Page 149 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1859 CAMPAIGN 147

Not satisfied with this first positive success, the brave Cosenz, in order to
gain more ground south of the road to Brescia, went as far as the border of
the railway, while Colonel Türr advanced on the right with a company.
Having found resistance, they called in line new troops and – maybe with
more courage than prudence – continued to advance. The brave Hungarian
colonel therefore went forward for another couple of kilometres till S.
Giacomo with all the troops he could get hold of, leaving as reserve only the
company of Captain Bronzetti, while on the left, Lieutenant Colonel Cosenz
continued to advance with the intention of blocking the enemy’s retreat on
Montichiari. But, when he arrived north of Macina – a few hundred metres
east of Castenedolo – he was able to see how all the enemy’s forces, that occu-
pied the eastern side of the slightly high ground where the village is, were
greatly superior to his, that were no more than 900 rifles and about five kilo-
metres away from the bulk of the Brigade: he therefore thought that it would
be reckless to venture against a strong and well supplied enemy’s position
with such weak forces, and ordered to sound the signal to stop.
But just at that moment Colonel Türr who was on the right flank, called
the Bronzetti’s company and launched an assault with the troops. With a
sense of very laudable camaraderie, the imperturbable Cosenz, even with
such inferior forces, agreed to the attack already taking place and pushed his
brave soldiers to the assault. Fresh troops sent by Urban arrived at about
11am in support of the military defence line of the imperials, that were sur-
rendering to the impetus of the volunteers, they launched a counterattack
and pushed back the right flank of Garibaldi, reduced in number by the loss-
es and intermingled on that uneven ground: Narciso Bronzetti was fatally
wounded, “the brave of the braves”, as was Lieutenant Gradenigo. Colonel
Türr was among the five wounded officers.
While the right of the Hunters was giving in, the enemy also attacked on
the left that also retreated; but the pursuit was stopped by a counter-attack
by a small column launched by Cosenz, shortly before he received Garibaldi’s
order to retreat..
The general warned of the battle starting while repairing the bridge, had
gone to Treponti at a gallop, sending at the same time his son Menotti to
Brescia to inform the King about the event. When he arrived in Bettola di
Ciliverghe, he sent Lieutenant Colonel Medici in support of Cosenz and,
while he was personally rushing to the place of the battle, he received from