Gerhard Rosselmini
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Ritter von Rosselmini or Gerhard Rosselmini or Gerhard Roselmini (c. 1742 – 19 November 1796) became a general officer in the Austrian
army during the French Revolutionary Wars
and fought in several actions against Napoleon Bonaparte's French army during the 1796 Italian campaign.
Rosselmini commanded the Kaiser Infantry Regiment # 1 from 1789 to 1794. He led his regiment in Dagobert von Wurmser's
Army of the Upper Rhine, fighting at Bad Bergzabern
and Bienwaldmühle on 12 and 20 September. He also fought at the First Battle of Wissembourg
on 13 October. He won promotion to General-Major
on 20 February 1794. He held the noble title of Ritter
.
During the Montenotte Campaign
in April 1796, Rosselmini commanded a brigade in Johann Beaulieu's
army. At the end of March, his battalions lay in their winter quarters at Lodi, far from the front. Consequently, he did not participate in any of the early battles. During the retreat behind the Po River
, he covered the army's flank by initially moving along the south bank of the river. His command finally crossed to the north bank south of Pavia
on 4 May.
At the Battle of Lodi
in May, Rosselmini led a 900-man covering force that held Lodi until Josef Vukassovich's
rearguard passed safely. Just before mid-day, the French advance guard attacked Rosselmini and drove him back through the town. His infantry battalion joined Karl Sebottendorf's first line during the main action while his cavalry trotted back to support the second line.
Before the Battle of Borghetto
, Beaulieu assigned Rosselmini's brigade to join the defenders of the Mantua
fortress. During the first part of the Siege of Mantua
, Rosselmini held the citadel with 3,666 soldiers in five battalions. When the siege was briefly raised in early August, Wurmser reassigned him outside the fortress.
During the third relief of Mantua, Rosselmini commanded one of four brigades in Giovanni di Provera's
Main Body. He died in Vicenza
on 19 November 1796, or two days after the Battle of Arcole. It is not known if he died from wounds suffered in the campaign or from another cause.
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
army during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and fought in several actions against Napoleon Bonaparte's French army during the 1796 Italian campaign.
Career
OberstOberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Rosselmini commanded the Kaiser Infantry Regiment # 1 from 1789 to 1794. He led his regiment in Dagobert von Wurmser's
Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigismund, Count Wurmser was an Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mounted several successful campaigns in the Rhineland in the initial years of the French Revolutionary Wars, he...
Army of the Upper Rhine, fighting at Bad Bergzabern
Bad Bergzabern
Bad Bergzabern is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, on the German Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, on the south-eastern edge of the Palatinate forest, approximately southwest of Landau....
and Bienwaldmühle on 12 and 20 September. He also fought at the First Battle of Wissembourg
First Battle of Wissembourg (1793)
In the First Battle of Wissembourg on 13 October 1793, an Allied army commanded by Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser attacked and defeated Jean Pascal Carlenc's French army defending behind the Lauter River...
on 13 October. He won promotion to General-Major
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
on 20 February 1794. He held the noble title of Ritter
Ritter
Ritter is a designation used as a title of nobility in German-speaking areas. Traditionally it denotes the second lowest rank within the nobility, standing above "Edler" and below "Freiherr"...
.
During the Montenotte Campaign
Montenotte Campaign
The Montenotte Campaign began on 10 April 1796 with an action at Voltri and ended with the Armistice of Cherasco on 28 April. In his first army command, Napoleon Bonaparte's French army separated the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont under Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi from the allied...
in April 1796, Rosselmini commanded a brigade in Johann Beaulieu's
Johann Peter Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu de Marconnay, also Jean Pierre Beaulieu de Marconnay, born 26 October 1725 – died 22 December 1819, was an Austrian military officer. He joined the Austrian army and fought against the Prussians during the Seven Years War. A cultured man, he later battled Belgian rebels...
army. At the end of March, his battalions lay in their winter quarters at Lodi, far from the front. Consequently, he did not participate in any of the early battles. During the retreat behind the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
, he covered the army's flank by initially moving along the south bank of the river. His command finally crossed to the north bank south of Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
on 4 May.
At the Battle of Lodi
Battle of Lodi
The Battle of Lodi was fought on May 10, 1796 between French forces under General Napoleon Bonaparte and an Austrian rear guard led by Karl Philipp Sebottendorf at Lodi, Lombardy...
in May, Rosselmini led a 900-man covering force that held Lodi until Josef Vukassovich's
Josef Philipp Vukassovich
Josef Philipp von Vukassovich , also Josef Wukassovitch, was a Croatian soldier who joined the army of Habsburg Monarchy and fought against both Ottoman Empire and the First French Republic. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he commanded a brigade in the 1796–1797 Italian campaign against...
rearguard passed safely. Just before mid-day, the French advance guard attacked Rosselmini and drove him back through the town. His infantry battalion joined Karl Sebottendorf's first line during the main action while his cavalry trotted back to support the second line.
Before the Battle of Borghetto
Battle of Borghetto
The Battle of Borghetto, near Valeggio sul Mincio in the Veneto of northern Italy, occurred during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. On 30 May 1796, a French army led by General Napoleon Bonaparte forced a crossing of the Mincio River in the face of opposition...
, Beaulieu assigned Rosselmini's brigade to join the defenders of the Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
fortress. During the first part of the Siege of Mantua
Siege of Mantua (1796-1797)
In the Siege of Mantua, which lasted from 4 July 1796 to 2 February 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besieged and blockaded a large Austrian garrison for many months until it surrendered...
, Rosselmini held the citadel with 3,666 soldiers in five battalions. When the siege was briefly raised in early August, Wurmser reassigned him outside the fortress.
During the third relief of Mantua, Rosselmini commanded one of four brigades in Giovanni di Provera's
Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Giovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Austrian army in Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.-Military...
Main Body. He died in Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
on 19 November 1796, or two days after the Battle of Arcole. It is not known if he died from wounds suffered in the campaign or from another cause.
Books
- Boycott-Brown, Martin. The Road to Rivoli. London: Cassell & Co., 2001. ISBN 0-304-35305-1
- Wrede, Alphons. Geschichte der K. und K. Wehrmacht, Vol. 1. Vienna: L. W. Seidel & Sohn, 1898.
External references
- Austrian Generals by Antonio Schmidt-Brentano
- "Rosselmini, Gerhard Ritter von" by Digby Smith, compiled by Leopold Kudrna
- Austrian Infantry Regiments 1 to 10 by Stephen Millar