the centre, turn north and fall into the French left flank. Ott arrived from Montebello of 13 June in a war council. The senior generals of the Austrian army strongly approved this plan, as
6935-416: The retreat maneuver and to present it as a highly strategic calculation was Berthier's Relation de la bataille de Marengo , published in 1804. Berthier suggests that time had to be given to Desaix and Boudet's division to occupy their positions: "The enemy general misinterpreted this maneuver and thought the army was in full retreat, while in reality it was only executing a movement of conversion." However, it
7030-583: The river Po and defeating Feldmarschallleutnant (FML) Peter Karl Ott von Bátorkéz at Montebello on 9 June, the French closed in on the Austrian Army, which had massed in Alessandria . Deceived by a local double agent , Bonaparte dispatched large forces to the north and the south, but the Austrians launched a surprise attack on 14 June against the main French army, under General Louis Alexandre Berthier . Initially, their two assaults across
7125-494: The role of heir to the Swedish throne. When Sweden threw in her lot against Napoleon in the War of the Sixth Coalition , Davout personally asked to be placed opposite Bernadotte's contingent, in order to gain retribution for the latter's betrayal. But with Davout assigned to defend Hamburg (which he did, up to and beyond Napoleon's abdication), they never did face each other in battle. Of the other Marshals, Davout had
7220-532: The second restoration, Davout was deprived of his titles and was exiled to Louviers on 27 December 1815. When some of his subordinate generals were proscribed, he demanded to be held responsible for their acts, as executed under his orders, and he endeavoured to prevent the condemnation of Ney. After half a year, the hostility of the Bourbons towards Davout faded and he became reconciled to the monarchy. In 1817, his rank and titles were restored and in 1819, he became
7315-432: The south of Marengo, the corps of Victor ( Jacques-Antoine de Chambarlhac de Laubespin and Gaspard Amédée Gardanne 's divisions), supported on the left by François Étienne de Kellermann 's cavalry and, further to the northeast, by the corps of Lannes ( François Watrin 's division, Mainoni's brigade) together with two cavalry brigades. To the east of Castel Ceriolo took position Jean-Charles Monnier 's division, supported by
7410-417: The south was Feldmarschallleutnant Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough 's division. Melas himself took control of the center, with the divisions of Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak , Konrad Valentin von Kaim , Ferdinand Johann von Morzin and Anton von Elsnitz . In 1799 the 36,000 French troops in Italy were in a desperate state similar to that at the end of 1795. Supplies of all sorts were inadequate, discipline
7505-517: The spy and fearing that the Austrian general might try to escape, Bonaparte spread his army out in a wide net by sending Louis Desaix with Divisional General Jean Boudet 's division (6,000 men) south to Novi Ligure and Divisional General Jean François Cornu de La Poype (3,500 men) north on the other bank of the Po. Further north, from Vercelli to Lake Maggiore , were stationed the divisions of Antoine de Béthencourt and Joseph Chabran and, further to
7600-512: The story of the battle three times during his rule.and the song of war is the French onion song. The Battle of Marengo was the victory that sealed the success of Bonaparte's Italian campaign of 1800 and is best understood in the context of that campaign. By a daring crossing of the Alps with his Army of the Reserve (officially commanded by Louis Alexandre Berthier ) in mid-May 1800 almost before
7695-435: The village, O’Reilly had taken Stortiglione by 2:00 pm, and in the north, Ott prepared to send FML Joseph von Schellenberg ’s column to support Gottesheim. After securing the Fontanone bridge, Pilatti's cavalry crossed but were again charged and defeated by Kellermann. However, Victor could no longer hold his positions and withdrew southeast to the main vine belt ( grape vines slung among mulberry trees), Lannes mirroring
7790-527: The war, was minimised by Bonaparte who, from then on, would pose as a saviour of the fatherland, and even of the Republic. He rejected offers from Louis XVIII , who had considered the Consulate to be a mere transition toward the restoration of the king. Thanks to the victory at Marengo, Napoleon could finally set about reforming France according to his own vision . A last-gasp victory in reality, Marengo
7885-475: The west and south, the Austrian commander had withdrawn most of his troops from their positions near Nice and Genoa to Alessandria on the main Turin - Mantua road. The Austrians planned to fight their way out eastward but—using a local double agent, usually known by his cover of François Toli—attempted to deceive Bonaparte into thinking they would try to march north, cross the Po and head for Milan, joined by
7980-581: Was chef de bataillon in a volunteer corps in the campaign of 1792, and distinguished himself at the Battle of Neerwinden the following spring. He had just been promoted to general of brigade when he was removed from the active list because of his noble birth. After he divorced his wife in 1794 he served in the Rhine campaign of 1796 , and accompanied General Louis Desaix in the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte . On his return, he did not take part in
8075-624: Was a French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars . His talent for war, along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the nickname "The Iron Marshal" ( Le Maréchal de fer ). He is ranked along with Marshals André Masséna and Jean Lannes as one of Napoleon's finest commanders. His loyalty and obedience to Napoleon were absolute. During his lifetime, Davout's name
8170-517: Was also removed, only to be restored in 1922. Napoleon ordered that several ships of the French Navy be named Marengo, including Sceptre (1780) , Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1795) , Ville de Paris (1851) and Marengo (1810) . In 1802, the Marengo department was named in the honour of the battle. Furthermore, Napoleon's mount throughout the battle was named Marengo and further carried
8265-431: Was also thwarted by 11 am. Finally, as the French position was reinforced by François Étienne de Kellermann 's cavalry and Jean Lannes 's formation was on the way, FML Ferdinand Johann von Morzin 's elite grenadier division was sent in to attack Marengo village. Melas also committed a serious tactical blunder, detaching Generalmajor (GM) Nimptsch's brigade of 2,300 hussars and two artillery batteries back over
8360-539: Was breaking down, desertion was increasing and, on a few occasions, whole formations marched to the rear in search of food. The survivors would be of limited combat value. In establishing the Army of the Reserve in France, Bonaparte's first move was to overhaul the supply system to provide the troops with regular food and decent uniforms. Lacking the large superiority in infantry and artillery enjoyed in many Republican campaigns,
8455-482: Was commonly spelled Davoust - this spelling appears on the Arc de Triomphe and in much of the correspondence between Napoleon and his generals. Davout was born in the small village of Annoux , Yonne , as the eldest son of Jean-François d'Avout (1739–1779), a cavalry officer and his wife (married in 1768) Françoise-Adélaïde Minard de Velars (1741–1810). Although a member of an impoverished minor French noble family , he
8550-454: Was entrusted by Napoleon with the task of organizing the "corps of observation of the Elbe", which would become the gigantic army with which Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812. In this, he commanded the I Corps , the strongest corps, numbering over 70,000. On 1 July he left Vilnius . On the order of Napoleon Davout secretly took over the command of Jérôme Bonaparte , occupied Minsk but had lost
8645-672: Was loving and the couple seem to have been faithful to each other despite very long periods of separation. They had eight children, four of whom died in childhood: The title of duke went to the descendants of Louis-Nicolas' brother Charles Isidor (1774–1854) by his marriage in 1824 to Claire de Cheverry (1804–1895). He also had a sister Julie (1771–1846), married in 1801 to Marc-Antoine Bonnin de La Bonninière, 1st Count de Beaumont (1763–1830) , and another brother, Alexandre-Louis-Edme, 1st Baron d'Avout (1773–1820), married in 1808 to Alire Parisot (1786–1856). The youngest daughter, Adelaide-Louise, marquise de Blocqueville, left provision in her will for
8740-472: Was more trustworthy and exact in the performance of its duty than any other. For example, Davout forbade his troops from plundering enemy villages, a policy he would enforce by the use of the death penalty. Thus, in the early days of the Grande Armée , the III Corps tended to be entrusted with the most difficult work. He was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the ablest of Napoleon's marshals. Upon
8835-477: Was mythologised in an army bulletin and three increasingly glamourised "Official Reports" during Bonaparte's reign. Tales were invented about the Guard and the 72 demibrigade, which had been under his direct control throughout. General François Kellermann distinguished himself at Marengo. Melas, trapped in Alessandria with his hopes of breaking through to the east shattered, sent the same evening to Vienna
8930-418: Was on the battlefield. He sent urgent recalls to his recently detached forces and summoned up his last reserves. As they came up, GdD Jean-Charles Monnier 's division and the Consular Guard were committed to extend and shore up the French right, rather than to try to hold Marengo where Victor's men were running short of ammunition. Toward 12:30 pm Lannes moved the rest of his force to face Gottesheim in
9025-595: Was still educated in the nearby Brienne-le-Chateau , which had a military academy also attended by Napoleon, before also transferring to the École Militaire in Paris on 29 September 1785. He graduated on 19 February 1788 and was appointed a sous-lieutenant in the Royal-Champagne Cavalry Regiment in garrison at Hesdin ( Pas-de-Calais ). On the outbreak of the French Revolution , Davout embraced its principles. He
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