Alois Graf von Gavasini (1762 – 28 November 1834) led a combat brigade in the armies of
Habsburg Austria The term Habsburg Austria may refer to the lands ruled by the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs, or the historical Austria. Depending on the context, it may be defined as:
* The Duchy of Austria, after 1453 the Archduchy of Austria
* The ''Erbland ...
and the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
during a remarkable number of battles in the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
and
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. A native of
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...
, he offered his services to Austria and won an award for bravery in 1790. While a
field officer
A senior officer is an officer of a more senior grade in military or other uniformed services. In military organisations, the term may refer to any officer above junior officer rank, but usually specifically refers to the middle-ranking group of ...
in the Italian campaign, he led the
rear guard
A rearguard is a part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines, such as communication lines, behind an army. Even more ...
at Primolano in September 1796. Badly outnumbered by the French, he and his soldiers put up a vigorous fight until he was wounded and captured. At
Arcole
Arcole (pronounced ), historically also known as Arcola, is a ''comune'' with 5,274 inhabitants in the province of Verona. It is known as the site of the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole.
History
Between 15–17 November 1796, the Battle of Arcole ...
in November 1796, he commanded a brigade on the field of battle against
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's French army. Promoted to
general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
in the spring of 1800, he led a powerful brigade at
Hohenlinden
Hohenlinden (meaning "high linden trees"; colloquially: ''Linden''; in the Bavarian dialect: ''Hea-lin'') is a community in the Upper Bavarian district of Ebersberg. The city of Lynden, Washington is named after it, as is Linden, Alabama. Hohe ...
during that year's fall campaign in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
. Though the battle ended in a decisive defeat, Gavasini's troops fought well before being forced to retreat. The 1805 campaign in Italy found him directing a reserve brigade at
Caldiero
Caldiero is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about east of Verona.
Caldiero borders the following municipalities: Belfiore, Colognola ai Colli, Lavagno, San Mart ...
. After briefly retiring, the warrior returned to lead a brigade at the battles of
Sacile
Sacile (; vec, Sathìl ; Liventina: ; Western Friulian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pordenone, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. It is known as the "Garden of the ''Serenissima''" after the many palace ...
,
Piave River
The Piave ( la, Plavis, German: ''Ploden'') is a river in northern Italy. It begins in the Alps and flows southeast for into the Adriatic Sea near the city of Venice. One of its tributaries is the Boite.
In 1809 it was the scene of a battle du ...
, and
Graz
Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...
during the 1809 war. That year he retired from the army and did not return.
French Revolutionary Wars
Primolano
Born in 1762 at
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...
in the
Electorate of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne (german: Kurfürstentum Köln), sometimes referred to as Electoral Cologne (german: Kurköln, links=no), was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. ...
, Gavasini joined the army of
Habsburg Austria The term Habsburg Austria may refer to the lands ruled by the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs, or the historical Austria. Depending on the context, it may be defined as:
* The Duchy of Austria, after 1453 the Archduchy of Austria
* The ''Erbland ...
. He won the Knight's Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa (german: Militär-Maria-Theresien-Orden; hu, Katonai Mária Terézia-rend; cs, Vojenský řád Marie Terezie; pl, Wojskowy Order Marii Teresy; sl, Vojaški red Marije Terezije; hr, Vojni Red Marije Te ...
on 19 December 1790. It is not specified whether the award was given for fighting against the
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
or the
Brabant Revolution
The Brabant Revolution or Brabantine Revolution (french: Révolution brabançonne, nl, Brabantse Omwenteling), sometimes referred to as the Belgian Revolution of 1789–1790 in older writing, was an armed insurrection that occurred in the Austr ...
. By September 1793, he had risen to the rank of
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
. His next promotion was to ''
Oberstleutnant
() is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedis ...
'' (lieutenant colonel) on 1 April 1796.
[Smith & Kudrna, ''Alois Gavasini'']
In September 1796,
Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigismund, Count von Wurmser (7 May 1724 – 22 August 1797) was an Habsburg monarchy, Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years' War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mount ...
's army descended the
Brenta Valley
Brenta Valley is a valley located in Northern Italy.
References
See also
*Brenta (river)
The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region, in the north-east ...
as it marched from
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
in the
Italian Tyrol
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
to
Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa ( vec, Basan or ''Bassan'', ) is a city and ''comune'', in the Vicenza province, in the region of Veneto, in northern Italy. It bounds the communes of Cassola, Marostica, Solagna, Pove del Grappa, Romano d'Ezzelino, Campolongo ...
in the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...
.
Peter Quasdanovich
Peter Vitus Freiherr von Quosdanovich (Croatian language, Croatian: Petar Vid Gvozdanović; 12 June 1738 – 13 August 1802) was a nobleman and general of the Habsburg monarchy of Croatian descent. He achieved the rank of Feldmarschall-Lieutenant ...
, who led a division, dropped off Gavasini with a
rear guard
A rearguard is a part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines, such as communication lines, behind an army. Even more ...
at Primolano near
Cismon del Grappa to hold off
Pierre Augereau
Charles Pierre François Augereau, 1st Duke of Castiglione (21 October 1757 – 12 June 1816) was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. After serving in ...
's French pursuit. Gavasini's command included one 1,108-man battalion of the ''Michael Wallis'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 11, 561 soldiers in four companies of the ''Erbach'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 42, one 100-strong company of the ''Mahony''
Jägers, a half-company of pioneers, and 90 troopers of the ''Erdödy'' Hussar Regiment Nr. 9. Another column of troops under ''
Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
'' Georg von Stentsch arrived, bringing the total number of troops available to about 2,800. Gavasini drew up his troops behind an entrenchment in a narrow valley with a loop of the Brenta partly protecting his front.
On 7 September, Augereau's division appeared and began attacking the Austrian defenses. After clambering over the ridges and wading the river, the French skirmishers soon put the Austrian position in peril. The 5th Light and the 4th Line Infantry Demi-Brigades soon forced Gavasini to pull back to the Covelo fort, which perched atop an outcrop high. The 5th Light circled the Austrian left flank, while a strong party of the 4th Line climbed to a site on the Austrian right rear where it poured fire into the fort. After holding out for an hour, the wounded Gavasini led his men out of the trap only to fall captive to
Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud
Édouard Jean-Baptiste, comte Milhaud (10 July 1766 – 10 December 1833) was a French politician and ''Général de Division''. He is considered one of the best generals of cavalry of Napoleon's army.
French Revolutionary wars
Born in Arpaj ...
's 5th Dragoon Regiment.
Against "light" French casualties, the Austrians lost 1,500 men and five guns captured in the combat, including the greater part of the ''Wallis'' and ''Erbach'' battalions. Austrian total strength in the area was 4,000, including the 9th Battalion of the ''Karlstadt''
Grenz Infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers or Granichary (from german: Grenzer "border guard" or "frontiersman"; Serbo-Croatian: graničari, krajišnici, sr-cyr, граничари, крајишници, Russian Cyrillic: граничары) were light infantr ...
Regiment, the 4th Battalion of the ''Warasdiner'' Grenz Infantry Regiment, and the
grenadiers
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
of the ''Pellegrini'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 49. Augereau's 8,200-man division consisted of twelve battalions in two brigades under
Jean-Baptiste Dominique Rusca
Jean-Baptiste is a male French language, French name, originating with Saint John the Baptist, and sometimes shortened to Baptiste (name), Baptiste. The name may refer to any of the following:
Persons
* Charles XIV John of Sweden, born Jean-Bapt ...
and
Claude Perrin Victor
Claude-Victor Perrin, 1st Duke of Belluno (7 December 1764 – 1 March 1841) was a French soldier and military commander who served during both the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was made a Marshal of the Empire i ...
. The
Battle of Bassano
The Battle of Bassano was fought on 8 September 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, in the territory of the Republic of Venice, between a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces led by Count Dagobert von Wurmser. The ...
occurred the following day.
Arcole
After being freed in a prisoner exchange, Gavasini rejoined the army for the third relief of the
Siege of Mantua. His name does not appear in the Austrian order of battle, which lists six divisions of about 4,000 men each. On the morning of 15 November 1796, the French army of
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
initiated the
Battle of Arcole
The Battle of Arcole or Battle of Arcola (15–17 November 1796) was fought between French and Austrian forces southeast of Verona during the War of the First Coalition, a part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The battle saw a bold maneuver b ...
by crossing the
Adige
The Adige (; german: Etsch ; vec, Àdexe ; rm, Adisch ; lld, Adesc; la, Athesis; grc, Ἄθεσις, Áthesis, or , ''Átagis'') is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the prov ...
River behind
Jozsef Alvinczi's left flank. From there, Augereau's division drove north toward
Arcole
Arcole (pronounced ), historically also known as Arcola, is a ''comune'' with 5,274 inhabitants in the province of Verona. It is known as the site of the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole.
History
Between 15–17 November 1796, the Battle of Arcole ...
village while
André Masséna
André Masséna, Prince of Essling, Duke of Rivoli (born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817) was a French military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Donald D. Horward, ed., trans, annotated, The Fre ...
's division moved northwest in the direction of
Belfiore
Belfiore is a comune s in the province of Verona, Veneto
it, Veneto (man) it, Veneta (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes ...
. In response to orders from Alvinczi, Gavasini moved his brigade to Belfiore at 11:00 AM. Leading the ''Splényi'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 51 along a causeway through the marshes, Gavasini ran into Masséna's advance at Bionde, midway between Belfiore and the French crossing site at
Ronco all'Adige
Ronco all'Adige is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about southeast of Verona. As of 31 October 2018, it had a population of 6,002 and an area of .All demographi ...
. At first the ''Splényi'' Regiment drove back the French, capturing two cannons. However, a second Austrian column under Adolf Brabeck mistakenly fired into Gavasini's men from an adjacent causeway, throwing them into panic. Masséna followed the retreating Austrians and temporarily captured Belfiore.
On the second day of battle, Alvinczi ordered six battalions under
Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Habsburg army in Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonapa ...
to advance from Belfiore while
Anton Ferdinand Mittrowsky's 14 battalions attacked south from Arcole. At 5:00 AM, Provera's attack was underway, but it was quickly blunted by Masséna. The French skirmishers riddled the Austrian infantry formations and soon only the Habsburg cannoneers were holding back the enemy almost singlehandedly. Then Brabeck was killed and the entire force fled back to Belfiore, which the French captured again, along with five guns. Mittrowsky's attack also miscarried, but he managed to hang onto Arcole until nightfall after savage fighting. On the third day, Provera's attack on Masséna failed again and this time the Austrian position unraveled. The French general diverted the bulk of his division to help Augereau and the two finally seized Arcole about 5:00 PM on 17 November, thereby winning the battle.
Hohenlinden
Gavasini was promoted to ''
Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
'' (colonel) on 4 December 1796 and to ''
General-major
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
'' on 6 March 1800.
[ On 3 December 1800 he led a brigade in ]Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer (17 January 1756 – 28 October 1828) was an Austrian general. Kienmayer joined the army of the Habsburg monarchy and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he continue ...
's corps-sized Right Column at the Battle of Hohenlinden
The Battle of Hohenlinden was fought on 3 December 1800 during the French Revolutionary Wars. A French army under Jean Victor Marie Moreau won a decisive victory over an Austrian and Bavarian force led by 18-year-old Archduke John of Austri ...
. His brigade was part of Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp, Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg; 18/19 April 1771 – 15 October 1820) was an Austrian Generalissimo. He fought in the Battle of Wagram (1809) but the Austrians lost decisively against Napoleo ...
's division and comprised one battalion of the ''Ligne'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 30; two battalions each of the '' Clerfayt'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 9, '' Beaulieu'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 58, and ''Murray'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 55; and three battalions of the ''Gemmingen'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 21. The battle ended in an Austrian disaster, but alone among his fellow division and column commanders, Schwarzenberg handled his division with skill.
While some Austrian leaders proved irresolute, Schwarzenberg thrust boldly at Paul Grenier
Count Paul Grenier (29 January 1768 – 17 April 1827) joined the French royal army and rapidly rose to general officer rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led a division in the 1796-1797 campaign in southern Germany. During the 1800 c ...
's left wing divisions of Louis Bastoul and Michel Ney
Michel Ney, 1st Duke of Elchingen, 1st Prince of the Moskva (; 10 January 1769 – 7 December 1815), was a French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one o ...
. Gavasini's ''Gemmingen'' Regiment quickly seized the village of Forstern and had to be driven out. Schwarzenberg's fight centered on a series of hamlets north of Hohenlinden. The ''Murray'' Regiment carried Kronacker in an impetuous assault, lost it to Ney's counterattack, and captured it again. Later in the day, the French retook Kronacker before losing it again to a charge by the ''Murray'' Regiment. By this time, Kienmayer found out that the French had smashed Johann Kollowrat
Feldmarschall Johann Karl, Graf von Kolowrat-Krakowsky (21 December 1748 – 5 June 1816) joined the Austrian army, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey before being promoted to general officer rank. During combat against the ...
's Left Center Column and he issued orders to retreat. In spite of the difficult tactical situation, Schwarzenberg was able to withdraw his division in good order.
Napoleonic Wars
From 1801 to 1805, Gavasini commanded in Carniola
Carniola ( sl, Kranjska; , german: Krain; it, Carniola; hu, Krajna) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region sti ...
, which roughly corresponds to modern-day Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. His headquarters was located in Ljubljana (Laibach).[
In the ]War of the Third Coalition
The War of the Third Coalition)
* In French historiography, it is known as the Austrian campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Autriche de 1805) or the German campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Allemagne de 1805) was a European conflict spanni ...
, Gavasini led a seven battalion brigade in Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles Louis John Joseph Laurentius of Austria, Duke of Teschen (german: link=no, Erzherzog Karl Ludwig Johann Josef Lorenz von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen; 5 September 177130 April 1847) was an Austrian field-marshal, the third s ...
's Army of Italy. At the time of the Battle of Verona, his unit was assigned to the Left Wing under Paul Davidovich
Baron Paul Davidovich or Pavle Davidović ( sr-cyr, Павле Давидовић) (1737, Buda – 18 February 1814, Komárom) became a general of the Austrian Empire and a Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. He played a major ro ...
. After a reorganization, he fought in Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau, comte de Mercy or Eugen Gillis Wilhelm Graf Mercy d'Argenteau (1743 – 4 May 1819) joined the Austrian army in 1760, became a general officer, and led large formations of soldiers in several actions during the French Re ...
's Reserve at the Battle of Caldiero on 29–31 October 1805. His brigade included four battalions of the ''Archduke Rudolf'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 16, three battalions of the ''Lattermann'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 45, and eight squadrons of the ''Stipczic'' Hussar Regiment Nr. 10.
Gavasini resigned from the army in 1806, but was recalled up to service before the outbreak of the War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition was a European conflict in 1809 that was part of the Napoleonic Wars and the Coalition Wars. The main conflict took place in central Europe between the Austrian Empire of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis ...
.[ At the beginning of the conflict he commanded a brigade of ]Landwehr
''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national army, armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortif ...
that comprised two battalions from Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
, two battalions from Gorizia (Görz), and four battalions from Postojna (Adelsberg). After the eruption of the Tyrolean Rebellion
The Tyrolean Rebellion (german: Tiroler Volksaufstand) is a name given to the resistance of militiamen, peasants, craftsmen and other civilians of the County of Tyrol led by Andreas Hofer supported by his wife Anna and a strategic council cons ...
, the Austrian high command
The ''Hofkriegsrat'' (or Aulic War Council, sometimes Imperial War Council) established in 1556 was the central military administrative authority of the Habsburg monarchy until 1848 and the predecessor of the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of War. The ...
dispatched Johann Gabriel Chasteler de Courcelles
His tomb in Venice.
Johann Gabriel Josef Albert, Marquess of Chasteler and Courcelles (22 January 1763 – 7 May 1825) was a Walloon, born near Mons, Belgium. He entered the military service of Habsburg Austria at an early age and trained a ...
and a division to the aid of the rebels. In the consequent reorganization of Archduke John of Austria
Archduke John of Austria (german: Erzherzog Johann Baptist Joseph Fabian Sebastian von Österreich; 20 January 1782 – 11 May 1859), a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, was an Austrian field marshal and imperial regent (''Reichsverwese ...
's Army of Inner Austria, Gavasini emerged as brigade commander in the IX Armeekorps of Ignaz Gyulai Ignaz is a male given name, related to the name Ignatius. Notable people with this name include:
* Franz Ignaz Beck (1734–1807), German musician
* Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644–1704), Bohemian-Austrian musician
* Ignaz Brüll (1846–1907), ...
. His brigade was made up of three battalions of the ''Reisky'' Infantry Regiment N. 13 and one and one-half battalions of the ''Otocaner'' Grenz Infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers or Granichary (from german: Grenzer "border guard" or "frontiersman"; Serbo-Croatian: graničari, krajišnici, sr-cyr, граничари, крајишници, Russian Cyrillic: граничары) were light infantr ...
Regiment Nr. 2. He led this unit at the Battle of Sacile
The Battle of Sacile (also known as the Battle of Fontana Fredda) on 16 April 1809 and its companion Clash at Pordenone on 15 April saw an Austrian army commanded by Archduke John of Austria defeat a Franco-Italian army led by Eugène de Beau ...
on 16 April 1809. The VIII Armeekorps of Albert Gyulai
Count Albert Gyulay de Marosnémethi et Nádaska or Albert Gyulai von Máros-Németh und Nádaska, born 12 September 1766 – died 27 April 1835, a Hungarian people, Hungarian, joined the army of Austrian monarchy, Habsburg Austria and fought agai ...
absorbed the main attack of Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (; 3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824) was a French nobleman, statesman, and military commander who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Through the second marr ...
' army while the IX Armeekorps waited in reserve. In the afternoon, Archduke John unleashed Ignaz Gyulai's troops and they pressed back the outmatched Franco-Italian left flank to win the contest.
At the Battle of Piave River
The Battle of Piave River was fought on 8 May 1809 between the Franco-Italian army under the command of Eugène de Beauharnais and an Austrian army led by Archduke John of Austria. The Austrian commander made a stand behind the Piave River but ...
on 8 May 1809, he commanded two battalions of the ''Otocaner'' Regiment in the IX Armeekorps. None of the sources specify where Gavasini's brigade deployed. However, Albert Gyulai
Count Albert Gyulay de Marosnémethi et Nádaska or Albert Gyulai von Máros-Németh und Nádaska, born 12 September 1766 – died 27 April 1835, a Hungarian people, Hungarian, joined the army of Austrian monarchy, Habsburg Austria and fought agai ...
's two VIII Armeekorps brigades held the right flank near Mandre while Johann Kalnássy's IX Armeekorps brigade formed the extreme left flank at Cimadolmo. Late in the afternoon, the Franco-Italian army broke through Ignaz Gyulai's line in the center and forced Archduke John to commit his reserve brigade of grenadiers. When these elite troops failed to stop their enemies, the Austrian army was forced to retreat.
After the Piave, Archduke John retreated to Villach
Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...
with his main body while sending Ignaz Gyulai to Laibach to sustain the defense of Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. After a reorganization, Gavasini found himself leading a brigade in Anton von Zach
Anton Freiherr von Zach (IPA: a:x (14 June 1747 – 22 November 1826) was an Austrian General with Hungarian ancestors, who enlisted in the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against the First French Republic. In the French Revolutionary Wars ...
's division of Ignaz Gyulai's army corps
Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...
. He commanded two battalions of the ''Otocaner'' Regiment, two battalions of the ''Archduke Franz Karl'' Infantry Regiment Nr. 52, and eight cannons of a 3-pound brigade battery. On 24 June, the ''Otocaner'' and ''Archduke Franz Karl'' Regiments skirmished with Jean-Baptiste Broussier
Jean-Baptiste Broussier (10 March 1766 – 13 December 1814) was a French Divisional General of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars.
Life
Broussier was born in Ville-sur-Saulx.
Meant by his parents for a church career, in 1791 he in ...
's division at Karlsdorf, now a suburb of Graz
Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...
. The troops also fought in the Battle of Graz
The Battle of Graz took place on 24–26 June 1809 between an Austrian corps commanded by Ignaz Gyulai and a French division led by Jean-Baptiste Broussier. The French were soon reinforced by a corps under Auguste Marmont. The battle is consi ...
on 25 and 26 June.[Smith, 318]
Gavasini retired again on 10 December 1809 and never returned to military service. He died at Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt am WörtherseeLandesgesetzblatt 2008 vom 16. Jänner 2008, Stück 1, Nr. 1: ''Gesetz vom 25. Oktober 2007, mit dem die Kärntner Landesverfassung und das Klagenfurter Stadtrecht 1998 geändert werden.'/ref> (; ; sl, Celovec), usually ...
on 28 November 1834.[
]
Notes
References
* Arnold, James R. ''Marengo & Hohenlinden.'' Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword, 2005.
* Bowden, Scotty & Tarbox, Charlie. ''Armies on the Danube 1809''. Arlington, Texas: Empire Games Press, 1980.
* Schneid, Frederick C. ''Napoleon's Italian Campaigns: 1805-1815''. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers, 2002.
* Smith, Digby. ''The Napoleonic Wars Data Book.'' London: Greenhill Books, 1998.
Smith, Digby & Kudrna, Leopold (compiler). napoleon-series.org ''Austrian Generals 1792-1815: Alois Gavasini''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gavasini, Alois Von
Austrian soldiers
Austrian generals
Counts of Austria
Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars
Austrian Empire military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars
Austrian Empire commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
1762 births
1834 deaths
Military personnel from Bonn