onto on ▁bridge ▁under ▁cover ▁of ▁art illery ▁fire ▁and ▁V end ôme ▁prepared ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁crossing . ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁fe int ; ▁after ▁a ▁per fun ct ory ▁attempt ▁to ▁cross , ▁Prince ▁Eug ene ▁burn ed ▁the ▁bridge ▁and ▁head ed ▁towards ▁Mant ua . ▁He ▁then ▁double d ▁back ▁hoping ▁to ▁catch ▁the ▁French ▁det achment ▁at ▁Cass ano ▁by ▁surprise ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁Roman engo ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁August , ▁about ▁ 4 0 ▁kilometres ▁away . ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁The ▁Add a ▁was ▁deep ▁and ▁fast - flow ing ▁and ▁generally ▁un ford able , ▁which ▁limited ▁potential ▁crossing ▁points , ▁especially ▁for ▁large ▁bodies ▁of ▁men . ▁The ▁town ▁of ▁Cass ano ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁bank , ▁with ▁a ▁stone ▁bridge ▁protected ▁by ▁a ▁small ▁fort ification ▁or ▁red ou bt . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁also ▁divided ▁by ▁numerous ▁small ▁streams ▁and ▁ir rig ation ▁channels , ▁the ▁most ▁significant ▁being ▁the ▁Ret ort o , ▁an ▁ir rig ation ▁canal ▁running ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁Add a . ▁This ▁was ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁left ▁bank ▁by ▁another ▁bridge , ▁also ▁protected ▁by ▁a ▁strong point . ▁ ▁Assuming ▁Prince ▁Eug ene ▁was ▁heading ▁for ▁Mant ua , ▁V end ôme ▁had ▁ordered ▁Philippe ▁to ▁leave ▁Cass ano ▁and ▁intercept ▁him ; ▁they ▁were ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁move ▁off ▁when ▁Prince ▁Eug ene ▁began ▁his ▁assault ▁around ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁pm ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁August . ▁ ▁The ▁French ▁were ▁in