PiaveMay 8, 1809

The Archduke Johann had begun his withdrawal from Italy following his receipt of news regarding his brother's defeats at Abensberg and Echmuhl. Prince Eugene had pursued Johann as quickly as possible. Due to the necessity of repairing several bridges, Eugene only caught up to Johann on 7 May. He spent the rest of the day reconnoitering and developing plans to attack Johann the next morning. There were three fords across the Piave near Johann's position. One at Nervesa, Palazzina, and the other at Salettuol. As the Austrians were poorly placed to defend the last two crossing points, it was decided to cross at both during the early hours of May 8th. Seras was to feign an attack on Nervesa. Dessaix, Macdonald, Fontanelli, and the Italian Guard were to cross at Palazzina. Grenier along with most of the armies cavalry was to cross at Salettuol and manoeuvre to outflank IX Corps. On seeing the French attacking along all three crossing points, Johann's first instinct was to run for it and abandon his rearguard. Johann soon decided that this would gain him nothing while giving Eugene everything. Instead, he would screw-up his courage and attack immediately, before Eugene was fully across the Piave. In the Austrian army nothing was immediate, so Johann personally dispatched a brigade of infantry and one of cavalry to oppose the crossing at Salettuol. He then formed a 24-gun grand battery across from the Palazzina bridgehead. These guns, unfortunately, were posted out of range of Dessaix's men and therefore had no real effect on his columns. Feldmarschall-Leutnant von Reichenberg launched his cavalry at the French around the time Johann's grand battery opened fire. Unmolested by the Austrian artillery, Dessaix’s veterans calmly formed squares. Meanwhile around 0900, the brigades ordered south by Johann were approaching Salettuol. The overwhelming numbers of French cavalry caused the Austrians to withdraw in disarray. Johann had sent too little, too late to prevent the French crossing. Grouchy now arrived and the cavalry wheeled left and advanced to support Dessaix. By 10 am, Sahuc and Bully were in position on Dessaix's right. By 10:30 the French cavalry had routed Reichenberg’s troopers and captured 14 guns of Johann’s grand battery. With IX Corps' infantry advancing to shelter Reichenberg, Bully's and Sahuc’s exhausted troopers slowly withdrew. His cavalry gone, Johann ordered established a defensive line from the river through Barco, Mandra, and Campana. Kalnassy was ordered to hold San Michele and Cimadolmo. There was still a chance for an Austrian victory as most of Eugene’s command was still on the south side of the Biave. The water was still rising. Having learnt his lessons at Sacile, Eugene refused to advance piecemeal against the Austrians and waited for more units to cross before renewing his assault. In consequence, Johann retired to his new position relatively unmolested. As the Piave continued to rise, it became impossible to ford by 1 pm. The current was so swift that Eugene’s engineers were unable to deploy their pontoon bridge at Balazzina. The pontoons were then used to ferry more men across until around 3 o’clock. By this time the current was so rapid as to endanger further attempts to cross the Biave. Fully one-third of Eugene's command (Fontanelli, part of Durutte, and the Guard) had not made it across. Eugene recommenced his attack at 4 o’clock by smashing through Kalnassy at San Michele. By 5 pm, Macdonald had deployed all of his artillery just west of Campana. In a few minutes the whole of IX Corps was fleeing to Bocca di Strada. Some grenadiers of IX Corps attempted to stay the rout and were quickly overwhelmed. VIII Corps had no choice but to withdraw. Gajoli’s Division did its best to slow down the pursuing French. Johann had reached Conegliano by nightfall and Eugene called off the pursuit until morning. Austrian losses at Biave were some 2,100 killed and wounded with 3,000 prisoners. Eugene captured more than 2,000 more Austrians during the next few days. The French suffered some 2,000 to 3,000 casualties and Eugene had won his first real victory. Napoleon would be well pleased!