Historical Note
The second battle of Castiglione (Solferino) was fought on 5 August 1796, between the forces of Bonaparte with 24,000 infantry and 2,400 cavalry and Wurmser with 14,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. Wurmser holding a strong position was trying to stop the French from advancing to Mantua and buy time to replenish their exhausted supplies. Bonaparte was determined to destroy this Austrian force. He had Augereau and Massena occupy the Austrians from the front while Fiorella attacked them from the rear. Once Wurmser realized he was outnumbered and outflanked he ordered a withdrawal.
Briefings and Orders of Battle
Field Marshal Count Dagobert Sigismond de Wurmser :
General order of the day issued at 6:00am August 5, 1796: "Today we will stop the French advance on Mantua."
General Baron Paul Davidovich : You are in command of the center and right wing. Your troops will defend
their present positions as per my deployment. Schubirz's troops can be redeployed but must
stay in that area and protect the right wing of the army. Colonel Weidenfeld will be arriving
this afternoon from Peschiera to support you.
General-Major Baron Carl Philipp Sebottendorf : You are in command of the left wing. Your troops will defend
their present positions as per my deployment.
For a detailed Austrian Order of Battle click HERE.
General-in-Chief of the Army of Italy : Général Napoleon Bonaparte :
General order of the day issued by the commanding General Bonaparte at 6:00am August 5, 1796:
"Today we will attack and defeat the Austrian army that stands before us on the road to Mantua."
Général André Masséna : Your command will engage the right wing of the Austrian army
and hold it in place until such time that I order you to attack.
Général Pierre-Francois-Charles Augereau : Your command will engage the center and left wing of the Austrian army with the intention of
drawing them forward from their positions until such time that I order you to attack.
Chef de Brigade Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de Marmont : Your command will remain in reserve until such time that I order you to
attack the left wing of the Austrian army from the south west. Fiorella will support
your attack by attacking from the south east.
Générals Leclerc and Bertin : Ordered to bring their units up as fast as they could.
For a detailed French Order of Battle click HERE.
Castiglione - August 5, 1796 : After Action Report
The French started moving forward shortly after 6:00am. Augereau was in position by 7:30am and Masséna was ready by 8:00am. Both divisions unlimbered their guns at maximum range and started firing. By 10:00am the Austrians had lost 10 guns and had 3 battalions fall back.
It was about 10:30am when Sebottendorf became aware of Fiorella's troops approaching his rear. But before he could react a series of events would force him to order all of his troops to fall back on the east road to Mantua.
The 1st Squadron Commander of the Erdody Hussars noticed that a section of Augereau's guns that had been pounding Sebottendorf's infantry all morning were not supported. With the blessing of his regimental commander he drew up his troopers into a tight column and charged the guns. They cut the gunners down and returned to their lines.
French Général Robert was furious about the loss of his guns. He thought he noticed some disorder in Sebottendorf's front line. He ordered the 17th Demi-Brigade Légère to attack the 1st Battalion of IR#19. The 3rd Batalion of the 17th DB Légère crossed the open ground and pinned the Austrians in place. The 1st Battalion of the 17th DB Légère arrived shortly after and let loose a crushing volley. The shock was too much for the Austrians, who broke and fled taking with them two other battalions.
In one stroke Sebottendorf's command had been cut in two. He ordered Plazak to use his cavalry to stop the French while the rest of his command was ordered to fall back. Plazak charged both French battalions and routed them.
The Austrians behind the redoubt on Monte Medolano now tried to make their escape, but General Robert was prepared. He sent in the 1st Hussars and they captured all the guns and two battalions of grenzers.
Fiorella arrived at 11:00am and immediately pushed his forces towards what was left of Sebottendorf's retreating command. Bonaparte could now see that the battle was going well and he ordered Augereau and Masséna to commit all of their troops to the attack. Marmont was ordered to support Augereau.
The messages that Wurmser had been receiving at his head quarters in Solferino Castle did not paint a very good picture of the battle. So at 11:30am he got on his horse and rode to the Rocca Tower to see exactly what was going on. Wursmer and his staff were all stunned at what they saw. The French were pressing his line everywhere and in great numbers. He knew that Schubirz was barely holding on, Davidovich was being attacked and that Sebottendorf's command was destroyed.
At 11:40am (about a half hour earlier then historically) Wurmser ordered a full retreat via Cavriana and Borghetto to Mantua.
Castiglione 5 August 1796 Map:
Conclusion
It's amazing what can happen during a game. One impetuous Austrian cavalry charge brought about their own down fall. They were never expected to win but they had to do better then what happened historically. Ironically they set the stage for their own failure.
We all knew the French would win but who would ever had thought that the reaction to one charge would bring such a victory. Clearly the command decisions by Général Robert improved the victory over the historical one. Bonaparte took full advantage of the situation and changed his plans to execute an even greater victory.
