siege siege month effort austrian army regain presence northern italy excluded region successful french siege april austrians placed military blockade war second coalition intent french attrition diminishing food supplies losses weakened french army austrians received reinforcements attacked july end month french agreed surrender prelude fortress river northern italy poor shape commanded lieutenant general garrisoned diverse force including french polish polish general italian republic swiss german units beginning assignment engineer convinced fortress siege siege april austrian forces approached started siege austrians content simply blockade fortress artillery occasional skirmishes attrition began taking toll defenders defenders weakened diminishing food supplies morale undermined lack payment june french suffered defeat battle consequently austrians able decisively july siege entered new stage austrian reinforcements arriving besieging force growing austrians commanded hungarian general baron artillery expert artillery bombardment constant july assault begun austrians slowly advanced days july began negotiating surrender terms capitulation austrians agreed release french garrison keeping officers months soldiers arms prisoners exchanged fighting sides secret protocol austrians demanded sovereignty austrian army protests polish officers afraid recent poland austria gained control parts poland austrians want custody polish austrian clarified officially meant current austrian army austrian soldiers serving july french allied troops left fortress garrison troops split french non french units poles constituted austrian soldiers observing marching non french garrison troops given permission physically assault recognized eventually arrested polish officers particularly austrian partition forced enlist austrian army deported poland similar fate polish regular soldiers forced suffer physical punishment beaten rods marked end second legion polish later criticized poles considered betrayal french surrender napoleon ordered stricken list generals forbade wear military uniform
Siege of Mantua (1799)