MacDonald’s offensive
On 14 April 1799, the French Directory ordered MacDonald to help the
French forces in northern Italy. Accordingly, he assembled the Army of
Naples and moved north, leaving southern Italy in the hands of local
forces. bringing its total field force to 36,728 soldiers. The various
armies involved, from France, Austria and Russia after a long series of
clashes and maneuvers will end up clashing in the great and decisive
battle of the War of the Second Coalition engagement occurred west of
Piacenza, a city located 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Milan. The
Battle of Trebbia (17–20 June 1799) was fought near the Trebbia River in
northern Italy between the joint Russian and Habsburg Austrian army
under Alexander Suvorov and the Republican French army of Jacques
MacDonald. Though the opposing armies were approximately equal in
numbers, the Austro-Russians severely defeated the French, sustaining
about 6,000 casualties while inflicting losses of 12,000 to 16,500 on
their enemies. The War of the Second Coalition engagement occurred west
of Piacenza, a city located 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Milan.
By Enrico Acerbi, 110 pages
English text