The Battle of Torre Beretti

The Battle of Torre Beretti in April 1859 (week 5) of our campaign played out on December 1st.

The Italian Commander Camerana after sitting for three weeks near the town of Torre Beretti facing his enemy Zobel decided to attack.  The exact reasons for Cameranas sluggish moves against his enemy are unknown but his timing proved exceptional as his entire army made the battlefield. It was then he launched his attack.  On the reverse Zobel's forces failed to rally to the Austrian flag and leaving most of his army strung out along the roads and villages coming to the battlefield.  

Italian Commander Camerana on the left.

The Austrian Commander Zobel.

The hilly terrain with its dense packs of trees worried both commanders.  The limited Austrian troops spread themselves out along the rolling hills and waited.

The Austrians commander on the right defied orders and moved out to probe the Italian left.  Witnessing the Austrian approach the Italian cavalry began moving to intercept them.  The Italian center moved forward.

Most of the Austrian activity floated around their right side of the battle.  Pushing forward but ultimately this would prove costly as the Italian guns gained the killing range and wiped out most of the advance force.  The Italian guns did their damage all along the Austrian line.

The Italians continued to push forward and the Austrians with almost no morale chips left, started to fall back.  Leaving only his cavalry to screen the retreating infantry the Austrian cavalry took the brunt of more withering Italian rifle fire.

At the end of the night the Austrians gave way and left the field to the Italians.  A crushing victory for the Italians and a another crushing defeat for the Austrians.

The last two battles have been very costly for the Austrians and it will be interesting to see how they recover.  The string of victories for the Italians have bolstered their morale and they continue to push on and around the Austrians.