ation ▁d itch es , ▁which ▁were ▁soon ▁filled ▁with ▁mud ▁from ▁the ▁pour ing ▁rain , ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁bre ach ▁the ▁Ven et ian ▁lines . ▁ ▁Pit igli ano ▁had ▁been ▁moving ▁ahead ▁of ▁Al v iano , ▁and ▁was ▁several ▁miles ▁away ▁when ▁the ▁French ▁began ▁their ▁attack . ▁ ▁In ▁reply ▁to ▁Al v iano ' s ▁request ▁for ▁help , ▁he ▁sent ▁a ▁note ▁suggesting ▁that ▁a ▁pitch ed ▁battle ▁should ▁be ▁avoided , ▁and ▁continued ▁his ▁march ▁south . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁Louis , ▁with ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁army , ▁had ▁reached ▁Ag nad ello . ▁The ▁French ▁surrounded ▁Al v iano ▁on ▁three ▁sides ▁and ▁proceeded ▁to ▁destroy ▁his ▁forces ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁hours . ▁ ▁The ▁Ven et ian ▁caval ry ▁charged ▁the ▁Center ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Army ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁the ▁pressure ▁on ▁the ▁inf antry . ▁Despite ▁being ▁initially ▁successful , ▁the ▁Ven et ian ▁caval ry ▁was ▁soon ▁out number ed ▁and ▁surrounded ; ▁when ▁Al v iano ▁himself ▁was ▁wounded ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁formation ▁col lapsed ▁and ▁the ▁surv iving ▁kn ights ▁fled ▁from ▁the ▁battle field . ▁ ▁Of ▁Al v iano ' s ▁command , ▁more ▁than ▁four ▁thousand ▁were ▁killed , ▁including ▁his ▁command ers ▁S pole to ▁and ▁del ▁Monte , ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁pieces ▁of ▁art illery ▁were ▁captured . ▁ ▁Although ▁Pit igli ano ▁had ▁avoided ▁eng aging ▁the ▁French ▁directly , ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁battle ▁reached ▁him ▁by ▁that