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The Battle of Casteldelfino was a military engagement in July 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession between France and the Kingdom of Sardinia. ==Preliminary moves== An initial French offensive into Piedmont had been beaten off after three days of fighting in the Varaita valley, near the village of Casteldelfino (7–10 October 1743). In July 1744, a French army under Prince Contì tried to enter Piedmont from the western Alps. The first columns of the French army took the head of the Stura and Maira valleys, while three other columns, the 7th, 8th and 9th, were positioned at the head of the Varaita valley. The 7th column was composed of six battalions under Lieutenant General Don Louis Gandinga. It left Guillestre and came through San Paul and Maurin, taking the head of Col d'Agnello to threaten the valley of Chateau Dauphine (Casteldelfino). It then withdrew to gain Acceglio in the Maira valley in support of the 6th column under Lieutenant General Compte de Lautrec, who had orders to gain Preit village to threaten the Maira. Marquis de Camposanto, a Lieutenant General with five battalions that composed the 8th column, advanced from the camp of Pontcernieres near Briançon, just short of the Varaita and Maira valleys. Baillì de Givri, a Lieutenant General at the head of ten battalions that formed the 9th column, captured the Montgeneve gap and descended into the valley of Cesana to deceive the Sardinian king Charles Emmanuel III. Givri made a feint and took Gardetta at the valley of Bellino and also seized the top of Col du Bondormir that dominates the valley of Chateau Dauphin. Brigadier General François de Chevert commanded 1,500 men from several regiments and four companies of grenadiers from Poitou’s brigade. All these nine columns were at the positions assigned by Contì after traveling on roads heavily soaked by rain. Prince Conti and Philip of Spain, known as the 'Infant of Spain', going down to the Col de l’Argentera at the head of their column, took Bersezio in the Stura valley before the rock of the Barricade. The Savoyard Lieutenant General Pallavicini, informed by his spies that three enemy corps were approaching with an envelopment maneuver, abandoned the high and the low Lobiera and the camp of the Montagnetta, strong positions for any army to take. After his success, Prince Conti was worried about the situations of the columns that were fighting on his left. The Marechal de camp de Villemur sent an officer to give news of the victory on the right, but the messenger drowned. Other couriers were sent at the same time to Ballì de Givrì and Marquis Pallavicini, but they were not able to arrive in time to stop the futile fight in the Varaita Valley. Lieutenant General de Gandica, at the head of the 7th column, took Acceglio in the Maira Valley, then went into the Varaita valley to support the 8th and the 9th columns. Marquis de Camposanto, chief of the 8th column, reached the mountain of Traversiera with five battalions. To arrive there he marched to the foot of Mont Peirol, where he advanced against the entrenched camp at the Bicocca plateau. His purpose was not a general assault. He only wished to create some noise and to avoid the enemy's presence at the main entrenchments of Pierre Longue. Ballì de Grivri made a feint and came with the 9th column from Briancon to the other side of the Montgeneve. He then came back and went to Col d'Agnello. He commanded Compte de Danois, a Lieutenant General, and ten battalions, of whom three were from Poitou's regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Morenne. He also had a vanguard under Chevert, who commanded a detachment of 1,500 men and four companies of grenadiers. Chevert attacked the outpost of Chayol on July 16, but withdrew after exchanging fire with enemy forces near Gardetta. During the night of the 16th and 17th, the French camped at Chayol while Savoyard troops did the same at Gardetta. At around this time, the French were informed about enemy positions by a spy. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Battle of Casteldelfino」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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