Italian Campaign (French Revolutionary Wars)

From 15 to 17 November 1796, near the bridge of Arcole on the Alpone in Venetia, Bonaparte halted the third Austrian attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua. After setbacks at Bassano and Caldiero, General Alvinczy concentrated about 28,000 men; Bonaparte, with Masséna and Augereau, launched repeated assaults on the bridge and causeway. Legend holds that the commander-in-chief seized a flag to rally the troops; French victory forced Alvinczy to withdraw beyond the Brenta.

On 8 September 1796, at Bassano del Grappa, Bonaparte defeated Wurmser and forced a disorderly retreat eastward, abandoning artillery, baggage, and supplies.

At Caldiero, during the Italian campaign, Bonaparte's French attacked Alvinczy's Austrian positions as he made a third attempt to relieve Mantua; repulsed by enemy reinforcements, they fell back toward Verona before the decisive Battle of Arcole.

On 5 August 1796, at Castiglione delle Stiviere, Napoleon Bonaparte and his generals Masséna and Augereau defeated the Austrian columns of Quasdanovich and Wurmser attempting to relieve besieged Mantua; victory at Monte Medolano, key to the maneuver, neutralized this relief offensive.

On 14-15 April 1796, near Dego in Liguria, Bonaparte and Masséna took the Austro-Sardinian position controlling the enemy armies' junction route, then repulsed Colonel Vukasovich's surprise counter-attack the following day.

On 10 May 1796 at Lodi on the Adda, Bonaparte forced the bridge held by General Sebottendorf's Austrian rearguard. French artillery covered the assault of grenadiers and carabiniers who charged despite the hail of fire; Masséna, Lannes, and Berthier coordinated the breakthrough. This victory opened the road to Milan, capital of Lombardy, and in revolutionary memory marked the moment soldiers nicknamed Bonaparte 'the little corporal.'

On 13–14 April 1796, near Millesimo in Liguria, General Augereau won a victory over the Sardinians under General Provera, following the Battle of Montenotte. Provera, entrenched in Cosseria castle, resisted French assaults before capitulating on 14 April; the French suffered around 600 dead or wounded and took 1,134 prisoners.

On 21 April 1796, at Mondovì in Piedmont, Bonaparte defeated General Colli's Sardinian troops. The town surrendered around 6 p.m. after an hour's bombardment; the armistice of Cherasco was signed on 28 April, forcing the Kingdom of Sardinia to negotiate.

On 11 April 1796 at Montenotte in Liguria, Bonaparte won his first victory as commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy by defeating Austrian General Argenteau. This battle opened the lightning Italian campaign that would make Bonaparte's glory: within weeks he drove Austrians from Lombardy and directly threatened Austria from the south.

On 14–15 January 1797 at Rivoli Veronese in Venetia, Bonaparte won a decisive victory over Alvinczy's Austrian army, ending the fourth and final attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua. About 22,000 French faced 28,000 Austrians on a steep plateau; Joubert opened battle at dawn, Masséna arrived after a forced march, and Bonaparte committed reserves to envelop the Austrian wing.