Ott transferred to the Italian campaign against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796. In the operations that resulted in the Battle of Lonato during the Castiglione campaign, he commanded one of the four brigades under the orders of Peter Quasdanovich. On 29 July he defeated a French brigade near Salò and advanced south along the banks of the Chiese River. On 31 July he attacked and seized Lonato del Garda though he was later driven out of the latter place by superior French forces under Hyacinthe Despinoy and Claude Dallemagne. On 3 August, his reinforced brigade repulsed the attacks of Despinoy and Dallemagne near Paitone and Gavardo. Unfortunately for the Austrians, the battle went badly for them at Lonato and Salò, compelling Quasdanovich to order a retreat.