Battle of Arcole
Arcole, Veneto, Italy
What happened
A French army under Napoleon Bonaparte fought an Austrian army under József Alvinczi. The Austrians were trying to rescue their besieged fortress of Mantua. Bonaparte crossed the Adige River and marched behind them, and the armies fought along narrow dikes through marshland. After two days of failed attacks, French troops forced their way into the village of Arcole on the third day.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The win helped stop Austria's third attempt to relieve Mantua. Bonaparte's stand on the bridge was quickly made into a legend by French artists and newspapers.
What came next
The Austrians retreated, and Mantua was left on its own. Bonaparte's aide Jean-Baptiste Muiron died at Arcole, and a ship was later named after him.
Did you know?
The painter Antoine-Jean Gros showed Bonaparte holding a flag on the bridge; the painting now hangs at the Palace of Versailles.
Timeline
- 15 November 1796The battle begins.
- 17 November 1796French troops take Arcole.
- 1796Gros paints 'Bonaparte at the Pont d'Arcole'.
- 1801The painting is shown at the Paris Salon.