Eugène-Guillaume-Alexis, comte de Mercy d'Argenteau or Eugen Gillis Wilhelm Graf Mercy d'Argenteau or Eugen Gillis Alexis Argenteau joined the Austrian army in 1760 and fought in the Seven Years' War. In 1784 he became the commander of an Austrian infantry regiment. He led the unit during the Austro-Turkish War at the 1789 Siege of Belgrade and was promoted to general officer. After the outbreak of the War of the First Coalition, he was loaned to the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. He fought at Saorgio in 1794 and Monte Settepani and Loano in 1795. His division faced Napoleon Bonaparte and was badly defeated in the Montenotte campaign in April 1796. During the War of the Third Coalition he led several divisions at Caldiero in 1805. He retired from the army in 1808 but became inhaber (proprietor) of an Austrian infantry regiment from 1809 until his death.

The Battle of Monte Settepani saw the Coalition armies of Habsburg Austria led by Feldzeugmeister (FZM) Joseph Nikolaus de Vins and the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont led by Feldmarschall-Leutnant (FML) Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi attack the Republican French Army of Italy led by General of Division (GD) François Christophe de Kellermann during the War of the First Coalition. The attack captured a few key positions though it was repulsed by most of the French defenses. After the French failed to recapture Monte Settepani, Kellermann ordered a phased withdrawal to a more defensible position. By 7 July, the French army established itself in a new position running from Borghetto Santo Spirito on the coast northwest to the crest of the Ligurian Alps. The setback compelled the French to relinquish the territory captured in the First Battle of Dego.