Battles & Campaigns · 1796
Second Battle of Dego
Dego, Liguria, Italy
What happened
On 14 April Masséna's troops overran the defences at Dego, but then scattered through the town overnight. At dawn an Austrian force attacked in fog and drove them out. Masséna regrouped and retook Dego the same day.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Dego held the only road linking the Austrian and Sardinian armies. Taking it helped Bonaparte split them apart.
What came next
Bonaparte turned on the Sardinians and beat them at Mondovì, and Sardinia soon asked for peace.
Did you know?
An unconfirmed story says the dawn attack caught Masséna in bed, and he escaped in his nightshirt.
Timeline
- 13 April 1796Battle of Millesimo.
- 14 April 1796Masséna takes Dego.
- 15 April 1796Austrian counterattack; Dego retaken.
- 21 April 1796Battle of Mondovì.