While Napoleon launched an attack towards Austria through Friuli and the Tarvisio pass, a secondary army was ordered to cross Tyrol, and then rejoined with the bulk of the forces in the Drava valley.

He therefore decided to move towards Friuli and from there bring the war directly to Austria, in order to deliver the decisive blow to the Holy Roman Empire.

The remaining third was entrusted to General Joubert, who was ordered to cross the County of Tyrol, and then rejoin the rest of the forces in the surroundings of Villach.

Leaving behind a division of 5,000 men under Antoine Guillaume Delmas, to guard the supply lines, Joubert then advanced towards Chiusa where he again defeated von Kerpen on 22 March.

However, as the general mobilization of the Schützen was now underway, Joubert deemed it prudent to fortify himself in Bressanone: he feared in fact being overwhelmed by the sheer force of numbers.

On 4 April, despite the successes obtained by the French, Delmas with his 5,000 men preferred to retreat towards Bolzano to escape the continuous pressure to which his troops were subjected.