Prelude Alvinczi's plan was to rush and overwhelm Barthélemy Joubert in the mountains east of Lake Garda by concentrating 28,000 men in five separate columns, and thereby gain access to the open country north of Mantua where Austrian superior numbers would be able to defeat Bonaparte's smaller Army of Italy. Alvinczi attacked Joubert's 10,000 men on 12 January. However Joubert held him off and was subsequently joined by Louis-Alexandre Berthier and, at 2 am on 14 January, by Bonaparte, who brought up elements of André Masséna's division to support Joubert's efforts to form a defensive line on favorable ground just north of Rivoli on the Trambasore Heights. The battle would be a contest between Alvinczi's efforts to concentrate his dispersed columns versus the arrival of French reinforcements.
prelude alvinczi's plan was to rush and overwhelm barthélemy joubert in the mountains east of lake garda by concentrating 28000 men in five separate columns and thereby gain access to the open country north of mantua where austrian superior numbers would be able to defeat bonaparte's smaller army of italy alvinczi attacked joubert's 10000 men on 12 january however joubert held him off and was subsequently joined by louis-alexandre berthier and at 2 am on 14 january by bonaparte who brought up elements of andré masséna's division to support joubert's efforts to form a defensive line on favorable ground just north of rivoli on the trambasore heights the battle would be a contest between alvinczi's efforts to concentrate his dispersed columns versus the arrival of french reinforcements