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{{short description|Battle of the War of the First Coalition}}{{no footnotes|date=September 2014}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

factoids

| result = French victoryFrance}} FranceHoly Roman Empire}} Habsburg AustriaFrance}} Napoleon Bonaparte{{flagiconJean-Baptiste Bernadotte>Jean Baptiste Bernadotte{{flagiconCharles Dugua{{flagicon>France}} Jean Joseph Guieu{{flagiconLouis François Jean Chabot{{flagicon>France}} Jean-Mathieu-Philibert SérurierHoly Roman Empire}} Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen{{flagicon>Holy Roman Empire}} Adam Bajalics von BajahazaFrance}} Army of ItalyHoly Roman Empire}} Austrian Army| strength1 = Valvasone: 40,000Gradisca d'Isonzo: 18,000| strength2 = Valvasone: 5,000Gradisca d'Isonzo: 2,500, 10 guns| casualties1 = Valvasone: 500Gradisca d'Isonzo: 0| casualties2 = Valvasone: 700, 6 gunsGradisca d'Isonzo: 2,500, 10 guns|map_type=Europe|map_relief=1|map_size=300}}{{Campaignbox First Coalition}}{{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars:Italy}}{{OSM Location map45.3|10.5}}| zoom = 6| float = right| nolabels = 1| width = 304| height = 180War of the First Coalition:Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars>Italian Campaignblacknavymaroon|Napoleon in command}}| shapeD = n-circle| shape-colorD = maroon| shape-outlineD = white| label-colorD = maroon| label-sizeD = 12| label-posD = left| label-offset-xD = 0| label-offset-yD = 0| label1 =43.99|7.55}}| mark-title1 = Second Battle of Saorgio (1794) from 24 to 28 April 1794| shape-color1 = navy| label-color1 = navy| label2 =44.65|7.87}}| mark-title2 = Montenotte campaign from 10 to 28 April 1796| label3 =45.15|9.7}}| mark-title3 = Battle of Fombio from 7 to 9 May 1796| label4 = Lodi45.32|9.5}}| mark-title4 = Battle of Lodi on 10 May 1796| label5 =45.35|10.73}}| mark-title5 = Battle of Borghetto on 30 May 1796| label6 =45.46|10.48}}| mark-title6 = Battle of Lonato from 3 to 4 August 1796| label7 =45.38|10.48}}| mark-title7 = Battle of Castiglione on 5 August 1796| label8 =45.88|11.05}}| mark-title8 = Battle of Rovereto on 4 September 1796| label9 =45.77|11.73}}| mark-title9 = Battle of Bassano on 8 September 1796Second Battle of Bassano on 6 November 1796| label10 =45.42|11.18}}| mark-title10 = Battle of Caldiero (1796) on 12 November 1796| label11 =45.35|11.28}}| mark-title11 = Battle of Arcole from 15 to 17 November 1796| label12 =45.57|10.82}}| mark-title12 = Battle of Rivoli from 14 to 15 January 1797| label13 =45.16|10.8}}| mark-title13 = Siege of Mantua (1796–1797) from 27 August 1796 to 2 February 1797| label14 =46|12.87}}| mark-title14 = Battle of Valvasone (1797) on 16 March 1797| shape-color14 = black| label-color14 = black| label15 =46.51|13.58}}| mark-title15 = Battle of Tarvis (1797) from 21 to 23 March 1797}}The Battle of Valvasone (16 March 1797), also known as the Battle of Tagliamento, saw a First French Republic army led by Napoleon Bonaparte attack a Habsburg Austrian army led by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen. The Austrian army fought a rear guard action against the French vanguard led by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte at the crossing of the Tagliamento River but was defeated and withdrew to the northeast. The French troops crossed the river at Valvasone and the battle developed on the opposite bank, mainly between the little villages of Gradisca (now in the municipality of Sedegliano) and Goricizza (now in the municipality of Codroipo). The next days, a French division cut off and captured an Austrian column at Gradisca d'Isonzo (Capitulation of Gradisca). The actions occurred during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. Valvasone is located on the west bank of the Tagliamento {{convert|20|km|mi|0}} southwest of Udine, Italy. Gradisca d'Isonzo lies on the Isonzo River {{convert|14|km|mi|0}} southwest of Gorizia, Italy.Bonaparte saw the Siege of Mantua to a successful conclusion when Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser surrendered on 2 February 1797. The French commander cleared his south flank by Claude Perrin Victor's victory over the Papal States at the Battle of Faenza the following day. Meanwhile, Emperor Francis II of Austria recalled Archduke Charles from Germany to hold northeast Italy. In March Bonaparte launched an offensive designed to break through the Austrian army's defenses. At Valvasone, the French encountered part of their opponents' army and drove it back. For the loss of 500 men, the French inflicted 700 casualties on the Austrians and captured six guns.The following day, Bernadotte's French division isolated an enemy column and forced its surrender at Gradisca d'Isonzo. A total of 2,500 Austrian soldiers, 10 artillery pieces, and eight colors were captured. When several retreating Austrian columns made for the Tarvis Pass to the northeast, the French raced to cut them off. The Battle of Tarvis occurred over three days beginning on 21 March as the Austrians struggled to escape. Bonaparte's forward thrust carried his army within {{convert|75|mi|km|0}} of Vienna, where the Preliminaries of Leoben were concluded in mid-April 1797.

References

• BOOK, Chandler, David G., David G. Chandler, 1966, The Campaigns of Napoleon, New York, NY, Macmillan,
• BOOK, Smith, Digby, Digby Smith, 1998, The Napoleonic Wars Data Book, London, Greenhill, 1-85367-276-9,