Battle of Sacile

The Bataille of Sacile took place the April 16th 1809, between the 40.000 Autrichiens under the orders of the Archiduc Jean, and the 36.000 French and Italian ordered by Eugene de Beauharnais, viceroy of Italy. After hard combat, an Austrian movement on the side of the Franco-Italian armies forced Eugene with the retirement, the victory thus being allocated to the Austrians. The losses were about equivalent in each camp

Unfolding

In April 1809, the prince Eugene de Beauharnais, viceroy of Italy, in front of the threat which constitutes the troops of Archiduc Jean of Austria, positions its troops in the Friuli and Venezia. The 3rd division, carried out by the General Grenier is based in particular in Sacile.

Austria declares the war in Italy the April 9th.

In front of the fast Austrian advance, the Franco-Italian troops are folded up behind the river Tagliamento, then behind the Livenza. The April 14th, the prince Eugene de Beauharnais organizes defense on this line and inspects in particular Sacile, where it decides to make build new bridges by the 102e regiment of infantry, to facilitate the counter-attack.

The April 16th, Eugene de Beauharnais, order against the opinion of its staff to hold Sacile, although in numerical inferiority (36 000 Austrian men against 40.000 ). Combat of delayed-action of the enemy advance, with Pordenone, Ospedaletto are as many French sacrifices.

All the morning, the 102e regiment will have to fight more than five hours, around the bridge of Sacile, without support of its cavalry previously decimated, and against that of the archduke, which moreover is supported by some pieces of artillery. Finally, the troops release foot and a retirement in disorder with place, direction of the Piave, reached the April 19th and the Adige, the April 27th, where they reorganize.

Consequences

The assessment of the battle of Sacile of 3.000 died and 3.500 wounded. 15 lost guns. Almost as much, with dimensions Austrian 3.600 died or wounded and 500 prisoners.

The archduke, makes the tactical error then not to exploit this advantage, because time is particularly bad. It decides to blow a few days.

Napoleon will be put at the current of the real situation only the 30, but meanwhile, Eugene de Beauharnais, which is proud and does not want to leave the command to Murat, will make pretense not have received the order sent by the emperor, and will have already launched an effective counter-attack the April 28th on the 30.000 men of the avant-garde of the archduke.

Having restored the situation and with the assistance of Macdonald, sent in reinforcement, it will be able to reorganize its army, to push back the Austrians, to take them out of clippers with the army of Germany, until the decisive victory of Wagram.

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