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The Battle of Arcole or Battle of Arcola (15–17 November 1796) ... The dikes along the Alpone near Arcole were "26 feet high, and had very steep faces."
In the Battle of Arcole on 15 to 17 November 1796, the French Army of Italy commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte won a victory over the army of Austria led by Jozsef Alvinczi.The battle was part of the third relief of the Siege of Mantua in which Alvinczi's army repulsed Bonaparte at the Second Battle of Bassano on 6 November and at the Battle of Caldiero on 12 November.
Unseen, the small detachment crossed the Alpone and, thanks to the sound of musical instruments, he simulated the approach of a large unit right behind the Austrians headquartered in Arcole, who immediately retreated northwards, convinced of an imminent heavy attack by French forces.
In the following three-day Battle of Arcole, Bonaparte, fighting outnumbered and faced with the failure of his repeated efforts to capture a pivotal bridge at Arcole, won an important and hard-fought victory against Alvinczy. Both sides were reinforced before Alvinczy launched another attack in January.
The initial French attacks in the Battle of Arcole were repelled by 2 battalions of Brigido's Croats defending the village. By 12:30 pm, the first of Mittrowsky's soldiers began to arrive at Arcole and by 3:00 pm all his troops were present. Bonaparte personally led a charge on Arcole, but it was repulsed like all earlier attacks.
In November, Napoleon joined battle with József Alvinczi near the junction of the Adige and Alpone rivers. Despite lacking basic equipment and food, the French army went on the offensive. On 14 November, they crossed the Adige. All that remained between the two armies now was the Alpone.
Modifying his strategy, Bonaparte decided to strike the Austrian rear at the Battle of Arcole. On 15 November, Masséna captured the town of Porcile, covering Augereau's manoeuvre which was directed towards Arcole. However, despite the determination of their soldiers, the French were unable to hold on to the Alpone and retreated to the Adige.
Bonaparte at the Pont d’Arcole (French: Bonaparte au Pont d’Arcole) is an oil-on-canvas painting executed in 1796 by the French artist Antoine-Jean Gros.It depicts an episode during the Battle of Arcole in November 1796, with General Napoleon Bonaparte leading his troops to storm the bridge.