Alois von Gavasini
Encyclopedia
Alois Graf von Gavasini (1762 – 28 November 1834) led a combat brigade in the armies of Habsburg Austria and the Austrian Empire
during a remarkable number of battles in the French Revolutionary Wars
and Napoleonic Wars
. A native of Bonn
, he offered his services to Austria and won an award for bravery in 1790. While a field officer
in the Italian campaign, he led the rear guard
at Primolano in September 1796. Badly outnumbered by the French, he and his soldiers put up a vigorous fight until he was wounded and captured. At Arcole in November 1796, he commanded a brigade on the field of battle against Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. Promoted to general officer in the spring of 1800, he led a powerful brigade at Hohenlinden during that year's fall campaign in Bavaria
. Though the battle ended in a decisive defeat, Gavasini's troops fought well before being forced to retreat. The 1805 campaign in Italy found him directing a reserve brigade at Caldiero. After briefly retiring, the warrior returned to lead a brigade at the battles of Sacile
, Piave River
, and Graz
during the 1809 war. That year he retired from the army and did not return.
Born in 1762 at Bonn
in the Electorate of Cologne, Gavasini joined the army of Habsburg Austria. He won the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
on 19 December 1790. It is not specified whether the award was given for fighting against the Ottoman Turks
or the Brabant Revolution
. By September 1793, he had risen to the rank of Major
. His next promotion was to Oberstleutnant
(lieutenant colonel) on 1 April 1796.
In September 1796, Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
's army descended the Brenta Valley as it marched from Trentino in the Italian Tyrol to Bassano del Grappa
in the Po Valley. Peter Quasdanovich
, who led a division, dropped off Gavasini with a rear guard
at Primolano near Cismon del Grappa
to hold off Pierre Augereau's French pursuit. Gavasini's command included one 1,108-man battalion of the Michael Wallis Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 561 soldiers in four companies of the Erbach Infantry Regiment Nr. 42, one 100-strong company of the Mahony Jägers, a half-company of pioneers, and 90 troopers of the Erdödy Hussar Regiment Nr. 9. Another column of troops under Oberst
Georg von Stentsch arrived, bringing the total number of troops available to about 2,800. Gavasini drew up his troops behind an entrenchment in a narrow valley with a loop of the Brenta partly protecting his front.
On 7 September, Augereau's division appeared and began attacking the Austrian defenses. After clambering over the ridges and wading the river, the French skirmishers soon put the Austrian position in peril. The 5th Light and the 4th Line Infantry Demi-Brigades soon forced Gavasini to pull back to the Covelo fort, which perched atop an outcrop 200 feet (61 m) high. The 5th Light circled the Austrian left flank, while a strong party of the 4th Line climbed to a site on the Austrian right rear where it poured fire into the fort. After holding out for an hour, the wounded Gavasini led his men out of the trap only to fall captive to Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud
's 5th Dragoon Regiment.
Against "light" French casualties, the Austrians lost 1,500 men and five guns captured in the combat, including the greater part of the Wallis and Erbach battalions. Austrian total strength in the area was 4,000, including the 9th Battalion of the Karlstadt Grenz Infantry
Regiment, the 4th Battalion of the Warasdiner Grenz Infantry Regiment, and the grenadiers of the Pellegrini Infantry Regiment Nr. 49. Augereau's 8,200-man division consisted of twelve battalions in two brigades under Jean-Baptiste Dominique Rusca
and Claude Perrin Victor. The Battle of Bassano
occurred the following day.
. His name does not appear in the Austrian order of battle, which lists six divisions of about 4,000 men each. On the morning of 15 November 1796, the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte initiated the Battle of Arcole by crossing the Adige
River behind Jozsef Alvinczi's left flank. From there, Augereau's division drove north toward Arcole
village while André Masséna
's division moved northwest in the direction of Belfiore. In response to orders from Alvinczi, Gavasini moved his brigade to Belfiore at 11:00 AM. Leading the Splényi Infantry Regiment Nr. 51 along a causeway through the marshes, Gavasini ran into Masséna's advance at Bionde, midway between Belfiore and the French crossing site at Ronco all'Adige
. At first the Splényi Regiment drove back the French, capturing two cannons. However, a second Austrian column under Adolf Brabeck mistakenly fired into Gavasini's men from an adjacent causeway, throwing them into panic. Masséna followed the retreating Austrians and temporarily captured Belfiore.
On the second day of battle, Alvinczi ordered six battalions under Giovanni Marchese di Provera
to advance from Belfiore while Anton Ferdinand Mittrowsky
's 14 battalions attacked south from Arcole. At 5:00 AM, Provera's attack was underway, but it was quickly blunted by Masséna. The French skirmishers riddled the Austrian infantry formations and soon only the Habsburg cannoneers were holding back the enemy almost singlehandedly. Then Brabeck was killed and the entire force fled back to Belfiore, which the French captured again, along with five guns. Mittrowsky's attack also miscarried, but he managed to hang onto Arcole until nightfall after savage fighting. On the third day, Provera's attack on Masséna failed again and this time the Austrian position unraveled. The French general diverted the bulk of his division to help Augereau and the two finally seized Arcole about 5:00 PM on 17 November, thereby winning the battle.
(colonel) on 4 December 1796 and to General-major on 6 March 1800. On 3 December 1800 he led a brigade in Michael von Kienmayer
's corps-sized Right Column at the Battle of Hohenlinden. His brigade was part of Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
's division and comprised one battalion of the Ligne Infantry Regiment Nr. 30; two battalions each of the Clerfayt Infantry Regiment Nr. 9, Beaulieu
Infantry Regiment Nr. 58, and Murray Infantry Regiment Nr. 55; and three battalions of the Gemmingen Infantry Regiment Nr. 21. The battle ended in an Austrian disaster, but alone among his fellow division and column commanders, Schwarzenberg handled his division with skill.
While some Austrian leaders proved irresolute, Schwarzenberg thrust boldly at Paul Grenier
's left wing divisions of Louis Bastoul and Michel Ney
. Gavasini's Gemmingen Regiment quickly seized the village of Forstern
and had to be driven out. Schwarzenberg's fight centered on a series of hamlets north of Hohenlinden. The Murray Regiment carried Kronacker in an impetuous assault, lost it to Ney's counterattack, and captured it again. Later in the day, the French retook Kronacker before losing it again to a charge by the Murray Regiment. By this time, Kienmayer found out that the French had smashed Johann Kollowrat
's Left Center Column and he issued orders to retreat. In spite of the difficult tactical situation, Schwarzenberg was able to withdraw his division in good order.
, which roughly corresponds to modern-day Slovenia
. His headquarters was located in Ljubljana (Laibach)
.
In the War of the Third Coalition, Gavasini led a seven battalion brigade in Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
's Army of Italy. At the time of the Battle of Verona
, his unit was assigned to the Left Wing under Paul Davidovich
. After a reorganization, he fought in Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau
's Reserve at the Battle of Caldiero
on 29–31 October 1805. His brigade included four battalions of the Archduke Rudolf Infantry Regiment Nr. 16, three battalions of the Lattermann Infantry Regiment Nr. 45, and eight squadrons of the Stipczic Hussar Regiment Nr. 10.
Gavasini resigned from the army in 1806, but was called back to service before the outbreak of the War of the Fifth Coalition
. At the beginning of the conflict he commanded a brigade of Landwehr
that comprised two battalions from Trieste
, two battalions from Gorizia (Görz)
, and four battalions from Postojna (Adelsberg)
. After the eruption of the Tyrolean Rebellion, the Austrian high command dispatched Johann Gabriel Chasteler de Courcelles
and a division to the aid of the rebels. In the consequent reorganization of Archduke John of Austria's Army of Inner Austria, Gavasini emerged as brigade commander in the IX Armeekorps of Ignaz Gyulai
. His brigade was made up of three battalions of the Reisky Infantry Regiment N. 13 and one and one-half battalions of the Otocaner Grenz Infantry
Regiment Nr. 2. He led this unit at the Battle of Sacile
on 16 April 1809. The VIII Armeekorps of Albert Gyulai
absorbed the main attack of Eugène de Beauharnais
' army while the IX Armeekorps waited in reserve. In the afternoon, Archduke John unleashed Ignaz Gyulai's troops and they pressed back the outmatched Franco-Italian left flank to win the contest.
At the Battle of Piave River
on 8 May 1809, he commanded two battalions of the Otocaner Regiment in the IX Armeekorps. None of the sources specify where Gavasini's brigade deployed. However, Albert Gyulai
's two VIII Armeekorps brigades held the right flank near Mandre while Johann Kalnássy's IX Armeekorps brigade formed the extreme left flank at Cimadolmo. Late in the afternoon, the Franco-Italian army broke through Ignaz Gyulai's line in the center and forced Archduke John to commit his reserve brigade of grenadiers. When these elite troops failed to stop their enemies, the Austrian army was forced to retreat.
After the Piave, Archduke John retreated to Villach
with his main body while sending Ignaz Gyulai to Laibach to sustain the defense of Croatia
. After a reorganization, Gavasini found himself leading a brigade in Anton von Zach
's division of Ignaz Gyulai's army corps. He commanded two battalions of the Otocaner Regiment, two battalions of the Archduke Franz Karl Infantry Regiment Nr. 52, and eight cannons of a 3-pound brigade battery. On 24 June, the Otocaner and Archduke Franz Karl Regiments skirmished with Jean-Baptiste Broussier
's division at Karlsdorf, now a suburb of Graz
. The troops also fought in the Battle of Graz
on 25 and 26 June.
Gavasini retired again on 10 December 1809 and never returned to military service. He died at Klagenfurt
on 28 November 1834.
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
during a remarkable number of battles in the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. A native of Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, he offered his services to Austria and won an award for bravery in 1790. While a field officer
Field officer
A field officer is an army, marine, or air force commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer but junior to a general officer; in some navies, it is an officer who is a Lieutenant Commander, Commander, or Captain....
in the Italian campaign, he led the rear guard
Rear guard
A rear guard or rearguard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal...
at Primolano in September 1796. Badly outnumbered by the French, he and his soldiers put up a vigorous fight until he was wounded and captured. At Arcole in November 1796, he commanded a brigade on the field of battle against Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. Promoted to general officer in the spring of 1800, he led a powerful brigade at Hohenlinden during that year's fall campaign in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. Though the battle ended in a decisive defeat, Gavasini's troops fought well before being forced to retreat. The 1805 campaign in Italy found him directing a reserve brigade at Caldiero. After briefly retiring, the warrior returned to lead a brigade at the battles of Sacile
Battle of Sacile
The Battle of Sacile on 16 April 1809 and its companion Clash at Pordenone on 15 April saw an Austrian army commanded by Archduke John of Austria defeat a Franco-Italian army led by Eugène de Beauharnais and force it to retreat. Sacile proved to be the most notable victory of John's career...
, Piave River
Battle of Piave River (1809)
The Battle of Piave River was fought on 8 May 1809 between the Franco-Italian army under the command of Eugène de Beauharnais and an Austrian army led by Archduke John of Austria. The Austrian commander made a stand behind the Piave River but he suffered a defeat at the hands of his numerically...
, and Graz
Battle of Graz
The Battle of Graz took place on 24–26 June 1809 between an Austrian corps commanded by Ignaz Gyulai and a French division led by Jean-Baptiste Broussier. The French were soon reinforced by a corps under Auguste Marmont...
during the 1809 war. That year he retired from the army and did not return.
Primolano
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
in the Electorate of Cologne, Gavasini joined the army of Habsburg Austria. He won the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
on 19 December 1790. It is not specified whether the award was given for fighting against the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
or the Brabant Revolution
Brabant Revolution
The Brabant Revolution took place between January 1789 and December 1790, when a popular revolt broke in the Austrian Netherlands against the unpopular reforms of the Emperor Joseph II...
. By September 1793, he had risen to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. His next promotion was to Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
(lieutenant colonel) on 1 April 1796.
In September 1796, Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigismund, Count Wurmser was an Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mounted several successful campaigns in the Rhineland in the initial years of the French Revolutionary Wars, he...
's army descended the Brenta Valley as it marched from Trentino in the Italian Tyrol to Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa is a city and comune in the province of Vicenza, region Veneto, in northern Italy. It bounds the communes of Cassola, Marostica, Solagna, Pove del Grappa, Romano d'Ezzelino, Campolongo sul Brenta, Conco, Rosà, Cartigliano and Nove...
in the Po Valley. Peter Quasdanovich
Peter Quasdanovich
Peter Vitus Freiherr von Quosdanovich was a general of the Austrian Empire. Feldmarschall-Lieutenant and Commander of the Order of Maria Theresa...
, who led a division, dropped off Gavasini with a rear guard
Rear guard
A rear guard or rearguard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal...
at Primolano near Cismon del Grappa
Cismon del Grappa
Cismon del Grappa is a town and comune in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. It is east of SS47.-References:*...
to hold off Pierre Augereau's French pursuit. Gavasini's command included one 1,108-man battalion of the Michael Wallis Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 561 soldiers in four companies of the Erbach Infantry Regiment Nr. 42, one 100-strong company of the Mahony Jägers, a half-company of pioneers, and 90 troopers of the Erdödy Hussar Regiment Nr. 9. Another column of troops under Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Georg von Stentsch arrived, bringing the total number of troops available to about 2,800. Gavasini drew up his troops behind an entrenchment in a narrow valley with a loop of the Brenta partly protecting his front.
On 7 September, Augereau's division appeared and began attacking the Austrian defenses. After clambering over the ridges and wading the river, the French skirmishers soon put the Austrian position in peril. The 5th Light and the 4th Line Infantry Demi-Brigades soon forced Gavasini to pull back to the Covelo fort, which perched atop an outcrop 200 feet (61 m) high. The 5th Light circled the Austrian left flank, while a strong party of the 4th Line climbed to a site on the Austrian right rear where it poured fire into the fort. After holding out for an hour, the wounded Gavasini led his men out of the trap only to fall captive to Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud
Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud
Édouard Jean-Baptiste Milhaud was a French politician, Général de Division, and comte d'Empire.-French Revolutionary wars:...
's 5th Dragoon Regiment.
Against "light" French casualties, the Austrians lost 1,500 men and five guns captured in the combat, including the greater part of the Wallis and Erbach battalions. Austrian total strength in the area was 4,000, including the 9th Battalion of the Karlstadt Grenz Infantry
Grenz infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers were light infantry troops who came from the Croatian and Transylvanian Military Frontier in Habsburg Monarchy . This borderland formed a buffer zone between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, and the troops were originally raised to defend Austria against the...
Regiment, the 4th Battalion of the Warasdiner Grenz Infantry Regiment, and the grenadiers of the Pellegrini Infantry Regiment Nr. 49. Augereau's 8,200-man division consisted of twelve battalions in two brigades under Jean-Baptiste Dominique Rusca
Jean-Baptiste Dominique Rusca
Jean-Baptiste Dominique Rusca was born in the County of Nice, part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. By profession a medical doctor, he advocated the cause of the French Revolution and was expelled by the Sardinian authorities. In 1793, he treated the French sick and wounded during the Siege of Toulon...
and Claude Perrin Victor. The Battle of Bassano
Battle of Bassano
The Battle of Bassano was fought on 8 September 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, in the territory of the Republic of Venice, between a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces led by Count Dagobert von Wurmser. The battle ended in a French victory...
occurred the following day.
Arcole
After being freed in a prisoner exchange, Gavasini rejoined the army for the third relief of the Siege of MantuaSiege of Mantua (1796-1797)
In the Siege of Mantua, which lasted from 4 July 1796 to 2 February 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besieged and blockaded a large Austrian garrison for many months until it surrendered...
. His name does not appear in the Austrian order of battle, which lists six divisions of about 4,000 men each. On the morning of 15 November 1796, the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte initiated the Battle of Arcole by crossing the Adige
Adige
The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
River behind Jozsef Alvinczi's left flank. From there, Augereau's division drove north toward Arcole
Arcole
Arcole , historicaslly also known as Arcola, is a comune with 5,274 inhabitants in the province of Verona. It is known as the site of the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole.-History:...
village while André Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
's division moved northwest in the direction of Belfiore. In response to orders from Alvinczi, Gavasini moved his brigade to Belfiore at 11:00 AM. Leading the Splényi Infantry Regiment Nr. 51 along a causeway through the marshes, Gavasini ran into Masséna's advance at Bionde, midway between Belfiore and the French crossing site at Ronco all'Adige
Ronco all'Adige
Ronco all'Adige is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 90 km west of Venice and about 25 km southeast of Verona...
. At first the Splényi Regiment drove back the French, capturing two cannons. However, a second Austrian column under Adolf Brabeck mistakenly fired into Gavasini's men from an adjacent causeway, throwing them into panic. Masséna followed the retreating Austrians and temporarily captured Belfiore.
On the second day of battle, Alvinczi ordered six battalions under Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Austrian army in Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.-Military...
to advance from Belfiore while Anton Ferdinand Mittrowsky
Anton Ferdinand Mittrowsky
Anton Ferdinand Mittrowsky von Mittrowitz und Nemyšl, or Anton Mittrovsky, served in the Austrian army for many years. He was promoted to general officer in the spring of 1796, just in time to lead a brigade against Napoleon Bonaparte during the 1796-1797 Italian Campaign of the French...
's 14 battalions attacked south from Arcole. At 5:00 AM, Provera's attack was underway, but it was quickly blunted by Masséna. The French skirmishers riddled the Austrian infantry formations and soon only the Habsburg cannoneers were holding back the enemy almost singlehandedly. Then Brabeck was killed and the entire force fled back to Belfiore, which the French captured again, along with five guns. Mittrowsky's attack also miscarried, but he managed to hang onto Arcole until nightfall after savage fighting. On the third day, Provera's attack on Masséna failed again and this time the Austrian position unraveled. The French general diverted the bulk of his division to help Augereau and the two finally seized Arcole about 5:00 PM on 17 November, thereby winning the battle.
Hohenlinden
Gavasini was promoted to OberstOberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(colonel) on 4 December 1796 and to General-major on 6 March 1800. On 3 December 1800 he led a brigade in Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer was an Austrian general who was active during the Napoleonic Wars.von Kienmayer joined the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he continued to make his reputation in the cavalry and...
's corps-sized Right Column at the Battle of Hohenlinden. His brigade was part of Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg (April 18, 1771 – October 15, 1820) was an Austrian field marshal.- Life :...
's division and comprised one battalion of the Ligne Infantry Regiment Nr. 30; two battalions each of the Clerfayt Infantry Regiment Nr. 9, Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu de Marconnay, also Jean Pierre Beaulieu de Marconnay, born 26 October 1725 – died 22 December 1819, was an Austrian military officer. He joined the Austrian army and fought against the Prussians during the Seven Years War. A cultured man, he later battled Belgian rebels...
Infantry Regiment Nr. 58, and Murray Infantry Regiment Nr. 55; and three battalions of the Gemmingen Infantry Regiment Nr. 21. The battle ended in an Austrian disaster, but alone among his fellow division and column commanders, Schwarzenberg handled his division with skill.
While some Austrian leaders proved irresolute, Schwarzenberg thrust boldly at Paul Grenier
Paul Grenier
Paul Grenier joined the French royal army and rapidly rose to general officer rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led a division in the 1796-1797 campaign in southern Germany. During the 1800 campaign in the Electorate of Bavaria he was a wing commander...
's left wing divisions of Louis Bastoul and Michel Ney
Michel Ney
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
. Gavasini's Gemmingen Regiment quickly seized the village of Forstern
Forstern
Forstern is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
and had to be driven out. Schwarzenberg's fight centered on a series of hamlets north of Hohenlinden. The Murray Regiment carried Kronacker in an impetuous assault, lost it to Ney's counterattack, and captured it again. Later in the day, the French retook Kronacker before losing it again to a charge by the Murray Regiment. By this time, Kienmayer found out that the French had smashed Johann Kollowrat
Johann Kollowrat
Kollowrat-Krakowsky, Johann Karl, Graf von joined the Austrian army, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey before being promoted to general officer rank. During combat against the French in the French Revolutionary Wars, he first became known as an artillery specialist...
's Left Center Column and he issued orders to retreat. In spite of the difficult tactical situation, Schwarzenberg was able to withdraw his division in good order.
Napoleonic Wars
From 1801 to 1805, Gavasini commanded in CarniolaCarniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
, which roughly corresponds to modern-day Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. His headquarters was located in Ljubljana (Laibach)
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
.
In the War of the Third Coalition, Gavasini led a seven battalion brigade in Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...
's Army of Italy. At the time of the Battle of Verona
Battle of Verona (1805)
The Battle of Verona was fought on 18 October 1805 between the French Army of Italy under the command of André Masséna and an Austrian army led by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen. By the end of the day, Massena seized a bridgehead on the east bank of the Adige River, driving back the defending...
, his unit was assigned to the Left Wing under Paul Davidovich
Paul Davidovich
Baron Paul Davidovich or Pavle Davidović became a general of the Austrian Empire and a Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. He played a major role in the 1796 Italian campaign during the French Revolutionary Wars, leading corps-sized commands in the fighting against the French army led...
. After a reorganization, he fought in Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau
Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau
Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau, comte de Mercy or Eugen Gillis Wilhelm Graf Mercy d'Argenteau joined the Austrian army in 1760, became a general officer, and led large formations of soldiers in several actions during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.-Early career:Born at Huy in...
's Reserve at the Battle of Caldiero
Battle of Caldiero
The Battle of Caldiero took place on October 30, 1805, pitching the French Armée d'Italie under Marshal André Masséna against an Austrian army under the command of Archduke Charles of Austria...
on 29–31 October 1805. His brigade included four battalions of the Archduke Rudolf Infantry Regiment Nr. 16, three battalions of the Lattermann Infantry Regiment Nr. 45, and eight squadrons of the Stipczic Hussar Regiment Nr. 10.
Gavasini resigned from the army in 1806, but was called back to service before the outbreak of the War of the Fifth Coalition
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
. At the beginning of the conflict he commanded a brigade of Landwehr
Landwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
that comprised two battalions from Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, two battalions from Gorizia (Görz)
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
, and four battalions from Postojna (Adelsberg)
Postojna
Postojna is a town and a municipality in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. Population 14,581 .-History:...
. After the eruption of the Tyrolean Rebellion, the Austrian high command dispatched Johann Gabriel Chasteler de Courcelles
Johann Gabriel Chasteler de Courcelles
Johann Gabriel, Marquis du Chasteler de Courcelles was a Walloon, entered the military service of Habsburg Austria at an early age and trained as an engineer. He won a coveted award in action against the Ottoman Turks. He fought against the First French Republic and was promoted to general officer...
and a division to the aid of the rebels. In the consequent reorganization of Archduke John of Austria's Army of Inner Austria, Gavasini emerged as brigade commander in the IX Armeekorps of Ignaz Gyulai
Ignaz Gyulai
Ignaz Gyulai von Máros-Nemeth und Nádaska, Ignácz Gyulay, Ignác Gyulay, or Ignjat Đulaj born 11 September 1763 – died 11 November 1831, joined the army of Habsburg Austria, fought against Ottoman Turkey, and became a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. From 1806 he held the...
. His brigade was made up of three battalions of the Reisky Infantry Regiment N. 13 and one and one-half battalions of the Otocaner Grenz Infantry
Grenz infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers were light infantry troops who came from the Croatian and Transylvanian Military Frontier in Habsburg Monarchy . This borderland formed a buffer zone between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, and the troops were originally raised to defend Austria against the...
Regiment Nr. 2. He led this unit at the Battle of Sacile
Battle of Sacile
The Battle of Sacile on 16 April 1809 and its companion Clash at Pordenone on 15 April saw an Austrian army commanded by Archduke John of Austria defeat a Franco-Italian army led by Eugène de Beauharnais and force it to retreat. Sacile proved to be the most notable victory of John's career...
on 16 April 1809. The VIII Armeekorps of Albert Gyulai
Albert Gyulai
Albert Gyulai von Máros-Németh und Nádaska or Albert Gyulay, born 12 September 1766 – died 27 April 1835, a Hungarian, joined the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against Ottoman Turkey. He served against the First French Republic in the Flanders Campaign and on the Rhine...
absorbed the main attack of Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Prince Français, Prince of Venice, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Hereditary Grand Duke of Frankfurt, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and 1st Prince of Eichstätt ad personam was the first child and only son of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la...
' army while the IX Armeekorps waited in reserve. In the afternoon, Archduke John unleashed Ignaz Gyulai's troops and they pressed back the outmatched Franco-Italian left flank to win the contest.
At the Battle of Piave River
Battle of Piave River (1809)
The Battle of Piave River was fought on 8 May 1809 between the Franco-Italian army under the command of Eugène de Beauharnais and an Austrian army led by Archduke John of Austria. The Austrian commander made a stand behind the Piave River but he suffered a defeat at the hands of his numerically...
on 8 May 1809, he commanded two battalions of the Otocaner Regiment in the IX Armeekorps. None of the sources specify where Gavasini's brigade deployed. However, Albert Gyulai
Albert Gyulai
Albert Gyulai von Máros-Németh und Nádaska or Albert Gyulay, born 12 September 1766 – died 27 April 1835, a Hungarian, joined the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against Ottoman Turkey. He served against the First French Republic in the Flanders Campaign and on the Rhine...
's two VIII Armeekorps brigades held the right flank near Mandre while Johann Kalnássy's IX Armeekorps brigade formed the extreme left flank at Cimadolmo. Late in the afternoon, the Franco-Italian army broke through Ignaz Gyulai's line in the center and forced Archduke John to commit his reserve brigade of grenadiers. When these elite troops failed to stop their enemies, the Austrian army was forced to retreat.
After the Piave, Archduke John retreated to Villach
Villach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
with his main body while sending Ignaz Gyulai to Laibach to sustain the defense of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. After a reorganization, Gavasini found himself leading a brigade in Anton von Zach
Anton von Zach
Anton Freiherr von Zach enlisted in the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against the First French Republic. In the French Revolutionary Wars, he gained prominence as a staff officer. Still on active service during the Napoleonic Wars, he fought in the 1805 and 1809 wars...
's division of Ignaz Gyulai's army corps. He commanded two battalions of the Otocaner Regiment, two battalions of the Archduke Franz Karl Infantry Regiment Nr. 52, and eight cannons of a 3-pound brigade battery. On 24 June, the Otocaner and Archduke Franz Karl Regiments skirmished with Jean-Baptiste Broussier
Jean-Baptiste Broussier
Jean-Baptiste Broussier was a French Divisional General of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars.-Life:Broussier was born in Ville-sur-Saulx....
's division at Karlsdorf, now a suburb of Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. The troops also fought in the Battle of Graz
Battle of Graz
The Battle of Graz took place on 24–26 June 1809 between an Austrian corps commanded by Ignaz Gyulai and a French division led by Jean-Baptiste Broussier. The French were soon reinforced by a corps under Auguste Marmont...
on 25 and 26 June.
Gavasini retired again on 10 December 1809 and never returned to military service. He died at Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
on 28 November 1834.