"Battle of Caldiero (1809)" " Topic

"In the Battle of Caldiero[2] or Battle of Soave or Battle of Castelcerino from 27 to 30 April 1809, an Austrian army led by Archduke John of Austria defended against a Franco-Italian army headed by Eugène de Beauharnais, the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy. The outnumbered Austrians successfully fended off the attacks of their enemies in actions at San Bonifacio, Soave, and Castelcerino before retreating to the east. The clash occurred during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars.

In the opening engagements of the war, Archduke John defeated the Franco-Italian army and drove it back to the Adige River at Verona. Forced to detach substantial forces to watch Venice and other enemy-held fortresses, John found himself facing a strongly reinforced Franco-Italian army near Verona. So embarrassed by his setbacks that he tried to minimize them in communications to his step-father Emperor Napoleon, Eugène determined to use his superior forces to drive the Austrian invaders from the Kingdom of Italy…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Any particular reason for just posting a wikipaedia page??

Why not. I hadn't heard of it before

No… Do I have to have any?…

Amicalement
Armand

Tango01

The best description I have come across, so far, which also includes two battle maps, for the actions at Soave on the 29th April and Castelcerino 30th April 1809, can be found on pages 239-245 in John Gill's 1809 Thunder on the Danube, Volume 2.

Eugene and his army didn't do too badly, going by the descriptions and if we consider they had recently lost a major battle at Sacile on the 16th April. And the actions could also be seen as part of a learning curve that led to the final defeat of the Austrians at major actions such as at the Piave and Raab in May and June the same year.

They would certainly make for some interesting wargames.

I have the book my friend… and I agree with you … (smile)

Amicalement
Armand