Battle of Dego 11 April 1796


Bonaparte heard the thudding of the guns around midday. He shifted in his saddle and cursed. No point in spurring on his horse, they were going as quickly as they could given the distance they had to cover, but at this rate they wouldn't reach Dego by nightfall. Oh well, Augereau might be a little rough around the edges but the men would fight for him - he knew what made them tick..

Augereau deployed the chasseurs a pied of Beyrand's brigade in front of Victor's battalions who were intially drawn up in march columns. Victor's men were ordered to turn over all their ammunition to the chasseurs and to fix bayonets. There was some mutterings at this which Augereau quelled by pointing out that he had it on good authority that the wine cellars of Dego were full and the women comely and the misbegotten Austrians wouldn't give up either without the arme blanche being used.

The skirmish screen moved forward and Victor's men shook out into assault columns. The Austrian artillery opened up but with little effect at long range

The French, as was their wont, moved quickly, spurred on by their officers and NCOs who knew they had to close with the enemy if they were to win the day.

Menard's brigade arrived just as Augereau's men came under fire and immediately attacked Dego from the west. Again, the French sent their chasseurs in front as a skirmishing screen.

The opening exchanges generated far more noise and smoke than casualties. Meanwhile the French assault columns pressed forward.


The firefight continued. The French inflicted some disorder on the Austrians but started to lose men...


 On the eastern approach the chasseurs' fire was more effective and began to inflict casualties on the defenders.
 Victor's men wasted no time, the banners were unfurled and "La Marseillaise" could be heard across the battlefield. The assault columns charged home...
 To the west the 7th Legere DB had infiltrated through the woods and opened up on the Austrian redoubt..
 The noose was tightening around the Austrian defenders. A battalion of Grenzers fled from their trenches and ran through the streets of Dego...
By late afternoon the Austrian position had collapsed. Everywhere their men threw down their arms and pleaded for mercy. Augereau took control and, by cursing the more hotheaded of his men and striking a few with the flat of his sabre, he prevented a massacre. The French troops soon began to search the houses of Dego for wine and willing female companionship.

 Another glorious victory for the Armee de Italie! 

 Crucially the French now commanded the central position and had split the Piedmontese and the Austrians.

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