Battle of Marengo - wikipedia Battle of Marengo Jump to : navigation , search Battle of Marengo Part of the War of the Second Coalition , War of the French Revolution The Battle of Marengo , by Louis - François Lejeune . Date 14 June 1800 Location Spinetta Marengo , Alessandria , Piedmont , present - day Italy 44 ° 53 ′ N 8 ° 41 ′ E  /  44.883 ° N 8.683 ° E  / 44.883 ; 8.683 Coordinates : 44 ° 53 ′ N 8 ° 41 ′ E  /  44.883 ° N 8.683 ° E  / 44.883 ; 8.683 Result French victory Belligerents France Austria Commanders and leaders Napoleon Bonaparte Louis Desaix † Michael von Melas Peter Ott Strength 24,000 24 guns 31,000 100 guns Casualties and losses 1,100 killed 3,600 wounded 900 missing or captured Total : 5,600 6,000 dead or wounded 8,000 captured 40 guns captured 15 colours captured Total : 14,000 War of the Second Coalition Nicopolis Corfu Ostrach Feldkirch 1st Stockach Verona Magnano Cassano Bassignana Winterthur 1st Zurich Modena Trebbia Mantua Novi Callantsoog Vlieter Incident Krabbendam Mannheim Bergen 2nd Zurich Alkmaar Castricum Genola Wiesloch Genoa Hohentwiel 2nd Stockach Messkirch Biberach Fort Bard Montebello Marengo Höchstädt Neuburg Ampfing Hohenlinden Mincio Copenhagen Algeciras ( 1st 2nd ) Porto Ferrajo Mediterranean Campaign Egyptian Campaign Swiss Campaign Dutch Campaign Italian Campaign Italian Campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars 1st Saorgio Epierre 2nd Saorgio 1st Dego Loano Voltri Montenotte Millesimo 2nd Dego Ceva Mondovì Fombio Lodi Borghetto Lonato Castiglione Rovereto 1st Bassano 2nd Bassano Calliano Caldiero Arcole Rivoli 1st Mantua Faenza Valvasone Tarvis Veronese Easter Verona Magnano Cassano Bassignana Modena Trebbia 2nd Mantua Novi Genola Genoa Montebello Marengo Pozzolo The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria , in Piedmont , Italy . Near the end of the day , the French overcame Gen. Michael von Melas 's surprise attack , driving the Austrians out of Italy and enhancing Napoleon 's political position in Paris as First Consul of France in the wake of his coup d'état the previous November . Surprised by the Austrian advance toward Genoa in mid-April 1800 , Bonaparte hastily led his army over the Alps in mid-May and reached Milan on 2 June . After cutting Melas ' line of communications by crossing the River Po and defeating Feldmarschallleutnant ( FML ) Peter Karl Ott von Bátorkéz at Montebello on 9 June , the French closed in on the Austrian army , which had massed in Alessandria . Deceived by a local double agent , Bonaparte dispatched large forces to the north and south , but the Austrians launched a surprise attack on 14 June against the main French army under Gen. Louis Alexandre Berthier . Initially their two assaults across the Fontanone stream near Marengo village were repelled , and Gen. Jean Lannes reinforced the French right . Bonaparte realized the true position and issued orders at 11 : 00 am to recall the detachment under Général de Division ( GdD ) Louis Desaix , while moving his reserve forward . On the Austrian left Ott 's column had taken Castel Ceriolo , and its advance guard moved south to attack Lannes ' flank . Melas renewed the main assault and the Austrians broke the central French position . By 2 : 30 pm the French were withdrawing and Austrian dragoons seized the Marengo farm . Bonaparte had by then arrived with the reserve , but Berthier 's troops began to fall back on the main vine belts . Knowing Desaix was approaching , Bonaparte was anxious about a column of Ott 's soldiers marching from the north , so he deployed his Consular Guard infantry to delay it . The French then withdrew steadily eastward toward San Giuliano Vecchio as the Austrians formed a column to follow them in line with Ott 's advance in the northern sector . Desaix 's arrival around 5 : 30 pm stabilized the French position , as the 9th Light Infantry Regiment delayed the Austrian advance down the main road and the rest of the army reformed north of Cascina Grossa . As the pursuing Austrian troops arrived , a mix of musketry and artillery fire concealed the surprise attack of Général de Brigade ( GdB ) François Étienne de Kellermann 's cavalry , which threw the Austrian pursuit into disordered flight back into Alessandria , with about 14,000 killed , wounded or captured . The French casualties were considerably fewer , but included Desaix . The whole French line chased after the Austrians to seal une victoire politique ( a political victory ) that secured Bonaparte 's grip on power after the coup . It would be followed by a propaganda campaign that sought to rewrite the story of the battle three times during Napoleon 's rule . Contents ( hide ) 1 Background 1.1 Austrian plans and preliminary French moves 2 Prelude 2.1 Battlefield 2.2 Forces 3 Battle 3.1 Austrian attack 3.1. 1 Stalemate in the centre around Marengo 3.1. 2 Austrian breakout across the Fontanone 3.2 French counter-attack 4 Aftermath 4.1 Propaganda 5 Legacy 5.1 Marengo museum 5.2 Remembrance 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External links 9 See Also Background ( edit ) Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques - Louis David The Battle of Marengo was the victory that sealed the success of Bonaparte 's Italian campaign of 1800 and is best understood in the context of that campaign . By a daring crossing of the Alps with his Army of the Reserve ( officially commanded by Louis Alexandre Berthier ) in mid-May 1800 almost before the passes were open , Bonaparte ( who crossed on a mule ) had threatened Melas ' lines of communications in northern Italy . The French army then seized Milan on 2 June , followed by Pavia , Piacenza and Stradella , Lombardy , cutting the main Austrian supply route eastward along the south bank of the Po river . Bonaparte hoped that Melas ' preoccupation with the Siege of Genoa , held by Gen. André Masséna , would prevent the Austrians from responding to his offensive . However , Genoa surrendered on 4 June , freeing a large number of Austrians for operations against the French . On 9 June Gen. Jean Lannes beat Feldmarschallleutnant Peter Ott in the Battle of Montebello . This caused Bonaparte to get overconfident . He became convinced that Melas would not attack and , further , that the Austrian was about to retreat . As other French forces closed from the west and south , the Austrian commander had withdrawn most of his troops from their positions near Nice and Genoa to Alessandria on the main Turin - Mantua road . Austrian plans and preliminary French moves ( edit ) The Austrians planned to fight their way out eastward but -- using a local double agent , usually known by his cover of François Toli -- attempted to deceive Bonaparte into thinking they would try to march north , cross the Po and head for Milan , joined by the remaining troops marching up from Genoa . The spy would advise Bonaparte to march via Sale on the northern side of the plain , so that he could be engaged by the Austrian left wing ; meanwhile the main force would move through Marengo village in the centre , turn north and fall into the French left flank . Ott arrived from Montebello of 13 June in a war council . The senior generals of the Austrian army strongly approved this plan , as the alternative would have meant that the army would have had to retreat along the River Po and leave Piedmont to the enemy without a fight . Nonetheless , by abandoning the San Giuliano plain , where the superior Austrian cavalry could have given him an edge , Melas probably made a serious mistake . Bonaparte knew that Ott had no way out from Alessandria , but he had no idea of Melas ' position . Following his meeting with the spy and fearing that the Austrian general might try to escape , Bonaparte spread his army out in a wide net by sending Louis Desaix with Divisional General Jean Boudet 's division ( 6,000 men ) south to Novi Ligure and Divisional General Jean François Cornu de La Poype ( 3,500 men ) north on the other bank of the Po . Further north , from Vercelli to Lake Maggiore , were stationed the divisions of Antoine de Béthencourt and Joseph Chabran and , further to the rear , north of Piacenza , Jean Thomas Guillaume Lorge 's division . Bonaparte 's view was confirmed when Gen. Claude Victor - Perrin , supported by Divisional General Joachim Murat 's cavalry , swiftly evicted FML Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough 's Austrian brigade from Marengo village that afternoon . Victor then deployed divisional generals Gaspard Amédée Gardanne and Jacques - Antoine de Chambarlhac de Laubespin 's divisions along the Fontanone stream . Austrian headquarters debated building a bridge to the north to outflank the French , but the lack of pontoons and time forced the Austrians to cross the River Bormida and then launch a single , direct assault across the Fontanone bridge . Prelude ( edit ) Battlefield ( edit ) Torre Garofoli , Napoleon 's headquarters before the battle The battle took place to the east of Alessandria , on a plain crossed by a river forming meanders , the Bormida , over which the Austrians installed a bridgehead . On the plain were spread numerous hamlets and farms that represented strategic points . The three main sites of the battle formed a triangle , with Marengo in the west , Castel Ceriolo in the north and San Giuliano Vecchio in the east . A small stream , the Fontanone , passed between Marengo and the Bormida . The First Consul had established his headquarters at Torre Garofoli , which was further to the east . This headquarters , nowadays visitable , is situated in the street : `` Strada Comunale Cerca '' coordinates N44 ° 53'37.01 E 8 ° 48'14.12 Forces ( edit ) For more details on this topic , see Marengo Order of Battle . The 30,000 Austrians and their 100 guns were opposed by 22,000 French and their 15 guns . Meanwhile , after the arrival of Desaix , 6,000 men would reinforce Bonaparte 's army . The 1799 campaign had exhausted the Austrian army in Italy , casualties and disease reducing some regiments to 300 men . The largest component of the army was in Piedmont and the neighboring Po valley ; only a few units were moved to winter quarters in better - supplied areas . Long distances from the home bases , from which the regiments drew reinforcements , meant that troop transports had to endure miserable conditions , so only about 15 % reached the field army . The army of March 1800 was scarcely larger than at the conclusion of the 1799 campaign . Equipment and uniforms were improved and updated . Although a simpler uniform , with a leather helmet and smaller - caliber muskets , was introduced , little had reached the field armies by 1800 . Efforts were made to standardize equipment , but many units used a variety of musket and saber patterns . Melas split his army into three corps facing the Bormida , in front of Alessandria . In the north Ott commanded Friedrich Heinrich von Gottesheim 's advance guard plus Joseph von Schellenberg and Ludwig von Vogelsang 's divisions . In the south was Feldmarschallleutnant Andreas O'Reilly von Ballinlough 's division . Melas himself took control of the center , with the divisions of Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak , Konrad Valentin von Kaim , Ferdinand Johann von Morzin and Anton von Elsnitz . In 1799 the 36,000 French troops in Italy were in a desperate state similar to that at the end of 1795 . Supplies of all sorts were inadequate , discipline was breaking down , desertion was increasing and , on a few occasions , whole formations marched to the rear in search of food . The survivors would be of limited combat value . In establishing the Army of the Reserve in France , Bonaparte 's first move was to overhaul the supply system to provide the troops with regular food and decent uniforms . Lacking the large superiority in infantry and artillery enjoyed in many Republican campaigns , the core of Bonaparte 's reserve was 30,000 men , mostly from the Batavian Republic , who had been used under Guillaume Marie Anne Brune to crush the rebellion in the Vendée . Additional veteran troops came from the remains of the former Army of England . The new mililary doctrine emphasised the offensive , mobility and the bayonet over linear firepower . In front of the Austrian army were stationed , in and to the south of Marengo , the corps of Victor ( Jacques - Antoine de Chambarlhac de Laubespin and Gaspard Amédée Gardanne 's divisions ) , supported on the left by François Étienne de Kellermann 's cavalry and , further to the northeast , by the corps of Lannes ( François Watrin 's division , Mainoni 's brigade ) together with two cavalry brigades . To the east of Castel Ceriolo took position Jean - Charles Monnier 's division , supported by the Guard , which formed the reserve . Victor was the one who would bear the brunt of the Austrian attack . Battle ( edit ) Austrian attack ( edit ) Michael von Melas led the centre of the army during the attack , but he mistakenly believed that the battle was over before the arrival of Desaix . The Austrian troops advanced from Alessandria eastwards across the Bormida river by two bridges debouching in a narrow bend of the river ( the river being not easily crossed elsewhere ) . Poor Austrian staff work prevented any rapid development of their attack and the entire army had to file through a narrow bridgehead . The movement began about 6 am with the first shots fired around 8 am , but the attack was not fully developed until 9 am . The 1,200 - man Austrian advance guard , under Colonel ( Oberst ) Johann Maria Philipp Frimont and a division of 3,300 men under FML O'Reilly , pushed the French outposts back and deployed to become the Austrian right wing , driving the enemy from Pedrabona farm , then heading south to tackle the French at La Stortiglione farm . The Austrian centre ( about 18,000 under Melas ) advanced towards Marengo until halted by GdD Gardanne 's French infantry deployed in front of the Fontanone stream . On the Austrian left , 7,500 men under FML Peter Ott waited for the road to clear before heading for the village of Castel Ceriolo well to the north of the French positions . This move threatened either an envelopment of the French right , or a further advance to cut the French line of communication with Milan . Gardanne 's men gave a good account of themselves , holding up the Austrian deployment for a considerable time . When Gardanne 's division was exhausted , Victor pulled it back behind the Fontanone and committed his second division under GdD Chambarlhac ( this officer soon lost his nerve and fled ) . The French held Marengo village and the line of the Fontanone until about noon , with both flanks in the air . First , at 8 am , Melas hurled FML Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak 's division ( four battalions ) at Victor 's defenses , supported by Frimont 's advance guard battery along the stream . Forced into a funnel by the bad ground and Fontanone stream , Hadik 's attack came under fire from two sides and failed , with Hadik being killed . The Austrian commander then committed FML Konrad Valentin von Kaim 's division but this attack was also thwarted by 11 am . Finally , as the French position was reinforced by François Étienne de Kellermann 's cavalry and Jean Lannes 's formation was on the way , FML Ferdinand Johann von Morzin 's elite grenadier division was sent in to attack Marengo village . Melas also committed a serious tactical blunder , detaching Generalmajor ( GM ) Nimptsch 's brigade of 2,300 hussars and two artillery batteries back over the Bormida bridge to block the corps of General Louis Gabriel Suchet , which was mistakenly reported around 9 am from Acqui Terme to be approaching Alessandria from the south . Besides delaying the crossing of the Austrian left wing , this also meant that , being 30 kilometers away , Nimptsch 's brigade would play no part in the battle . Stalemate in the centre around Marengo ( edit ) François Étienne de Kellermann played an important role during the battle . It took Bonaparte ( 5 kilometers away from Marengo ) until about 10 am to recognize that the Austrian activity was not a diversionary attack to cover the anticipated retreat by Melas . His subordinates had brought their troops up in support of Victor 's corps . Lannes 's corps had deployed on the crucial right flank . GM Friedrich Joseph Anton von Bellegarde 's part of Kaim 's division had crossed the Fontanone north of Marengo and occupied La Barbotta farm . Lannes directed Watrin 's infantry to drive Bellegarde back . They briefly crossed the Fontanone before Austrian reserve guns drove the French back . Kellermann 's heavy cavalry brigade and the 8th Dragoons took up a covering position on the left , smashing an attempt by GM Giovanni Pilatti 's light dragoon brigade which attempted to cross the steep - sided Fontanone at its southern end to envelop Victor 's flank . On the right , GdB Pierre Champeaux was killed trying to stop the progress of Ott 's column . A small part of the 6ème Légère ( 6th Light Infantry Regiment ) occupied Castel Ceriolo to the north , but soon Ott 's lead units took it around 11 : 30 am and began putting pressure on the French right flank . Ott could not see any sign of the expected main French advance from Sale ( to the northeast ) , so he sent GM Friedrich Heinrich von Gottesheim 's reinforced advance guard to outflank Lannes north of Marengo . By 11 am Bonaparte was on the battlefield . He sent urgent recalls to his recently detached forces and summoned up his last reserves . As they came up , GdD Jean - Charles Monnier 's division and the Consular Guard were committed to extend and shore up the French right , rather than to try to hold Marengo where Victor 's men were running short of ammunition . Austrian breakout across the Fontanone ( edit ) Toward 12 : 30 pm Lannes moved the rest of his force to face Gottesheim in a hook shape , while Kaim attacked again , but this time against Victor 's wings . A Laufbrücke ( small bridge ) was thrown over the Fontanone and supported by reserve artillery . GM Christoph von Latterman 's grenadiers crossed to engage Olivier Macoux Rivaud de la Raffinière 's two demibrigades defending Marengo village , while Bellegarde and Frimont 's four squadrons split Watrin off . Although Rivaud retook the village , O'Reilly had taken Stortiglione by 2 : 00 pm , and in the north , Ott prepared to send FML Joseph von Schellenberg 's column to support Gottesheim . After securing the Fontanone bridge , Pilatti 's cavalry crossed but were again charged and defeated by Kellermann . However , Victor could no longer hold his positions and withdrew southeast to the main vine belt ( grape vines slung among mulberry trees ) , Lannes mirroring the move . The Marengo farm garrison was abandoned and at around 2 : 30 pm Melas led two cavalry squadrons to capture them . Johann Frimont 's troops destroyed the Consular Guard infantry . At about 2 : 00 pm the French attacked Castel Ceriolo and delayed the advance of Schellenberg 's column by attacking its tail . Aided by Frimont , Ott defeated Monnier and forced two - thirds of his command to retreat to the northeast . About the same time , Marengo had fallen to the Austrians , forcing Napoleon 's men into a general retreat . As Austrian troops crossed the Fontanone , their guns bombarded the French infantry in the vines . In a bid to further delay Schellenberg 's advance , Bonaparte committed his main Guard battalion and its artillery , which moved to flank the column . After driving off Austrian dragoons with the aid of GdB Champeaux 's remaining cavalry ( under Joachim Murat ) , they engaged the head of the column . After a 15 - minute firefight around 4 : 00 pm the Guard were surprised and destroyed by Frimont 's cavalry . The French fell back c. 3 km and attempted to regroup to hold the village of San Giuliano . With the French outnumbered and driven from their best defensive position , the battle was as good as won by the Austrians . Melas , who was slightly wounded , and 71 , handed over command to his chief - of - staff , General Anton von Zach , and Kaim . The Austrian centre formed into a massive pursuit column in order to chase the French off the battlefield , with the advance guard commanded by GM Franz Xaver Saint - Julien . The column formed up around Spinetta , southeast of Marengo , and advanced down the New Road . However , delays in the flanks led to the Austrian army forming a crescent shape with a thinly stretched central sector . On the Austrian right wing , O'Reilly wasted time hunting down a 300 - man French detachment led by Achille Dampierre ( which was finally captured ) and moved southeast . This took his troops out of supporting distance from the Austrian main body . On the Austrian left , Ott hesitated to press hard against the French because GdB Jean Rivaud 's small brigade of French cavalry hovered to the north . French counter-attack ( edit ) Situation at the beginning of the French counter-attack However , Desaix , in charge of the force Bonaparte had detached southwards , had hastened his advance and reached a small road junction north of Cascina Grossa ( 3 kilometers west of San Giuliano ) . Shortly before 5 : 00 pm , he reported to Bonaparte in person with the news that his force ( 6,000 men and 9 guns of Boudet 's division ) was not far behind . The story goes that , asked by Bonaparte what he thought of the situation , Desaix replied : `` This battle is completely lost . However , there is time to win another . '' The French were fast to bring up and deploy the fresh troops in front of San Giuliano , and the Austrians were slow to mount their attack . Boudet and the 9ème Légère ( 9th Light Infantry Regiment ) were quickly moved on to the exit from the main vine belt , where they surprised the head of Saint - Julien 's column . As the Austrian infantry deployed on the south side of the road , the 9ème Légère conducted a steady withdrawal for 30 minutes back to Desaix 's position . There he had placed GdB Louis Charles de Guénand 's brigade on the north side while most of the remaining French army ( Monnier and Lannes ) were forming up north from there . The Austrians deployed three artillery batteries on the north side of the road supported by a dragoon regiment . GdB Auguste de Marmont massed the remaining French cannon against the Austrians as they advanced . Boudet 's division advanced in line of brigades against the head of the Austrian column , defeating Saint - Julien 's leading Austrian brigade . Zach brought forward GM Latterman 's grenadier brigade in line and renewed the attack . Faced with a crisis , Napoleon sent Desaix forward again and ordered a cavalry charge requested by Desaix . The 9ème Légère halted to face the main Austrian advance and Marmont 's guns blasted the Austrians with grapeshot at close range . Further back , an Austrian ammunition limber exploded . In the temporary heightening of confusion , Lattermann 's formation was charged on its left flank by Kellermann 's heavy cavalry ( ca . 400 men ) and disintegrated . At the decisive moment of the battle , Desaix was shot from his horse . Zach and at least 2,000 of his men were taken prisoners . Napoleon is presented the body of Desaix Murat and Kellermann immediately pounced on the supporting Liechtenstein Dragoons who were too slow to respond and routed them as well . The fleeing Austrian horsemen crashed into the ranks of Pilatti 's rattled troopers and carried them away . As the mob of terrified cavalry stampeded past them , the exhausted Austrian infantry of the main body lost heart , provoking a wild rush to the rear . The gun teams fled , pursued by French cavalry , while their whole infantry line advanced westward . The second grenadier brigade under GM Karl Philippi von Weidenfeld and some unpanicked cavalry delayed Boudet 's advance long enough for O'Reilly's cavalry to return , and together with Frimont , they mounted a last defense around Marengo village as night fell , allowing the Austrian centre to reach safety behind the Bormida . Ott with the Austrian left failed to intervene and found his retreat through Castel Ceriolo blocked by French troops advancing northwest from the centre , but managed to fight his way back to the Bormida bridgehead . The Austrians fell back into Alessandria , having lost about half the forces they had committed . The Austrians had lost heavily in the 12 hours of fighting : 15 colours , 40 guns , almost 8,000 taken prisoner , and 6,500 dead or wounded . French casualties ( killed and wounded ) were on the order of 4,700 and 900 missing or captured , but they retained the battlefield and the strategic initiative . Desaix 's body was found among the slain . Aftermath ( edit ) Bonaparte needed to depart for Paris urgently and the next morning sent Berthier on a surprise visit to Austrian headquarters . Within 24 hours of the battle , Melas entered into negotiations ( the Convention of Alessandria ) which led to the Austrians evacuating northwestern Italy west of the Ticino river , and suspending military operations in Italy . Bonaparte 's position as First Consul was strengthened by the successful outcome of the battle and the preceding campaign . After this victory , Napoleon could breathe a sigh of relief . The generals who had been hostile to him could see that his luck had not abandoned him . Thus , he had surpassed Schérer , Joubert , Championnet , and even Moreau , none of whom had been able to inflict a decisive blow on the Coalition . Moreau 's victory at Hohenlinden , which was the one that in reality had put an end to the war , was minimised by Bonaparte who , from then on , would pose as a saviour of the fatherland , and even of the Republic . He rejected offers from Louis XVIII , who had considered the Consulate to be a mere transition towards the restoration of the king . Thanks to the victory at Marengo , Napoleon could finally set about reforming France according to his own vision . Propaganda ( edit ) Rue de Marengo in Paris is named to commemorate the battle . A last - gasp victory in reality , Marengo was mythologised in an army bulletin and three increasingly glamourised `` Official Reports '' during Bonaparte 's reign . Tales were invented about the Guard and the 72ème demibrigade , which had been under his direct control throughout . General François Kellermann distinguished himself at Marengo . Melas , trapped in Alessandria with his hopes of breaking through to the east shattered , sent the same evening to Vienna a message in which he explained that the `` charge of Kellermann had broken the soldiers and this sudden and terrible change of fortunes finished by smashing the courage of the troops . The disorder of the cavalry which had disorganised our infantry precipitated its retreat . '' At the same time , Murat was writing to Berthier : `` I especially have to tell you about Kellermann ; through a powerful charge he managed to tilt the balance in our favour . '' However , in the Bulletin de l'armée issued the following day , Napoleon sought to counterbalance Kellermann 's charge with Jean - Baptiste Bessières 's : `` The chef de brigade Bessières , in front of the reckless grenadiers of the guard , executed a charge with as much activity as valour and penetrated the line of the enemy cavalry ; this resulted in the entire rout of the army . '' Another piece of work which attempted to justify the retreat maneuver and to present it as a highly strategic calculation was Berthier 's Relation de la bataille de Marengo , published in 1804 . Berthier suggests that time had to be given to Desaix and Boudet 's division to occupy their positions : `` The enemy general misinterpreted this maneuver and thought the army was in full retreat , while in reality it was only executing a movement of conversion . '' However , it is known that Desaix 's arrival , while definitely expected , was not certain before the retreat . The bulletin explains that Desaix 's forces were waiting in reserve with artillery pieces , which in reality was false , because they arrived late in the battle . Several participants to the fighting reveal the precarious condition of the army throughout the day , including Marmont in his Memoirs , Captain Coignet : `` We were retreating in good order but all ready to start running at the earliest sign of danger '' , Captain Gervais : `` In this battle , we were many times on the verge of being defeated . The enemy cavalry , on a terrain favourable to this arm , charged us repeatedly . We were often obliged to concentrate and even to retreat '' , and General Thévenet : `` There is no doubt that a part of the French army was repelled up to the Scrivia '' . Legacy ( edit ) Marengo museum ( edit ) The Museum of Marengo `` Museo della Battaglia di Marengo '' is located in Via della Barbotta , Spinetta Marengo , Alessandria . This is exactly the place where most of the fights between the French and Austrian armies took place . It is a part of Villa Delavo , with the park of the museum surrounding the village of Marengo . Remembrance ( edit ) The column at Marengo Napoleon sought to ensure that his victory would not be forgotten , so , besides the propaganda campaign , he entrusted General Chasseloup with the construction of a pyramid on the site of the battle . On 5 May 1805 , a ceremony took place on the field of Marengo . Napoleon , dressed in the uniform he wore on 14 June 1800 , together with Empress Joséphine seated on a throne placed under a tent , oversaw a military parade . Then , Chasseloup gave Napoleon the founding stone , on which was inscribed : `` Napoleon , Emperor of the French and King of Italy , to the manes of the defenders of the fatherland who perished on the day of Marengo . '' This pyramid was actually part of a very ambitious project meant to glorify Bonaparte 's conquests in Italy . The field of Marengo was supposed to become the site of a `` city of Victories '' whose boulevards , named after Italian battles , would converge to the pyramid . In the event , the project was abandoned in 1815 and the stones recovered by the peasants . The column erected in 1801 was also removed , only to be restored in 1922 . Napoleon ordered that several ships of the French Navy be named Marengo , including Sceptre ( 1780 ) , Jean - Jacques Rousseau ( 1795 ) , Ville de Paris ( 1851 ) and Marengo ( 1810 ) . In 1802 , the Marengo department was named in the honour of the battle . Furthermore , Napoleon 's mount throughout the battle was named Marengo and further carried the Emperor in the Battle of Austerlitz , Battle of Jena - Auerstedt , Battle of Wagram , and Battle of Waterloo . After Bonaparte 's fall , Marengo County , Alabama , first settled by Napoleonic refugees with their Vine and Olive Colony , was named in honour of this battle . Since then , numerous settlements were named Marengo in Canada and the United States ( see places named Marengo ) . Presently , a museum of the battle exists on the outskirts of Alessandria . Re-enactments are also organised every year to commemorate the event . Footnotes ( edit ) Jump up ^ Brauer ; William E. Wright ( 1 December 1990 ) . Austria in the Age of the French Revolution : 1789 -- 1815 . Berghahn Books . p. 34 . ISBN 978 - 1 - 57181 - 374 - 9 . Retrieved 21 April 2013 . Jump up ^ Holger Afflerbach ; Hew Strachan ( 26 July 2012 ) . How Fighting Ends : A History of Surrender . Oxford University Press . p. 215 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 969362 - 7 . Retrieved 17 April 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Benoît , p. 117 ^ Jump up to : Benoît , p. 122 Jump up ^ Chandler , David G ... The Campaigns of Napoleon , New York , 1966 , ISBN 0 - 02 - 523660 - 1 , p. 296 , gives : 25 % total casualties . Jump up ^ Chandler , David G ... The Campaigns of Napoleon , New York , 1966 , ISBN 0 - 02 - 523660 - 1 , p. 296 , gives : 15 colours , 40 guns , 8,000 captured and 6,000 killed . Asprey , Robert . The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte , Basic Books , 2001 , ISBN 0 - 465 - 04881 - 1 , p. 387 , gives : 6,000 killed or wounded and another 6,000 captured ; 15 flags , 40 cannon . Jump up ^ Hollins , Encyclopedia , pp. 605 -- 606 ^ Jump up to : Hollins , Encyclopedia , p. 606 Jump up ^ Shosenberg , p. 63 Jump up ^ Pigeard , p. 521 Jump up ^ Hollins , The Battle of Marengo 1800 , p. 16 Jump up ^ Hollins , The Battle of Marengo 1800 , p. 15 Jump up ^ Benoît , pp. 117 -- 118 Jump up ^ Hollins , The Battle of Marengo 1800 , p. 17 Jump up ^ Hollins , The Battle of Marengo 1800 , p. 18 Jump up ^ Benoît , p. 118 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 146 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 149 Jump up ^ Benoît , p. 119 ^ Jump up to : Hollins , Encyclopedia , p. 607 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 151 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 158 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 162 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 160 Jump up ^ Arnold , p. 173 Jump up ^ Chandler , p. 269 Jump up ^ Arnold , pp. 177 -- 180 Jump up ^ Hollins , Encyclopedia , pp. 607 -- 608 Jump up ^ Arnold , pp. 180 -- 181 ^ Jump up to : Hollins , Encyclopedia , p. 608 Jump up ^ Fremont - Barnes , Gregory . The French Revolutionary Wars , Routledge : New Edition , 2001 , ISBN 978 - 1 - 57958 - 365 - 1 , p. 56 , gives 6,000 casualties and 8,000 prisoners , 40 guns . Similarly , Chandler and Asprey . Jump up ^ Benoît , p. 137 Jump up ^ Benoît , pp. 124 -- 125 ^ Jump up to : Benoît , p. 123 Jump up ^ Benoît , p. 124 Jump up ^ Benoît , pp. 123 -- 124 ^ Jump up to : Benoît , p. 138 Jump up ^ Vosgien , Lyon et Paris . `` Les départements de l'Empire Français en 1809 '' . Archived from the original on 21 September 2010 . Retrieved 13 September 2010 . Jump up ^ Hamilton , Jill . `` MARENGO , the Myth of Napoleon 's Horse '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 13 July 2011 . Retrieved 13 September 2010 . p. 32 Jump up ^ `` Alabama Counties : Marengo County '' . `` Alabama Department of Archives and History '' . Retrieved 13 September 2010 . Jump up ^ Hicks , Peter . `` Marengo Museum : opening weekend '' . Retrieved 13 September 2010 . References ( edit ) Arnold , James R. ( 2005 ) . Marengo & Hohenlinden : Napoleon 's Rise to Power . Pen & Sword . ISBN 1 - 84415 - 279 - 0 Asprey , Robert ( 2001 ) . The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte . Basic Books . ISBN 0 - 465 - 04881 - 1 Benoît , Jérémie ( 2000 ) . Marengo : Une victoire politique ( in French ) . Réunion des Musées Nationaux . ISBN 2 - 7118 - 4010 - 7 Chandler , David ( 1979 ) . Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars . Macmillan . ISBN 0 - 02 - 523670 - 9 Chandler , David ( 1966 ) . Campaigns of Napoleon . Scribner . ISBN 0 - 02 - 523660 - 1 Hollins , David ( 2000 ) . The Battle of Marengo 1800 . Osprey Publishing . ISBN 1 - 84176 - 117 - 6 Hollins , David ( 2006 ) . `` Battle of Marengo '' in The Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic War . ABC - CLIO . ISBN 1 - 85109 - 646 - 9 Fremont - Barnes , Gregory ( 2001 ) . The French Revolutionary Wars . Routledge ; New edition . ISBN 978 - 1 - 57958 - 365 - 1 Pigeard , Alain ( 2004 ) . Dictionnaire des batailles de Napoléon ( in French ) . Tallandier , Bibliothèque Napoléonienne . ISBN 2 - 84734 - 073 - 4 Shosenberg , James ( June 2000 ) . `` To Marengo , Battle of 1800 '' . Military History . 17 ( II ) . External links ( edit ) Wikisource has original text related to this article : Convention of Alessandria Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Marengo . The Battle of Marengo -- A Bicentennial Review An overview of the battle , including short summaries for beginning students and detailed analysis for more serious readers . Defeat of Bonaparte 's Guard at Marengo , 1800 . Battle of Marengo in the memoirs of Captain Coignet Gaspar Cugnac , Campaign of the Army of the Reserve in 1800 French scans and OCR complete , English translation for vol 1 only , use French version for the battle proper . Alex . Berthier , Relation of the Battle of Marengo ( in Italian ) Marengo Museum French Revolution Causes Timeline Ancien Régime Revolution Constitutional monarchy Republic Directory Consulate Glossary Significant civil and political events by year 1788 Day of the Tiles ( 7 Jun 1788 ) Assembly of Vizille ( 21 Jul 1788 ) 1789 What Is the Third Estate ? ( Jan 1789 ) Réveillon riots ( 28 Apr 1789 ) Convocation of the Estates - General ( 5 May 1789 ) National Assembly ( 17 Jun -- 9 Jul 1790 ) Tennis Court Oath ( 20 Jun 1789 ) National Constituent Assembly ( 9 Jul -- 30 Sep 1791 ) Storming of the Bastille ( 14 Jul 1789 ) Great Fear ( 20 Jul -- 5 Aug 1789 ) Abolition of Feudalism ( 4 - 11 Aug 1789 ) Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen ( 27 Aug 1789 ) Women 's March on Versailles ( 5 Oct 1789 ) 1790 Abolition of the Parlements ( Feb -- Jul 1790 ) Abolition of the Nobility ( 19 Jun 1790 ) Civil Constitution of the Clergy ( 12 Jul 1790 ) 1791 Flight to Varennes ( 20 -- 21 Jun 1791 ) Champ de Mars Massacre ( 17 Jul 1791 ) Declaration of Pillnitz ( 27 Aug 1791 ) The Constitution of 1791 ( 3 Sep 1791 ) Legislative Assembly ( 1 Oct 1791 -- Sep 1792 ) 1792 France declares war ( 20 Apr 1792 ) Brunswick Manifesto ( 25 Jul 1792 ) Paris Commune becomes insurrectionary ( Jun 1792 ) 10th of August ( 10 Aug 1792 ) September Massacres ( Sep 1792 ) National Convention ( 20 Sep 1792 -- 26 Oct 1795 ) First republic declared ( 22 Sep 1792 ) 1793 Execution of Louis XVI ( 21 Jan 1793 ) Revolutionary Tribunal ( 9 Mar 1793 -- 31 May 1795 ) Reign of Terror ( 27 Jun 1793 -- 27 Jul 1794 ) Committee of Public Safety Committee of General Security Fall of the Girondists ( 2 Jun 1793 ) Assassination of Marat ( 13 Jul 1793 ) Levée en masse ( 23 Aug 1793 ) The Death of Marat ( painting ) Law of Suspects ( 17 Sep 1793 ) Marie Antoinette is guillotined ( 16 Oct 1793 ) Anti-clerical laws ( throughout the year ) 1794 Danton and Desmoulins guillotined ( 5 Apr 1794 ) Law of 22 Prairial ( 10 Jun 1794 ) Thermidorian Reaction ( 27 Jul 1794 ) Robespierre guillotined ( 28 Jul 1794 ) White Terror ( Fall 1794 ) Closing of the Jacobin Club ( 11 Nov 1794 ) 1795 Constitution of the Year III ( 22 Aug 1795 ) Conspiracy of the Equals ( Nov 1795 ) Directoire ( 1795 -- 99 ) Council of Five Hundred Council of Ancients 1797 Coup of 18 Fructidor ( 4 Sep 1797 ) Second Congress of Rastatt ( Dec 1797 ) 1799 Coup of 30 Prairial VII ( 18 Jun 1799 ) Coup of 18 Brumaire ( 9 Nov 1799 ) Constitution of the Year VIII ( 24 Dec 1799 ) Consulate Revolutionary campaigns 1792 Verdun Thionville Valmy Royalist Revolts Chouannerie Vendée Dauphiné Lille Siege of Mainz Jemappes Namur ( fr ) 1793 First Coalition Siege of Toulon ( 18 Sep -- 18 Dec 1793 ) War in the Vendée Battle of Neerwinden ) Battle of Famars ( 23 May 1793 ) Expédition de Sardaigne ( 21 Dec 1792 - 25 May 1793 ) Battle of Kaiserslautern Siege of Mainz Battle of Wattignies Battle of Hondschoote Siege of Bellegarde Battle of Peyrestortes ( Pyrenees ) First Battle of Wissembourg ( 13 Oct 1793 ) Battle of Truillas ( Pyrenees ) Second Battle of Wissembourg ( 26 -- 27 Dec 1793 ) 1794 Battle of Villers - en - Cauchies ( 24 Apr 1794 ) Battle of Boulou ( Pyrenees ) ( 30 Apr -- 1 May 1794 ) Battle of Tournay ( 22 May 1794 ) Battle of Fleurus ( 26 Jun 1794 ) Chouannerie Battle of Tourcoing ( 18 May 1794 ) Battle of Aldenhoven ( 2 Oct 1794 ) 1795 Peace of Basel 1796 Battle of Lonato ( 3 -- 4 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Castiglione ( 5 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Theiningen Battle of Neresheim ( 11 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Amberg ( 24 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Würzburg ( 3 Sep 1796 ) Battle of Rovereto ( 4 Sep 1796 ) First Battle of Bassano ( 8 Sep 1796 ) Battle of Emmendingen ( 19 Oct 1796 ) Battle of Schliengen ( 26 Oct 1796 ) Second Battle of Bassano ( 6 Nov 1796 ) Battle of Calliano ( 6 -- 7 Nov 1796 ) Battle of the Bridge of Arcole ( 15 -- 17 Nov 1796 ) The Ireland Expedition ( Dec 1796 ) 1797 Naval Engagement off Brittany ( 13 Jan 1797 ) Battle of Rivoli ( 14 -- 15 Jan 1797 ) Battle of the Bay of Cádiz ( 25 Jan 1797 ) Treaty of Leoben ( 17 Apr 1797 ) Battle of Neuwied ( 18 Apr 1797 ) Treaty of Campo Formio ( 17 Oct 1797 ) 1798 French invasion of Switzerland ( 28 January -- 17 May 1798 ) French Invasion of Egypt ( 1798 -- 1801 ) Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( 23 May -- 23 Sep 1798 ) Quasi-War ( 1798 -- 1800 ) Peasants ' War ( 12 Oct -- 5 Dec 1798 ) 1799 Second Coalition ( 1798 -- 1802 ) Siege of Acre ( 20 Mar -- 21 May 1799 ) Battle of Ostrach ( 20 -- 21 Mar 1799 ) Battle of Stockach ( 25 Mar 1799 ) Battle of Magnano ( 5 Apr 1799 ) Battle of Cassano ( 27 Apr 1799 ) First Battle of Zurich ( 4 -- 7 Jun 1799 ) Battle of Trebbia ( 19 Jun 1799 ) Battle of Novi ( 15 Aug 1799 ) Second Battle of Zurich ( 25 -- 26 Sep 1799 ) 1800 Battle of Marengo ( 14 Jun 1800 ) Battle of Hohenlinden ( 3 Dec 1800 ) League of Armed Neutrality ( 1800 -- 02 ) 1801 Treaty of Lunéville ( 9 Feb 1801 ) Treaty of Florence ( 18 Mar 1801 ) Algeciras Campaign ( 8 Jul 1801 ) 1802 Treaty of Amiens ( 25 Mar 1802 ) Military leaders French Army Eustache Charles d'Aoust Pierre Augereau Alexandre de Beauharnais Jean - Baptiste Bernadotte Louis - Alexandre Berthier Jean - Baptiste Bessières Guillaume - Marie - Anne Brune Jean François Carteaux Jean Étienne Championnet Chapuis de Tourville Adam Philippe , Comte de Custine Louis - Nicolas Davout Louis Desaix Jacques François Dugommier Thomas - Alexandre Dumas Charles François Dumouriez Pierre Marie Barthélemy Ferino Louis - Charles de Flers Paul Grenier Emmanuel de Grouchy Jacques Maurice Hatry Lazare Hoche Jean - Baptiste Jourdan François Christophe de Kellermann Jean - Baptiste Kléber Pierre Choderlos de Laclos Jean Lannes Charles Leclerc Claude Lecourbe François Joseph Lefebvre Jacques MacDonald Jean - Antoine Marbot Jean Baptiste de Marbot François Séverin Marceau - Desgraviers Auguste de Marmont André Masséna Bon - Adrien Jeannot de Moncey Jean Victor Marie Moreau Édouard Mortier , duc de Trévise Joachim Murat Michel Ney Pierre - Jacques Osten ( fr ) Nicolas Oudinot Catherine - Dominique de Pérignon Jean - Charles Pichegru Józef Poniatowski Laurent de Gouvion Saint - Cyr Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer Jean - Mathieu - Philibert Sérurier Joseph Souham Jean - de-Dieu Soult Louis - Gabriel Suchet Belgrand de Vaubois Claude Victor - Perrin , Duc de Belluno French Navy Charles - Alexandre Linois Opposition Austria József Alvinczi Archduke Charles , Duke of Teschen Count of Clerfayt ( Walloon ) Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze ( Swiss ) Friedrich Adolf , Count von Kalckreuth Pál Kray ( Hungarian ) Charles Eugene , Prince of Lambesc ( French ) Maximilian Baillet de Latour ( Walloon ) Karl Mack von Leiberich Rudolf Ritter von Otto ( Saxon ) Prince Josias of Saxe - Coburg - Saalfeld Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss - Plauen Johann Mészáros von Szoboszló ( Hungarian ) Karl Philipp Sebottendorf Dagobert von Wurmser Britain Sir Ralph Abercromby Admiral Sir James Saumarez Admiral Sir Edward Pellew Prince Frederick , Duke of York and Albany Dutch Republic William V , Prince of Orange Prussia Charles William Ferdinand , Duke of Brunswick - Wolfenbüttel Frederick Louis , Prince of Hohenlohe - Ingelfingen Russia Alexander Korsakov Alexander Suvorov Spain Luis Firmin de Carvajal Antonio Ricardos Other significant figures and factions Society of 1789 Jean Sylvain Bailly Gilbert du Motier , Marquis de Lafayette François Alexandre Frédéric , duc de la Rochefoucauld - Liancourt Isaac René Guy le Chapelier Honoré Gabriel Riqueti , comte de Mirabeau Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès Charles - Maurice de Talleyrand - Périgord Nicolas de Condorcet Feuillants and monarchiens Madame de Lamballe Madame du Barry Louis de Breteuil Loménie de Brienne Charles Alexandre de Calonne de Chateaubriand Jean Chouan Grace Elliott Arnaud de La Porte Jean - Sifrein Maury Jacques Necker François - Marie , marquis de Barthélemy Guillaume - Mathieu Dumas Antoine Barnave Lafayette Alexandre - Théodore - Victor , comte de Lameth Charles Malo François Lameth André Chénier Jean - François Rewbell Camille Jordan Madame de Staël Boissy d'Anglas Jean - Charles Pichegru Pierre Paul Royer - Collard Girondists Jacques Pierre Brissot Roland de La Platière Madame Roland Father Henri Grégoire Étienne Clavière Marquis de Condorcet Charlotte Corday Marie Jean Hérault Jean Baptiste Treilhard Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve Jean Debry Jean - Jacques Duval d'Eprémesnil Olympe de Gouges Jean - Baptiste Robert Lindet Louis Marie de La Révellière - Lépeaux The Plain Abbé Sieyès de Cambacérès Charles François Lebrun Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot Philippe Égalité Louis Philippe I Mirabeau Antoine Christophe Merlin de Thionville Jean Joseph Mounier Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours François de Neufchâteau Montagnards Maximilien Robespierre Georges Danton Jean - Paul Marat Camille Desmoulins Louis Antoine de Saint - Just Paul Nicolas , vicomte de Barras Louis Philippe I Louis Michel le Peletier de Saint - Fargeau Jacques - Louis David Marquis de Sade Jacques - Louis David Georges Couthon Roger Ducos Jean - Marie Collot d'Herbois Jean - Henri Voulland Philippe - Antoine Merlin de Douai Antoine Quentin Fouquier - Tinville Philippe - François - Joseph Le Bas Marc - Guillaume Alexis Vadier Jean - Pierre - André Amar Prieur de la Côte - d'Or Prieur de la Marne Gilbert Romme Jean Bon Saint - André Jean - Lambert Tallien Pierre Louis Prieur Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac Antoine Christophe Saliceti Hébertists and Enragés Jacques Hébert Jacques Nicolas Billaud - Varenne Pierre Gaspard Chaumette Charles - Philippe Ronsin Antoine - François Momoro François - Nicolas Vincent François Chabot Jean Baptiste Noël Bouchotte Jean - Baptiste - Joseph Gobel François Hanriot Jacques Roux Stanislas - Marie Maillard Charles - Philippe Ronsin Jean - François Varlet Theophile Leclerc Claire Lacombe Pauline Léon Gracchus Babeuf Sylvain Maréchal Others Charles X Louis XVI Louis XVII Louis XVIII Louis Antoine , Duke of Enghien Louis Henri , Prince of Condé Louis Joseph , Prince of Condé Marie Antoinette Napoléon Bonaparte Lucien Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Fesch Joséphine de Beauharnais Joachim Murat Jean Sylvain Bailly Jacques - Donatien Le Ray Guillaume - Chrétien de Malesherbes Talleyrand Thérésa Tallien Gui - Jean - Baptiste Target Catherine Théot List of people associated with the French Revolution Influential thinkers Les Lumières Beaumarchais Edmund Burke Anacharsis Cloots Charles - Augustin de Coulomb Pierre Claude François Daunou Diderot Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson Antoine Lavoisier Montesquieu Thomas Paine Jean - Jacques Rousseau Abbé Sieyès Voltaire Mary Wollstonecraft Cultural impact La Marseillaise French Tricolour Liberté , égalité , fraternité Marianne Bastille Day Panthéon French Republican Calendar Cult of the Supreme Being Cult of Reason Temple of Reason Sans - culottes Metric system Phrygian cap Women in the French Revolution Symbolism in the French Revolution Historiography of the French Revolution Influence of the French Revolution See also ( edit ) Battle of Marengo Maps Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Marengo&oldid=817642342 '' Categories : Battles of the French Revolutionary Wars Battles of the War of the Second Coalition Battles involving Austria Battles involving France Military history of Italy Conflicts in 1800 1800 in Italy 1800 in Austria 1800 in France History of Piedmont Hidden categories : Pages using deprecated image syntax Coordinates on Wikidata CS1 French - 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Question: where did the battle of marengo take place

near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy