Battle of Marengo (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy. The French defeated Austrian General Michael von Melas's surprise attack, driving the Austrians out of Italy, and enhancing Napoleon's political position in Paris. French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte (newly made First Consul by the Brumaire coup) were attacked by the Austrians under General Melas. The French were taken by surprise, and fell back. However, the course of the battle was reversed by the return (in response to an urgent summons from Bonaparte) of previously detached forces under the French Major General Louis Desaix. A counter attack led by Desaix, after a brief artillery bombardment, threw back their Austrian pursuers and a cavalry charge by Brigadier General Francois Etienne de Kellermann completed their defeat.