Battle of Montebello (1859)

Battle of Montebello
Part of Second Italian War of Independence

Battle of Montebello
Date20 May 1859
Location
Montebello, present-day Italy
Result Franco-Italian victory
Belligerents
 France
Sardinia
 Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Elie Frédéric Forey

Karl von Urban

Philipp von Stadion und Thannhausen
Strength
6,600 infantry[1] 18,708 infantry[2]
600 cavalry
12 guns
4 rocket launchers
Casualties and losses
France:
81 killed
492 wounded
69 missing
Kingdom of Sardinia:
52 killed, wounded or prisoners
Total:
694
331 killed
785 wounded
307 missing
Total:
1,423

The Battle of Montebello was fought on 20 May 1859 at Montebello (in what is now Lombardy, northern Italy). It was the first major engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence, fought between Austrian troops commanded by Field Marshal Karl von Urban against Piedmontese cavalry and French infantry headed by General Elie Foray.

Because of this battle, the Austrian commander-in-chief was obliged to keep troops to cover the southern part of the front.

  1. ^ Brooks 2009, p. 29.
  2. ^ Brooks 2009, p. 26.

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