Capture of Brescia
Part of the Italian campaigns in the War of the Second Coalition

Brescia City Plan
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Date21 April 1799
Location
Brescia, Northern Italy
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire
Holy Roman Empire Habsburg Empire		 French Republic
Commanders and leaders
Russian Empire Alexander Suvorov
Russian Empire Pyotr Bagration[1]		 French First Republic Barthélemy Schérer
French First Republic Gen. Bouzet
Strength
>20,000[2] 1,100[2]
Casualties and losses
absent[2] The entire garrison and 46 cannon captured[2]

The capture of Brescia took place on 21 April 1799,[lower-alpha 1] during the Second Coalition war: Suvorov's Russian and Habsburg troops took the fortress city of Brescia, having captivated the French garrison of General Bouzet.[1]

Alexander Suvorov-Rymniksky, realising the importance of the impression of his first encounter with the French, sent here the vanguard of Kray and the division of Zopf, 15,000 men, and ordered Vukassovich to descend from the mountains also to Brescia; in all, more than 20,000 men. Field Marshal Suvorov ordered to assault the fortress, and not to conclude with the commandant of the honourable capitulation: "otherwise, — he said, — the enemy will hold in every blockhouse, and we will lose both time and men".[2]

Suvorov was right: after a harmless skirmish commandant, frightened by the preparations for the assault, agreed to send him a firm offer of unconditional surrender; 46 cannons were taken; losses killed and wounded were not. The capture of Brescia provided the Allies with a good foundry, ensured communication with Tyrol, opened a better road for communication with the Mincio and further with the Adige, made a strong moral impression on the country (the anti-Republican party raised its head) and on the troops: "the army demanded to be led to new victories".[2]

The Allied army would further clash with Schérer's army at Lecco.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Old Style: 10 Apr. 1799

References

Sources

  • Petrushevsky, Alexander (1884). "Итальянская кампания: Адда; 1799" [Italian Campaign: Adda; 1799]. Генералиссимус князь Суворов [Generalissimo Prince Suvorov] (in Russian). Vol. 3 (1st ed.). St. Petersburg: Типография М. М. Стасюлевича. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  • Orlov, Nikolay Aleksandrovich (1892). Разбор военных действий Суворова в Италии в 1799 году [Analysis of Suvorov's military actions in Italy in 1799] (in Russian). St. Petersburg: Типография Тренке и Фюсно. ISBN 9785998994289.


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