Capture of Brescia

{{Short description|The 1799 capture of the Italian fortress}}

{{About|the besieged fortress in 1799|the siege in 1238|Siege of Brescia (1238){{!}}Siege of Brescia}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Capture of Brescia

| image = Brescia. - Piano della citta di Brescia. P. Pinelli delin - btv1b8443151r.jpg

| image_size = 300

| caption = Brescia City Plan
{{small|Bibliothèque nationale de France}}

| partof = the Italian campaigns in the War of the Second Coalition

| date = 21 April 1799

| place = Brescia, Northern Italy

| coordinates =

| result = Allied victory

| territory = Capture of Brescia by Suvorov's forces

| combatant1 = {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} Russian Empire
{{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} Habsburg Empire

| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|French First Republic}} French Republic

| commander1 = {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Alexander Suvorov
{{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Pyotr Bagration
{{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} Philipp Vukassovich
{{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} Paul Kray
{{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} Johann Zopf

| commander2 = {{flagicon|French First Republic}} Barthélemy Schérer
{{flagicon|French First Republic}} Gen. Bouzet

| strength1 = >20,000{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}

| strength2 = 1,100{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}

| casualties1 = Absent{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}

| casualties2 = The entire garrison and 46 cannon captured{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}

}}

{{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars:Italy}}

The capture of Brescia took place on 21 April 1799,{{efn|Old Style: 10 Apr. 1799}} during the Second Coalition war: General Field Marshal Count A. V. Suvorov's Russian and Habsburg troops took the fortress city of Brescia, having captivated the French garrison of General Bouzet.{{Sfn|Petrushevsky|1884|p=47}}

Alexander Suvorov-Rymniksky, realising the importance of the impression of his first encounter with the French, sent here the vanguard of Kray and the division of Zopf, a total of 15,000 men assembled, and ordered Vukassovich to descend from the mountains also to Brescia; in all, more than 20,000 men. Field Marshal Suvorov ordered to assault the fortress, and not to conclude with the commandant of the honourable capitulation: "otherwise, — he said, — the enemy will hold in every blockhouse, and we will lose both time and men".{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}

The Austrians, approaching the town, opened artillery fire and occupied the dominant heights on the north side; Bagration positioned himself on the west side and blocked the French possible escape routes. Bouzet would not have been able to defend a vast city with a small force, so he retreated to the citadel. Perhaps because the inhabitants were annoyed by French extortions and force, they opened the city gates to the Russo-Austrian coalition and rushed to chop down the {{ill|arbres de la liberté|fr|Arbre de la liberté|vertical-align=sup}}. Bouzet responded to an offer to surrender by firing shots. However, the French did not endure.{{Sfn|Petrushevsky|1884|p=47}} Suvorov was right: after a harmless skirmish commandant, frightened by the active preparations for the assault, agreed to send him a firm offer of unconditional surrender; 46 cannons were taken; losses killed and wounded were not. The capture of Brescia provided the Allies with a good foundry, ensured communication with Tyrol, opened a better road for communication with the Mincio and further with the Adige, made a strong moral impression on the country (the anti-Republican party raised its head) and on the troops: "the army demanded to be led to new victories".{{Sfn|Orlov|1892|p=69}}{{Sfn|Petrushevsky|1884|p=47}}

The Allied army would further clash with Schérer's army at Lecco.