Battle of Tarvis (1809)

Battle of Tarvis (1809)
Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition
Storming of Malborghetto Fort by Albrecht Adam (1786–1862)
Date 15 May to 18 May 1809 Location Tarvisio, modern-day Italy Result French victory
Belligerents
First French Empire	Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Eugène de Beauharnais	Albert Gyulai
Strength
Tarvis: 25,000 Predil: 8,500, 12 guns Malborghetto: 15,000	Tarvis: 6,000, 10 guns Predil: 250, 8 guns Malborghetto: 650, 10 guns
Casualties and losses
Tarvis: 380 Predil: 450 Malborghetto: over 80	Tarvis: 1,789, 6 guns Predil: 250, 8 guns Malborghetto: 650, 10 guns

The Battle of Tarvis from 16 to 17 May 1809, the Storming of the Malborghetto Blockhouse from 15 to 17 May 1809, and the Storming of the Predil Blockhouse from 15 to 18 May saw the Franco-Italian army of Eugène de Beauharnais attacking Austrian Empire forces under Albert Gyulai. Eugène crushed Gyulai's division in a pitched battle near Tarvisio, then an Austrian town known as Tarvis. At nearby Malborghetto Valbruna (Malbotghet Wolfstal) and Predil Pass, small garrisons of Grenz infantry heroically defended two forts before being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The Franco-Italian capture of the key mountain passes allowed their forces to invade Austrian Kärnten during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Tarvisio is located in far northeast Italy, near the borders of both Austria and Slovenia.

Eugène's main column marched up the Fella River valley, which runs east and west in the area of the fighting. On 15 May the column found itself blocked by the Malborghetto fort. Attacking in greatly superior force, Eugène's troops captured the fort on the morning of the 17th. Later that day, the Franco-Italians routed Gyulai's division from its positions near Tarvisio (Tarvis), inflicting heavy losses. A second Franco-Italian column, attempting to join Eugène from the south, was halted on the 15th by the Predil fort. On 18 May, Predil fell to assault and the defenders were killed to the last man. Monuments at both forts honor the Austrians who gave their lives in the fighting.

The Austrian war plan at the start of the War of the Fifth Coalition called for the Army of Inner Austria under General der Kavallerie Archduke John of Austria to invade and seize the province of Venetia in northeast Italy. For this formidable task, John's forces were not especially large.

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