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
COMO—APPROACH OF GENERAL URBAN WITH 40,000
AUSTRIANS—GARIBALDI RETIRES—COMO TAKEN—COUNT RAIMONDI's
DAUGHTER—GARIBALDI RETURNS AND EXPELS THE AUSTRIANS—THE
BATTLE OF CAMERLATA—THE AUSTRIANS DEMAND THE DISBANDING
OF GARIBALDI'S TROOPS—REFUSED —THEY ADVANCE—THE CANALS
OPENED—THEY RETIRE—THE BATTLES OF PALESTRO, MONTEBELLO,
AND MAGENTA—THE MINCIO AND ITS BANKS—THE BATTLE OF
SOLFERINO.
Como is a city beautifully situated on the northern end of Lake Como;
but on the low land near the margin, and overlooked by the mountains,
which rise beyond and around.
The enthusiasm which prevailed on Garibaldi's arrival was extreme; and
the alarm bells were rung in all the communes of the Varesotto,
Tramezzo, Como and Lecco districts. The volunteers were pouring in from
every village and hamlet. In this manner the insurrection gained ground
in Upper Lombardy. At the first appearance of the braves, all the civil
authorities of Como and Lecco recognized the government of King Victor
Emanuel, which in those towns was represented by Count Visconti Venosta,
a young nobleman from Valtellina of great determination. His spirited
proclamations roused the enthusiasm of country folks and citizens, who
hastened to the scene of action with an ardor never witnessed in 1848.
Money, so much wanted, poured into Garibaldi's military treasury,
together with gold necklaces and other valuable trinkets from fair
Lombard ladies. The sum thus collected in two days reached 2,000,000
francs.
Garibaldi had been instructed to move in the direction of Varese by slow
marches, keeping himself in constant communication with Cialdini's
division, which did not follow. By the necessity of strategetical
combinations, Gen. Cialdini was obliged to march to and fro from
Vercelli and Stroppiana, guarding the right bank of the Upper Sesia, as
far as Gattinara. The necessary result of this constant marching and
countermarching was that of retarding the projects of Garibaldi. He
moved slowly for two days, but he could not stand it any longer; and
hastening from Romagnana to the headquarters of the king, he begged him
to observe that he did not and could not understand the scientific
principles of a regular war, and that he wished to be left to his daring
inspiration.
Victor Emanuel saw directly that it was of no use to keep such a bird in
the cage of strategic rules, and, letting him loose, said: "Go where you
like, do what you like. I have only one regret—that of not being able to
follow you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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