Battle of Palestro
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Palestro was fought on 30/31 May 1859 between the Austrian Empire
and the combined forces of the Kingdom of Sardinia
-Piedmont and France
. The Franco-Piedmontese forces were victorious. It was fought just south to Palestro
, a town in what is now the province of Pavia
in northern Italy
.
of 20 May 1859, the Franco-Piedmontese army moved towards Novara
, aiming to reach Milan
, the capital of Lombardy-Venetia, the Austrian puppet state in northern Italy. Part of the Piedmontese forces advanced to Robbio
to cover the right flank of the allied army.
On 30 May the Piedmontese crossed the Sesia
river and, after a hard fight, managed to take control of Palestro
, Vinzaglio
and Confienza
. The following day, in order to test the enemy's strength, Austrian feld-marshal Friedrich Zobel
ordered to attack Palestro to two of his infantry divisions. The 4th Piedmontese Division under general Enrico Cialdini
took position between Palestro and the road to Robbio, with the 10th Infantry Regiment on his left, the 9th Regiment to defend Cascina San Pietro, and the 3rd Zouaves Regiment on his right flank, on an island in the river known as Sesietta. The King of Sardinia-Piedmont, Victor Emmanuel II, was in Palestro and followed the early course of the battle from the town's bell tower.
The Austrian attacked first the Piedmontese line at Palestro, but were pushed back to Robbio. The Piedmontese at Cascina San Pietro were also under heavy attack from Austrian troops from Rosasco
. The situation was solved by the rushy attack of the 3rd Zouaves Regiment under Colonel Chabron, who attacked the left flank of the Austrian contingents. The Zouaves were able to reach the enemy's artillery, defended by the 7th Tirolese Hunters Regiment. Then they launched a bayonet attack against the four infantry battalions of the 12th Regiment "Archduke William". The positions conquered by the French units were immediately reinforced by Italian troops led personally by Victor Emmanuel, which arrived in time to repel an Austrian counterattack.
After the Franco-Piedmontese troops had strengthened their bridgehead over the Sesia river, Zobel, despite its numerical superiority, retired towards Robbio. His decision was motivated by the fear that French units under general Canrobert, which had just reached the left bank of the Sesia, could cut in two his corps.
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...
and the combined forces of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
-Piedmont and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Franco-Piedmontese forces were victorious. It was fought just south to Palestro
Palestro
Palestro is a town and comune in the province of Pavia. It is located on the banks of the river Sesia.-History:Although located in area settled by Celts, Etruscans, Romans and Lombards, Palestro is mentioned for the first time in 999 AD, when it was given to the bishop of Vercelli by emperor Otto...
, a town in what is now the province of Pavia
Province of Pavia
The Province of Pavia is a province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. Pavia is the capital.It has an area of 2,965 km², and a total population of 493,753...
in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
After the battle of MontebelloBattle of Montebello (1859)
The Battle of Montebello was fought on May 20, 1859 at Montebello . It was a minor engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence, fought between Piedmontese cavalry and French infantry against Austrian troops. The Austrian defeat, despite the greater number, was another sign that Austrian...
of 20 May 1859, the Franco-Piedmontese army moved towards Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
, aiming to reach Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, the capital of Lombardy-Venetia, the Austrian puppet state in northern Italy. Part of the Piedmontese forces advanced to Robbio
Robbio
Robbio is a city and comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia...
to cover the right flank of the allied army.
On 30 May the Piedmontese crossed the Sesia
Sesia
Sesia may refer to:* Sesia River, in northwest Italy* Sesia , a district during the First French Empire, named after the river* Sesia, a genus of moths* The Valsesia, the river’s valley...
river and, after a hard fight, managed to take control of Palestro
Palestro
Palestro is a town and comune in the province of Pavia. It is located on the banks of the river Sesia.-History:Although located in area settled by Celts, Etruscans, Romans and Lombards, Palestro is mentioned for the first time in 999 AD, when it was given to the bishop of Vercelli by emperor Otto...
, Vinzaglio
Vinzaglio
Vinzaglio is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km southwest of Novara. It is an agricultural borough in the rice-growing plain of Vercelli....
and Confienza
Confienza
Confienza is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 50 km northwest of Pavia....
. The following day, in order to test the enemy's strength, Austrian feld-marshal Friedrich Zobel
Friedrich Zobel
Thomas Friedrich Zobel von Giebelstadt und Darstadt was an Austrian lieutenant feldmarshal.Zobel was born into a family of the lesser Austrian nobility. He studied in the military academy of Vienna and distinguished himself in the riots in Lombardy-Venetia of 1848...
ordered to attack Palestro to two of his infantry divisions. The 4th Piedmontese Division under general Enrico Cialdini
Enrico Cialdini
Enrico Cialdini, Duca di Gaeta was an Italian soldier, politician and diplomat.-Biography:He was born at Castelvetro, in the province of Modena. In 1831 he took part in the insurrection at Modena, fleeing afterwards to Paris, whence he proceeded to Spain to fight against the Carlists...
took position between Palestro and the road to Robbio, with the 10th Infantry Regiment on his left, the 9th Regiment to defend Cascina San Pietro, and the 3rd Zouaves Regiment on his right flank, on an island in the river known as Sesietta. The King of Sardinia-Piedmont, Victor Emmanuel II, was in Palestro and followed the early course of the battle from the town's bell tower.
The Austrian attacked first the Piedmontese line at Palestro, but were pushed back to Robbio. The Piedmontese at Cascina San Pietro were also under heavy attack from Austrian troops from Rosasco
Rosasco
Rosasco is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 691 and an area of 19.8 km²....
. The situation was solved by the rushy attack of the 3rd Zouaves Regiment under Colonel Chabron, who attacked the left flank of the Austrian contingents. The Zouaves were able to reach the enemy's artillery, defended by the 7th Tirolese Hunters Regiment. Then they launched a bayonet attack against the four infantry battalions of the 12th Regiment "Archduke William". The positions conquered by the French units were immediately reinforced by Italian troops led personally by Victor Emmanuel, which arrived in time to repel an Austrian counterattack.
After the Franco-Piedmontese troops had strengthened their bridgehead over the Sesia river, Zobel, despite its numerical superiority, retired towards Robbio. His decision was motivated by the fear that French units under general Canrobert, which had just reached the left bank of the Sesia, could cut in two his corps.