The 1799 Campaign in Italy: Austrian Deployment Approaching the Legnago Battle
LEFT WING Total – 27,800
(Clausewitz numbered the Austrians at 29,000, of which 4,500 were inside Porto Legnago’s walls.)
INFANTRY (29 Btns) 24,063
Jäger (2 Coys) 327
CAVALRY (16 Sqns) 2,725
Artillery 1,012
Division – GM Freiherr Michael von Fröhlich, under provisional command of
GM Franz Joseph Marquis de Lusignan
Division – FML Karl Graf von Mercantin
At Bevilacqua Camp
Kray, whose communications with Verona passed through Albaredo, received news of the French attack and, above all, of the enemy forces engaged, with a degree of nonchalance. He required the troops first had to finish their camp meal in the open fields of Bevilacqua and afterwards were they to move toward the Adige , to counterattack the French along the front-line. In the meantime an artillery duel commenced between the French batteries positioned near the bridge of Saint Peter and those of the Austrians, deployed on the other bank of the Adige . While nobody had reason to think there it could initiate a great battle, it was during just this cannonade that Chasteler de Courcelles organized three attack columns (Angriffskolonnen).
Reserve Brigade – GM Joseph Döller (div. Fröhlich) 5,466
Linked defence line: Verona – Albaredo – Legnago (with garrison)
Second Line, or line on the Adige’s left bank:
K.K. IR 13 Freiherr Franz Wenzel Reisky von Dubnitz 2,428
K.K. 7th Hussar Regiment 1,321
K.K. 10th Light Dragoon Regiment GdC Joseph Fürst Lobkowitz 1,104
Porto Legnago garrison – Cdr. Oberst Skal
K.K. IR 36 Fürst Carl Fürstenberg (3rd Bn)
K.K. IR 32 (Hungarian) Graf Samuel Gyulai (2nd Bn)
K.K. Grenadier Bn Freiherr Franz von Neny 388
K.K. Grenadiers Bn Graf Joseph Fiquelmont 754
Brigade – GM Freiherr Anton von Mittrowsky
East of Legnago
K.K. IR 24 (former Regiment von Preiss) (1st & 2nd Bns) 2,186
1st Left Attack-Column (Links Angriffskolonne) – GM Freiherr Christoph von Lattermann 6,370
Legnago – San Pietro (di Cerea)
Advance Guard Detachment – Col. Emanuel Freiherr von Schustekh (cdr, 8th Hussars Rgt.)
On March 26, 1799 , 3:00 AM , the French struck at Pastrengo, while Legnago was attacked by infantry later in the afternoon. In that day Oberst Baron von Schustekh had orders to organize a light formation with:
– 2 coys of Jäger d’Aspre
– 6 coys of the K.K. IR 28 (former Wartensleben)
– 2 squadrons of 8th Hussar Regiment
– 1 Pioneer coy.
These formed the advance guard of Fröhlich’s division. Schustekh arrived at the gates of Porto Legnago, on the Adige ’s left bank, at the 5:00 in the afternoon. He did not stop in the Citadel but passed through and immediately left the town to engage the French. He was frontally cannonaded by the French artillery and attacked in the flank by skirmishers. Otherwise he firmly gathered his troops along the road in a thick column and repulsed the enemy cavalry with bayonets. Schustekh then deployed his own cavalry in assault formation, ordering the infantry to deploy along the two lateral ditches which flanked the road and to deliver a heavy fire against the French. With this musketry support, Schustekh was able to divide the Hussars into small battle-groups, more easily manageable in a so tight road, and launched them against the enemy. With these tactics, Schustekh was able to delay battle, and the French advance, until the arrival of the main column under GM Lusignan (provisionally commanding Fröhlich’s division).
The French were repulsed largely because of the Austrian use ditches as entrenchments, losing also 8 guns, 3 howitzers, 22 powder caissons and 200 prisoners. The Hussar regiment had 2 officers killed and 3 others wounded.
[Main body:]
K.K. 8th Hussar Regiment (the future Rgt. Nauendorff) (2 sqns) 210
Pioneer Coy 100
K.K. IR 28 (future Freiherr Michael von Fröhlich) (1st Bn) 1,002
Jäger Korps Freiherr Constantin d’Aspre (2 coys) 327
Hauptgruppe Freiherr Christoph von Lattermann
K.K. IR 39 Graf Támas Nádasdy (1st & 2nd Bns) 2,100
K.K. (Hungarian) Grenadier Bn Major Joseph Korherr 779
K.K. Grenadier Bn FML Karl Graf von Mercandin 752
K.K. IR 45 Freiherr Franz von Lattermann (3rd Bn) 1,100
K.K. 10th Light Dragoon Regiment GdC Joseph Fürst Lobkowitz (2 sqns) 368
2nd Center Attack Column – Col. Carl Rüdt von Collenberg 4,000
Gallo village (not more than a farm)
K.K. IR 45 Freiherr Franz von Lattermann (1st & 2nd Bns) 2,000
K.K. IR 28 (future Freiherr Michael von Fröhlich) (2nd & 3rd Bns) 2,000
K.K. 10th Light Dragoon Regiment GdC Joseph Fürst Lobkowitz (2 sqns) 368
3rd Right Attack-Column (Rechts- Angriffskolonne) – Marquis Hannibal Sommariva 2,154
Angiari
K.K. Grenadier Bn Oblt Franz Xavier Weber von Treuenfeld (or Bn Weber) 783
K.K. IR 43 Graf Anton Thurn-Val Sassina (1st, 2nd & 3rd Bns) 2,350
K.K. IR 39 (Hungarian) Graf Támas Nádasdy (3rd Bn) 1,141
K.K. 10th Light Dragoon Regiment GdC Joseph Fürst Lobkowitz (2 sqns) 368
Independent Brigade – GM Johann Graf von Klenau und Freiherr von Janowitz
Arquà Polesine Camp; did not participate in the battle
K.K. 8th Hussar Regiment (the future Rgt. Nauendorff) (6 sqns) 1,196
K.K. 3rd Light Infantry Bn Am-Ende 766
K.K. 4th Light Infantry Bn Bach 820
4th Grenzregiment Carlstädt – Szluiner (1st Bn) 1,181
10th Banal Grenzregiment of Glina (the old 2nd Banal Bn) (1st Bn) 1,050