passaggiodellachiusella.it

After the cross of the Gran San Bernardo Pass and the seizure of the city of Ivrea, on may 22nd the vanguard of the french "Arméè de Rèserve" takes the control of the roads to Vercelli and beyond the Canavese bridge (so called Ponte Vecchio) to withstand the Austrian - Piedmontese defence line positioned on the Chiusella torrent, from Baldissero to Cerone.
The First Consul has the intention to make convinced the enemy about his decision to march directly towards the sabaudian capital; actually, his objective is to attract the enemy troops to defend Turin and in the meantime to move rapidly on Milan and then to outflank the Austrian - Piedmonteses.
For that reason, before to reach Ivrea, Bonaparte has already ordered the Watrin Division to attack the enemy established near the bridge on the Chiusella, in the vicinity of Romano.
The Austrian - Piedmontese troops, 6000 infantrymen and 4000 cavalrymen, had already placed four guns on the bridge, arresting the attacks of the 6th french half brigade in the morning of may 22nd, 1800.
The soldiers of the half brigade manage to ford the torrent down the bridge, but are halted by the enemy cavalry.
At last, thanks to the information done by Captain Giacomo Pavetti, the 40th and 22nd brigades, the 21st light Infantry unit and the 12th Hussars ford the torrent up the bridge, obliging the hasty withdrawal of the Austrian - Piedmontese troops.
Romano is now in the hands of the french soldiers and the Austrian - Piedmonteses take position on the high grounds of Montalenghe to protect the withdrawal of the rest of troops behind the more tenable line represented by the Orco torrent.