Mantua, Siege of

During the Siege of Mantua, which lasts from July 4, 1796 to February 2, 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besiege and blockade a large Austrian garrison at Mantua for many months until it surrenders.

This eventual surrender, together with the heavy losses incurred during four unsuccessful relief attempts, leads indirectly to the Austrians suing for peace in 1797.

The siege occurs during the War of the First Coalition, which is part of the French Revolutionary Wars.

Mantua, a city in the Lombardy region of Italy, lies on the Mincio River.

After driving the Austrian army out of northwest and north-central Italy, the French invest the fortress of Mantua starting in early June 1796.

In late July, a new Austrian commander, Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, leads an army to the relief of Josef Franz Canto d'Irles' garrison from the north.

Mantua is reached and the French are forced to abandon the siege.

However, the Austrians are subsequently beaten in the battles of Lonato and Castiglione.

Forced to retreat, Wurmser resupplies and reinforces the fortress with food and able-bodied troops.

After withdrawing north up the Adige River, Wurmser plans to move his main army through the mountains to Bassano via the Brenta valley.

From there he will mount the second relief of Mantua from the northeast.

In an exceedingly bold maneuver, Bonaparte smashes Paul Davidovich's covering force and follows Wurmser down the Brenta valley.

Overcoming the Austrian army at Bassano in early September, Bonaparte tries to destroy Wurmser but fails.

Instead he chases the bulk of the Austrian army into Mantua.

The garrison now counts thirty thousand men, but cut off from outside help, disease and starvation begin feling Wurmser's troops.

A new commander, József Alvinczi, leads the third relief of Mantua in November.

While Alvinczi marches from the northeast, Davidovich's column moves down from the north.

Alvinczi defeats Bonaparte twice and moves to the gates of Verona while Davidovich drubs his French opponent in the Adige valley.

At his last gasp, Bonaparte crosses the Adige behind Alvinczi's left flank at Arcole.

The fighting rages for three days but the French finally prevail, forcing the Austrians to pull back.

Free of Alvinczi, Bonaparte attacks Davidovich and forces his corps to retreat also.

For the fourth relief of Mantua, Alvinczi advanceshis main army from the north while sending two smaller columns to threaten the French from the northeast.

The French crush the Austrian main army at Rivoli.

Leaving two divisions to finish off Alvinczi, Bonaparte rapidly moves south and arrives near Mantua in time to destroy one of the other Austrian columns.

With no hope of further help, Wurmser surrenders Mantua in early February.

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