Page 143 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1859 CAMPAIGN 141

day after the battle of Magenta that opened the way to Milan.

rd
It seems that since the morning of the 3 , Lieutenant Colonel Medici
had advised the general to march without hesitation to Milan: the advice of
a brave man, but Garibaldi – with his impeccable sense of timing, despite the
natural courage that made him impatient to act – did not take it up. And
how could he considering that his sparse and tired forces could hardly con-
sider attacking a fortified city - who could have had a strong garrison
(although in reality they did not) – when he knew nothing of what was hap-
pening at that time in the main theatre of the operations?
On the night of June 6, having left Major Ceroni with the military com-
mand of Como, embarked the Brigade on four steamboats and transferred it
to Lecco, flanked on land by the guide on horseback of Captain Simonetta.
From Lecco he marched towards Caprino and Pontida, with the intention of
attempting a surprise attack on Bergamo. With this the leader continued
relentlessly to precede the allied Army by several stops, placing the Italian flag
more and more ahead on the redeemed ground, encouraging insurrections
and annoying the enemy on the flank.
The morning of the 7 th he started on his way to Bergamo still, as far as
he knew, securely occupied by the enemy, marching at about one stop behind
the Urban’ Division. This Division had retreated on the 4 th from Gallarate
to Busto Arsizio, heading for the Lambro in Canonica, after the battle of
Magenta. It was in the afternoon of the 6 th that, around Lainate, he nearly
had his retreat cut by a fast detachment of cavalry, Bersaglieri and artillery.
That same day, Garibaldi, informed by general Durando of the presence of
Urban south of Como and unable to join the chase, sent explorers on his
tracks, while the Brigade continued the journey to Caprino.
In the march to Bergamo, Garibaldi had arranged to be preceded on the
Brembo, in Ponte S. Pietro, by the battalion of Bixio, who exchanged some
shots with enemy posts, that according to information was in Bergamo with
numerous infantry and artillery. Therefore, destroying any hope of a surprise
attack, mainly because of insufficient artillery, Garibaldi went up the Brembo
with the Brigade, stopping at about eight kilometres northwest of Bergamo,
at Almenno. It was here that he was joined by Teleky and Türr – already
colonels of the free Hungary that rebelled against the Austrians in ’49 – sent
by the Count of Cavour to be part of his Head of Staff.

Having learned during the night from two guides - Curo and Nullo –