The Battle of Salo

Campaign Map at start of battle

Wurmster has divided his army into four columns to make it easier to cross the mountains either side of Lake Garda.   1^st division is the only one to the west of the lake.

Bonaparte wants to defeat the isolated 1^st Austrian division before it can join with the rest of Wumster’s army south of Lake Garda.

Table at start of battle

Salo is the town at the top right

Lake Garda is off table on the right

Austrians advancing from the north (top)

French advancing from the south (bottom)

5^th French division

General Sauret is an Average general

He commands 3200 infantry, 400 cavalry and 400 gunners

His infantry are better skirmishers than the Austrian

His artillery is less effective than the enemy

1^st Austrian division

General Quosdanovich is a Poor commander

He also commands 3200 infantry, 400 cavalry and 400 gunners

Half of his infantry are jagers and equal to the French at skirmishing

His artillery are all 9 pounders against the French 6 pounders.

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Both divisions start the battle of Move orders

Both deploy to fight in the narrow strip just south of Salo

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

French infantry move onto hill on the left, and Austrian infantry quickly do the same

Artillery and cavalry deploy just outside of artillery range

Infantry start to deploy behind cavalry screen

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French gunners manhandle their guns towards the enemy

Austrian cavalry withdraw out of artillery range

Austrian infantry deploy behind hill, also out of enemy artillery range

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Sauret orders his division to advance and engage the Austrians

Quosdanovich also changes his orders to engage, but remains behind hill

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Austrian artillery hit French cavalry who fail their morale and are shaken

Austrian hussars advance to engage them, but come under fire from French gunners

Austrian cavalry also take casualties, fail morale and rout

French cavalry attempt to rally at end of move, fail morale and rout

Meanwhile a skirmish action is taking place on the hill

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Both sides have now committed their infantry to fight for the hill

The leading Austrian jager brigade lose the skirmish fight to French infantry

Austrian gunners lose artillery duel and suffer light casualties

Both sides have lost their cavalry who have continued to rout

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

French infantry on the hill have routed the Austrian jagers, and shaken their supports

Quosdanovich can see that he has lost the battle and orders his division to retreat

Summary

Bonaparte has won the first battle of this second Italian campaign.

For a loss of 80 infantry and 40 cavalry he has defeated one of the three Austrian columns

Quosdanovich has lost 160 infantry, 40 cavalry and 40 gunners

We used our own wargame rules to fight the battle

They can be found here

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Campaign Move 15 – Battle of Salo

Move 15 - 0800 to 1200 26 July 1796

1^st Austrian and 5^th French divisions meet just south of Salo. 

The Austrians are marching to join the main Austrian army just south of Lake Garda.  

The French must defeat them and force them to retreat north so that they can rejoin Bonaparte south of Lake Garda to meet the rest of the Austrian army 

The French deploy between the hill and the lake and open fire on the Austrians as they march south from the town. 

The Austrians deploy cavalry and artillery south of the town, and send their infantry over the hill to outflank the French

Meanwhile the remainder of the Austrian army continue to march south.

Bonaparte has concentrated 3^rd division at Verona and 4^th division at Bonifacio to hold them until the battle of Salo is decided.   4^th division is ordered to resupply

Campaign Move 14 – First contact

Move 14 - 1600 to 2000 25 July 1796

As night falls the first contact is made at Salo.

As 5^th French division approach the town they sight 1^st Austrian division approach from the north

It is too late for either side to take any action other than to deploy to fight next day

Meanwhile the remainder of the Austrian army continue to march south

Bonaparte has now concentrated 3^rd and 4^th divisions at Verona

Campaign Move 13 – Bonaparte reacts

Move 13 - 1200 to 1600 25 July 1796

5th French division moves north towards Salo with the intention of engaging 1^st Austrian division.

4^th French division moves north towards San Bonifacio to join forces with 3^rd divison

Together they will hold the main Austrian advance on Mantua

Campaign Move 12 – Wurmsters First Advance

Move 12 - 0800 to 1200 25 July 1796

All divisions start the campaign with sufficient supplies for 6 moves (two days). 

When they are reduced to 3 moves (one day) they can resupply

To do so they must halt, and avoid contact with the enemy, for one day

Bonaparte is aware that Wurmster has reorganised the Army of Italy at Trent in order to raise the siege of Mantua.

He now receives reports that the Austrians are advancing south in four columns

He decides to cover Mantua by holding Verona, and strike at the western Austrian column

He orders 3^rd and 4^th divisions to concentrate at Verona

5^th division will march north and attack the Austrians at Salo

6^th division will maintain the siege of Mantua