Third Battle of Novi (1799)

Third Battle of Novi (1799)
Part of the War of the Second Coalition

Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr
Date6 November 1799
Location44°45′42″N 08°47′26″E / 44.76167°N 8.79056°E / 44.76167; 8.79056
Result French victory
Belligerents
France Republican France Holy Roman Empire Habsburg Austria
Commanders and leaders
France Laurent Saint-Cyr Holy Roman Empire Paul Kray
Strength
11,000[1] 12,000[1]
Casualties and losses
400[1] 1,000, 5 guns[1]
Third Battle of Novi (1799) is located in Northern Italy
Third Battle of Novi (1799)
Location within Northern Italy
Third Battle of Novi (1799) is located in Europe
Third Battle of Novi (1799)
Third Battle of Novi (1799) (Europe)

The Third Battle of Novi (6 November 1799) saw a French Republican corps commanded by Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr defend itself against an attack by a Habsburg Austrian corps led by Paul Kray during the War of the Second Coalition. Saint-Cyr led the right wing of the French Army of Italy which defended Genoa. Saint-Cyr advanced his troops into the lowlands but withdrew into the hills near Novi when Kray appeared with a superior force. Saint-Cyr did not have enough horses to move his artillery, so he tried to lure his Austrian opponents into attacking his four hidden guns. Finally, Kray advanced and fell into the trap; the French guns opened fire and Saint-Cyr's men counterattacked, inflicting serious losses. Wisely, Saint-Cyr did not follow his retreating foes into the plain where the Austrian artillery and cavalry waited.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Smith 1998, p. 173.
  2. ^ Phipps 2011, pp. 339–340.

References

  • Dodge, Theodore Ayrault (2011). Warfare in the Age of Napoleon: The Egyptian and Syrian Campaigns & the Wars of the Second and Third Coalitions, 1798-1805. Vol. 2. Leonaur Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85706-600-8.
  • Phipps, Ramsay Weston (2011) [1939]. The Armies of the First French Republic and the Rise of the Marshals of Napoleon I: The Armies of the Rhine in Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Egypt, and the Coup d'Etat of Brumaire (1797-1799). Vol. 5. Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-908692-28-3.
  • Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.