Battle of Garigliano (1503)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict= Battle of Garigliano
partof= the Second Italian War


caption= Map of the battle.
date= December 29, 1503
place= Near Gaeta, Italy
result= Decisive Spanish victory
combatant1= France
combatant2= Spain
commander1= Ludovico II of Saluzzo
commander2= Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Bartolomeo d'Alviano
strength1= 23,000 men-at-arms
strength2= 15,000 men-at-arms
casualties1= 4,000 dead 4,000 missing and captured
casualties2= 900

The Battle of Garigliano was fought on December 29, 1503 between a Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba and a French army commanded by Ludovico II, Marquis of Saluzzo.

Preliminary phase

In the mid-November 1503, the French and Spanish army were separated only by the Garigliano river, some 60 km north to Naples, both camped into a marshy and unhealthy area. The former had tried several times to cross the river using a makeshift bridge, but always in vain. The French, who were based at the rivers' mouth near the ruins of Minturnae (Traetto), enjoyed the advantage of an easy supply base in the nearby port of Gaeta.

While the Spanish commander was unsure to attack or retreat, he received from Naples reinforces led by Bartolomeo d'Alviano and Orsini. He then decided to move some units in order to convince Ludovico that he was retreating towards the Volturno river. Cordoba had instead devised to cross the river using bridges made out of boats and barrels, which he ordered to build in the castle of Mondragone, 12 kilometers south to the Spanish camp.

The battle

During the night between 27 and 28 December, the Spanish brought the bridge materials near the castle of Suio, in a position invisible to the French, some six kilometers north to the latter's camp. d'Alviano, commander of the Spanish vangaurd, had the contruction begin at dawn. At 10 AM some 4,000 Spaniards had crossed the Garigliano.

The 300 Norman crossbowmen in Suio did not notice the move, so Gonzalo de Bordoba was also able to cross the river with more 2,000 men, including 200 horsemen led by Prospero Colonna. He also rodered to attack the French bridge. When d'Alviano troops reached Suio, the crossbowmen fled towards Castelforte, where they met 300 further French troops, who also fled to Traetto, allowing d'Alviano to occupy Castelforte. Gonzalo de Cordoba spent the night in that town.

The French had numerous ill soldiers in their Traetto camp, so they were not able to send reinforcements. French captain Alegri then decided to destroy the bridge and to order a general retreat to Gaeta, abandoning all the sick soldiers and nine cannons in the camp.

Informed about the French retreat, Gonzalo decided to continue the advance. Colonna and his horsemen took contact with the French at Scauri, but a corageous defence of a bridge by Bernardo Adorno allowed the French a safe retreat. After a series of minor clashes, the French took position near a bridge in Mola, being also able to push back Colonna's attemp to surround them. However, the arrival of the rest of the Spanish forced the Marquis of Saluzzo to order another retreat.

After some days of siege in Gaeta, the French surrendered. Spain had therefore gained the total supremacy over the Kingdom of Naples for several centuries.

References

* Montgomery, Bernard Law. "A History of Warfare". New York: World Publishing Company, 1968. ISBN 0-688-01645-6.