Napoleons First Italian campaign

Battle of Cembra
Battle of Cembra 1796 ©Keith Rocco
1796 Nov 2

Battle of Cembra

Cembra, Italy

Bonaparte badly underestimated Davidovich's strength. To oppose the northern thrust, he deployed a division of 10,500 soldiers under General of Division Vaubois. The start of Davidovich's offensive led to a series of clashes beginning on 27 October. On 2 November the French attacked the Austrians at Cembra. Although Vaubois inflicted 1,100 casualties on his enemies at the cost of only 650 Frenchmen, he decided to pull back to Calliano when Davidovich resumed his forward movement the next day. The clashes ended with the defeat of the French, who were forced to a temporary retreat, and were one of the few successes obtained by the imperial troops against the Napoleonic ones.