Battle of Castel di Sangro

The Battle of Castel di Sangro was a minor battle in the Neapolitan War that took place on 13 May 1815 in the town of Castel di Sangro in central Italy. The battle resulted in the Neapolitan force being routed.

Battle of Castel di Sangro
Part of the Neapolitan War
Date 13 May 1815 Location Castel di Sangro, present-day Italy Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Austrian Empire	Kingdom of Naples
Commanders and leaders
Frederick Bianchi	Pignatelli Cerchiara
Strength
1,000 infantry 1,000 cavalry	1,900 infantry
Casualties and losses
15 killed or wounded	400 killed or wounded 206 captured

Following defeat at the Battle of Tolentino, the 4th Division of the Neapolitan army, commanded by General Pignatelli Cerchiara had detached from the main army under their king, Joachim Murat, and were retreating south. The commander of the Austrian force, Frederick Bianchi, dispatched his advanced guard, consisting of Hungarian hussars and Tyrolean jägers, in pursuit. The Austrians finally caught up with the Neapolitans on 13 May in the town of Castel di Sangro. Seeing the hussars, the Neapolitans formed squares. However, during the cause of the disastrous campaign, the 4th Division had been reduced to less than 2,000 men. The hussars broke the Neapolitan square and sent the remaining troops into disarray.

References

• Capt. Batty, An Historical Sketch of the Campaign of 1815, London (1820)
• Details of battle at Clash of Steel
  • Castel di Sangro 13 maggio 1815. Una battaglia dimenticata (di Alessandro Teti, anno 2015).