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Welcome to the Age of Napoleon.

Episode 31, The Walls of Mantour.

Thanks for joining me.

We left off last time in early August of 1796.

Napoleon and the Army of Italy had just won an important

victory at the Battle of Castiglione. Earlier that summer the French had

succeeded in pushing the Austrians almost entirely out of northern Italy.

The Austrians launched a counter-offensive, led by the ornery but experienced field marshal

Dagobert von Vermser.

His objective was the last Austrian foothold in Italy, Mantua, an imposing fortress city which

held a garrison of 12,000 men.

Napoleon had taken a big risk by lifting the siege of Mantua

so he could bring his entire force to bear against Vermser's superior numbers.

That gamble paid off in the victory at Castellione.

However, leaving 12,000 men unchecked in his rear had come with consequences.

Valuable equipment left behind at the abandoned French siege lines fell into Austrian hands,

including much of the Army of Italy's heavy artillery.

Worse, after Castiglione, Vermser belatedly succeeded in his mission.

After the battle, a small detachment from the Austrian Field Army was able to make contact with the

garrison. If it had happened only a few days earlier, this could have been the turning point of the whole campaign.

But Vermser's army was fully in retreat, and Napoleon was already moving to restart the siege.

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