March 1796
Allied Southwestern Front (Southern Piedmont - Liguria)
Sardinian Order of Battle
Austro-Sardinian Army
Commander: Lieutenant-General Baron Colli-Marchini
Strength: on paper, 737 officers and 30,030 other ranks
66 Sardinian battalions
67 Sardinian companies
A few Austrian battalions and companies
The bulk of the Sardinian elite troops: 1,366 Light Legion troops, 1,199 pioneers, 5,061 grenadiers, and 2,500 crack light infantrymen
Saluzzo Division / Department
Commander: Major General Count Janus Gerbaix de Sonnaz
Strength: on paper 5,001 men, in fact 2,671
4 Royal Piedmont cavalry squadrons
2 Engineer battalions
One Asti Regiment infantry battalion
2 Belgioioso (Austrian) inf. bns.
One or two Sardinia Light Infantry companies
Six (or seven?) Militia companies (Renaud, Drago, Arnaud, Ponza, Chiocchia, Tarditi)
Borgo San Dalmazzo Division / Department (including the garrison of the fortress city of Cuneo / Coni)
Commander: Major General Count Christ (Swiss)
Strength: on paper 7,239 men, in fact 5,003
3 Swiss Streng Regt. battalions
2 Swiss Christ Regt. battalions
1 Antignano Light Troops Legion Bn.
2 Piedmont Regt. inf. bns.
4 independent light infantry companies (including two Nice Chasseurs companies and one Piano Franc Chasseurs company)
16 Militia and Volunteer Militia companies
Some regular and militia artillery units
Garrison of Cuneo
Remnants (4 battalions) of the Sardinia Inf. Regt. (201 men in all) and the Swiss Peyer-im-Hoff Regiment
One or two companies of Royal Navy troops
Ceva Army Corps [Department] (directly under General Colli)
First Left Wing Division
Commander: Colonel Baron Theodor Hyacinth Brempt, in Sardinian service since 1758
Strength: on paper 3,942 men
2 Royal Allemand Regt. bns.
2 Genevois Regt. bns.
2 Chablais Regt. bns.
1 Savoy Regt. bns.
2 Vercelli Regt. bns.
Strength: on paper 3,942 men
2 Royal Allemand Regt. bns.
2 Genevois Regt. bns.
2 Chablais Regt. bns.
1 Savoy Regt. bns.
2 Vercelli Regt. bns.
Second Left Wing Division
Commander: Major General Luigi Costa della Trinità, Marquis of Montafia
Vice-Commander: Brigadier Francesco Ignazio Vitale
Strength: on paper 5,316 men
Ceva Garrison: 1 Savoy Regt. bn., Stettler (Swiss) Regt. on 3 battalions
2nd Light Infantry Battalion (commander, Colli Ricci di Felizzano)
1 Saluggia light infantry Regt. bn.
8 regular and volunteer light infantry companies (including Cacciatori del Nizzardo, Nice Light Infantry)
1 Croatian-Sardinian light infantry mixed company
1 Croatian company
2 Acqui Inf Regt. bns.
3 Tortona Regt. companies
Vice-Commander: Brigadier Francesco Ignazio Vitale
Strength: on paper 5,316 men
Ceva Garrison: 1 Savoy Regt. bn., Stettler (Swiss) Regt. on 3 battalions
2nd Light Infantry Battalion (commander, Colli Ricci di Felizzano)
1 Saluggia light infantry Regt. bn.
8 regular and volunteer light infantry companies (including Cacciatori del Nizzardo, Nice Light Infantry)
1 Croatian-Sardinian light infantry mixed company
1 Croatian company
2 Acqui Inf Regt. bns.
3 Tortona Regt. companies
First Right Wing Division
Commander: Colonel Marquis Jean Gaspar Dichat de Toisinge
Strength: on paper 3,253 men
1 Oneglia Regt. bn.
1 2nd Grenadier Regt. bn.
3 Oneglia light infantry companies
6 picked Light Troops Legion companies
3 independent light infantry companies (including Nice Light Infantry)
7 regular (Turin Regt.) and militia / volunteer companies
2 independent light infantry battalions (Balegno and Bellegarde Legion)
1 Croatian company
Strength: on paper 3,253 men
1 Oneglia Regt. bn.
1 2nd Grenadier Regt. bn.
3 Oneglia light infantry companies
6 picked Light Troops Legion companies
3 independent light infantry companies (including Nice Light Infantry)
7 regular (Turin Regt.) and militia / volunteer companies
2 independent light infantry battalions (Balegno and Bellegarde Legion)
1 Croatian company
Second Right Wing Division
Commander: Colonel Marquis Frédéric de Bellegarde, commander, Royal Grenadiers Regiment (established 1793)
Strength: on paper, about 6,000 men
1 8th Grenadier Regt. bn. (Dichat)
1 9th Grenadier Regt. bns.
2 Royal Grenadier Regt. bns.
2 Varax Grenadier bns.
2 Chiusana and Andermatt Grenadier bns.
1 La Tour Grenadier bn.
2 Esery Grenadier bns.
2 battalions and 1 company from the Mondovì Inf. Regt.
Ceva Army Corps total: about 18,000 men on paper, in fact about 10,000
Strength: on paper, about 6,000 men
1 8th Grenadier Regt. bn. (Dichat)
1 9th Grenadier Regt. bns.
2 Royal Grenadier Regt. bns.
2 Varax Grenadier bns.
2 Chiusana and Andermatt Grenadier bns.
1 La Tour Grenadier bn.
2 Esery Grenadier bns.
2 battalions and 1 company from the Mondovì Inf. Regt.
Ceva Army Corps total: about 18,000 men on paper, in fact about 10,000
(Austro-Sardinian Mixed) Reserve Division (Provera)
Commander: Major General Provera (Austrian)
Strength: on paper 5,038 men
Strength: on paper 5,038 men
Austrian Brigade
2 Belgioioso Inf. Regt. bns.
2 Strassoldo Grenadier companies
Franc Corps Gyulai (550 Croatian and French Royalist light troops)
Staff Dragoons patrols
Total as of 13 April: 1,712 Austrian troops
2 Strassoldo Grenadier companies
Franc Corps Gyulai (550 Croatian and French Royalist light troops)
Staff Dragoons patrols
Total as of 13 April: 1,712 Austrian troops
Sardinian Brigade
Commander: Colonel Gaspare Gaetano Hallot des Hayes Count of Mussano, 2nd commander, Guards Regiment
10 regular infantry battalions (from the Guards, Turin, Asti, Acqui and Casale Regiments)
10 regular infantry battalions (from the Guards, Turin, Asti, Acqui and Casale Regiments)
Other Sardinian Troops - Southern Front
Sardinian Troops Attached to Rukawina Brigade, Argenteau's Division (Austrian Army)
Commander: Brigadier Avogadro di Valdengo
Strength: about 1,500 men
4 regular infantry battalions (from Monferrato Regt. and La Marina [Navy] Regt.)
Cavalry Reserve
8 cavalry squadrons (from Savoy, Aosta, King's Regts.)
12 Dragoon squadrons (from King's, Piedmont, Queen's, Chablais Regts.)
Allied Western Front (Alps)
Commanders:
Piedmont Alps sector: His Royal Highness, Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta, son of the King
Val d'Aosta (northern) sector: The Duke of Monferrato
32 Sardinian infantry battalions (one Austrian) of which:
9 Ordinance infantry
13 Provincial infantry
2 Grenadier
6 Swiss
2 garrison
Militia / volunteer infantry / artillery companies
Total: about 20,000 men
Piedmont Alps sector: His Royal Highness, Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta, son of the King
Val d'Aosta (northern) sector: The Duke of Monferrato
32 Sardinian infantry battalions (one Austrian) of which:
9 Ordinance infantry
13 Provincial infantry
2 Grenadier
6 Swiss
2 garrison
Militia / volunteer infantry / artillery companies
Total: about 20,000 men
Actual Strength of Sardinian Units
Most, if not all, Sardinian units were severely understrength at the outset of the 1796 campaign, and they would not receive reinforcements / replacements to any significant degree throughout. This factor must be taken into account when assessing their combat performance and staying power. The following list of units shows the theoretical and the real strength of a number of Sardinian units which took part in the campaign.
Acqui Regiment (Provincials): 1,067 / 514
Colli di Felizzano's light infantry battalion: 478 / 357
Saluggia Light Infantry Battalion: 420 /232
Genevois Regiment: 1,018 / 640
1st and 3rd Stettler Regiment battalions: 983 / 454
7th Grenadier Battalion: 497 / 256
9th Grenadier Battalion: 441 / 254
De Varax's Grenadier Regiment: 953 / 331
Chiusano Grenadier Battalion: 522 / 224
Vercelli Regiment (Provincials): 1,172 / 593
Acqui Regiment (Provincials): 1,067 / 514
Colli di Felizzano's light infantry battalion: 478 / 357
Saluggia Light Infantry Battalion: 420 /232
Genevois Regiment: 1,018 / 640
1st and 3rd Stettler Regiment battalions: 983 / 454
7th Grenadier Battalion: 497 / 256
9th Grenadier Battalion: 441 / 254
De Varax's Grenadier Regiment: 953 / 331
Chiusano Grenadier Battalion: 522 / 224
Vercelli Regiment (Provincials): 1,172 / 593