The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.Garibaldi, Giuseppe
History
The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.
Garibaldi, Giuseppe
Garibaldi, Giuseppe, 1807-1882
OF THE REPULSE OF THE FRENCH ADVANCE OF 8,000 MEN UNDER
GENERAL OUDINOT, UNDER THE WALLS OF ROME—THE FIRST
BATTLE: APRIL 30TH, 1849.
(Translated for the present work.)
ARRANGEMENTS OF THE BATTLE OF THE 30TH OF APRIL.
The Triumvirate, with information furnished by the Minister of War,
Citizen General Avezzana, publishes the following report:
The time necessary to collect, from the different military chiefs, the
particulars relative to the engagement of April 30th, has prevented us
from publishing earlier a precise relation. Now, since such particulars
have been minutely transmitted, we fulfil that duty with such scrupulous
exactness, as is demanded by the truth of history and the just desires
of the public.
From the 29th, the commander in chief of the arms of the Republic,
General Avezzana, who is also the Minister of War, was fully informed of
the enemy's approach by the numerous scouting parties, whose reports
were confirmed by a French prisoner, who, the same day, fell into an
ambush of our advance-posts.
On the morning of the 30th, the telegraph giving notice of the advance
of the enemy's forces, announced at nine o'clock, that they were within
five miles of Rome; and the Minister of War sent a captain of the
general staff to the cupola of St. Peter's, to remain there until the
firing should commence, to observe all the movements of the enemy, and
discover their numbers and their intentions.
In the meantime all measures were taken in the city to repel the
aggression, with such desperate energy as is inspired by the holiness of
right and the justice of the cause. Strong and numerous barricades, at
all the gates and in all the principal streets, especially on the right
side of the Tiber, forbade all access into the city; the bastions,
rising above, crowned with cannon, were prepared to fire upon the enemy;
and the young army, impatient with warlike ardor, placed at the
different points where the attack was expected, was disposed in the
following order: The first brigade, commanded by General Garibaldi, and
composed of the first Italian Legion, the battalion of the University,
the battalion of the Reduced, the Legion of Exiles, and the Mobilized
Finanzieri, occupied, outside of the walls, the whole line from the
Portese Gate to the gate of San Pancrazio; the second brigade, composed
of two battalions of the Mobilized Civic Troops and the First Light,
commanded by Col. Masi, occupied the wall of the Gates Cavalleggieri,
Vatican and Angelica; and finally, the third brigade, commanded by Col.
Savini, and composed of the first and second regiments of Mounted
Dragoons, formed the reserve in Piazza Navona. The fourth brigade,
consisting of the first and second regiments of the line, commanded by
Colonel Galletti, was in reserve at the Chiesa Nuova and Piazza
Cesarini, with all the field cannon not in position. General Giuseppe
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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