Battle of Casteldelfino

Part of the War of the Austrian Succession

Date	18 July 1744
Location	Casteldelfino, in present-day Cuneo, Italy
Result	French victory

Belligerents

Kingdom of France

Kingdom of Sardinia

Commanders and leaders

Ballì de Givry
Prince of Conti

Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy

Strength

5.000

2,000

Casualties and losses

1,900 dead or wounded

2,000 dead, wounded, or captured

The Battle of Casteldelfino was a military engagement in July 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession between France and the Kingdom of Sardinia.

An initial French offensive into Piedmont had been beaten off after three days of fighting in the Varaita valley, near the village of Casteldelfino (7–10 October 1743).
In July 1744, a French army under Prince Contì tried to enter Piedmont from the western Alps. The first columns of the French army took the head of the Stura and Maira valleys, while three other columns, the 7th, 8th and 9th, were positioned at the head of the Varaita valley. The 7th column was composed of six battalions under Lieutenant General Don Louis Gandinga. It left Guillestre and came through San Paul and Maurin, taking the head of Col d'Agnello to threaten the valley of Chateau Dauphine (Casteldelfino). It then withdrew to gain Acceglio in the Maira valley in support of the 6th column under Lieutenant General Compte de Lautrec, who had orders to gain Preit village to threaten the Maira.

Marquis de Camposanto, a Lieutenant General with five battalions that composed the 8th column, advanced from the camp of Pontcernieres near Briançon, just short of the Varaita and Maira valleys. Baillì de Givri, a Lieutenant General at the head of ten battalions that formed the 9th column, captured the Montgeneve gap and descended into the valley of Cesana to deceive the Sardinian king Charles Emmanuel III. Givri made a feint and took Gardetta at the valley of Bellino and also seized the top of Col du Bondormir that dominates the valley of Chateau Dauphin. Brigadier General François de Chevert commanded 1,500 men from several regiments and four companies of grenadiers from Poitou’s brigade. All these nine columns were at the positions assigned by Contì after traveling on roads heavily soaked by rain.

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