017. The Battle of the Mincio - WDS Campaign 1814

February 1814 - Historical - Intended for Head to Head play - Eugene had been tasked with defending the Kingdom of Northern Italy and had been keeping the Austrian in check. Although Murat's defection to the Allied Coalition made Eugene's southern rigth flank untenable he realized that he could turn on the Austrians before Murat could make his presence felt. He decided at the Mincio river line to attack Bellegarde's forces from Mantua with the bulk of his forces while another column from Goito would cross (Eugene with this column) the Mincio and join forces with them. Together they would drive north and northeast and cut off the Austrians from their supply source destroying as much of their army as possible and causing them to fall back to the north. After emerging victorious over the Austrians he would turn on Murat and defeat his Neopolitans. The attack went well but Eugene did not know that Bellegarde was planning a similar move only in reverse. The Ausrian Right Wing in the north would watch Peschiera while the Center crossed the Mincio river near Vallegio and split Eugene's army in two. Bellegarde never guessed that Eugene was planning an attack and only the timely intervention of one of Stutterheim brigades, whose commander had decided not to cross the river, and remained in Pozzolo, checked the French long enough for more of the army to arrive and prolong the battle in the south until evening. Bellegarde's attack had, in usual Austrian fashion, become fragmented and confused and he was only able slightly to press back Fressinet's division. Fearing that his army would be cut off he eventually recrossed the river. The battle was a draw but the Austrians had checked a potentially damaging attack. Eugene grew concerned about his operational situation and fell back to Mantua and his army back across the Mincio. Like Davout, Eugene only capitulated once the war was over. Though he had not pulled off the victory, he gave Bellegarde cause for concern, and the cautious Austrians would thereafter be watching for the French-N.Italian forces to strike his flank.