Lonato, Battle of

The Battle of Lonato is fought on August 3 and 4, 1796 between the French Army of Italy under General Napoleon Bonaparte and a corps-sized Austrian column led by Lieutenant General Peter Quasdanovich.

A week of hard-fought actions that began on 29 July and ends on 4 August results in the retreat of Quasdanovich's badly mauled force.

The elimination of Quasdanovich's threat allows Bonaparte to concentrate against and defeat the main Austrian army at the Battle of Castiglione on August 5.

Lonato del Garda is located near the SP 668 highway and the Brescia-Padua section of Autostrada A4 to the southwest of Lake Garda.

On 29 July, the Austrians advance out of the Alps to capture the towns of Gavardo and Salò on the west side of Lake Garda.

The Austrians follow up this success by surprising and seizing the French base at Brescia on July 30.

An Austrian brigade captures Lonato del Garda on the 31st but is ejected from the town by a French counterattack after tough fighting.

Also on the 31st, a French division briefly recaptures Salò, rescues a small band of compatriots, and falls back.

This series of combats and other battles east of Lake Garda compels Bonaparte to raise the Siege of Mantua.

Leaving only one division to observe the main Austrian army to the east, Bonaparte assembles overwhelming force and recaptures Brescia on August 1.

Quasdanovich regroups around Gavardo on August 2, while ordering an attack by several columns for the next day.

On August 3, one of the Austrian columns defeats a French brigade and captures Lonato for the second time.

However, the French also attack that day, capturing Salò and nearly taking Gavardo.

With most of the Austrian forces placed on the defensive, Bonaparte masses against the solitary brigade in Lonato and crushes it.

This disaster causes Quasdanovich to order a retreat on August 4.

In a final calamity, one withdrawing Austrian column is cut off and captured.

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